The structural features and antibacterial properties of polymer–porphyrin composites were investigated. Meso-substituted arylporphyrin 0.2–0.5 wt.% was immobilized in a polylactide matrix. The immobilization of porphyrin causes a bathochromic shift and splitting of the Soret band. This study of the morphology of the obtained composites demonstrated a uniform distribution of the meso-substituted arylporphyrin in the polylactide matrix. It was determined by the X-ray diffraction analysis that porphyrin does not affect the α-form of polylactide crystalline formations. However, its addition into the polymer somewhat reduces the melting point (by 1–2 °C) and the degree of crystallinity of polylactide (by 3–4%). The elastic characteristics of the resulting systems were determined by the ultrasonic method, and a decrease in the density of the samples with an increase of the arylporphyrin content was shown. According to the results of the biological test, the dark toxicity of the obtained composites against the microorganisms Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella Typhimurium and Escherichia coli was shown. Immobilizates containing 0.4 and 0.5 wt.% porphyrin showed the best antibacterial effect. The antibacterial activity of the studied composites makes it possible to attribute the polylactide–porphyrin systems to promising materials in the field of medicine and bioengineering.

The effect of plant-based fillers on thermal resistance in highly filled biocomposites based on ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) was studied. Wood flour and microcrystalline cellulose were used as fillers. It was shown that the introduction of microcrystalline cellulose into EVA did not affect the thermal stability of the polymer matrix. In contrast, the introduction of wood flour into EVA led to a significant increase in the thermal stability of the entire biocomposite. Oxidation induction time increased from 0 (pure EVA) to 73 min (EVA + wood flour biocomposites). The low-molecular weight phenolic compounds contained in wood flour are likely able to diffuse into the polymer matrix, exerting a stabilizing effect. The discovered stabilizing effect is a positive development for expanding the possibilities of technological processing of biocomposites, including multiple processing.

The biodegradation kinetics of such polysaccharide materials as microcrystalline cellulose, hydrated cellulose (viscose fiber), and native starch (reference sample) was studied. The biodegradation kinetics was evaluated by accumulation of carbon dioxide in the course of mineralization of organic substances under the action of soil microbiota (soil inoculum) using the Sturm test. The degrees of biodegradation of powdered fibrous cellulose and hydrated cellulose were found to be similar: 69.2 and 67.0% in 98 days. Microcrystalline cellulose appeared to be resistant to microbiological degradation (2.0% degradation), which is due to high stability of crystalline formations under the action of microbial metabolism products. After the biodegradation experiments, the strongly degrading cellulose samples had numerous structural defects, their color changed, and signs of the development of micromycetes were revealed. The absorption intensity in the regions corresponding to the O–H and C–O vibrations in the IR spectra decreased, which proves the degradation of polysaccharides. On the other hand, the intensity of the N–H vibration bands increased, which suggests accumulation of chitin, the main component of the cell walls of microscopic fungi fixed and sprouted on the sample surface. Biodegradation leads to a decrease in the molecular mass of powdered cellulose and hydrated cellulose samples, which is confirmed by a decrease in the temperature of thermal oxidative degradation.

The mutual effects and the structure of interface in blends of low-density polyethylene (PE) and polycaprolactone (PCL) with different ratios of components (differing by 10 wt %) were studied. The creation of blended composites of this kind based on one polymer capable of photodegradation under the action of ultraviolet radiation and another polymer prone to hydrolytic degradation under the action of microbiota makes it possible to obtain materials with an enhanced ability to undergo fast abiotic and biotic degradation after use. Blended films with high PCL contents (over 80 wt %) showed mutual compatibility of polymers, forming a developed interfacial layer, which imparts increased tensile strength and hardness to the film. The phase inversion ranges were determined to be 10–30 wt % PCL (continuous PE phase with a discontinuous PCL phase), 40–60 wt % PCL (net-in-net structure) and 70–90 wt % (continuous PCL phase with a discontinuous PE phase). The composite containing 70 wt % PCL was characterized by the greatest defectiveness of internal structure, and the composite with 90 wt % PCL had the most optimum set of both mechanical and technological properties.

The paper considers the prospects for the use of innovative disposable tableware and packaging materials at catering establishments. The advantage of edible packaging materials is that they do not need individual collection and special disposal conditions, unlike traditional biodegradable polymers, which have not gained wide popularity due to the fact that they require special collection and disposal conditions in specially created conditions. The disposable tableware being developed, which is discussed in the article, is made from biodegradable and edible materials, both as an alternative to plastic tableware, and as a replacement for traditional dishes and functional containers used in the catering industry. This paper presents a comparative analysis of the efficiency of the process of heat treatment of culinary dishes in traditional functional containers made of stainless steel and in promising functional containers made of edible biodegradable material (wheat bran). In addition, the paper presents the rationale for the feasibility of the process of thermal culinary treatment with the subsequent serving to the table of dishes cooked in utensils from wheat bran. Theoretical calculations show us that the energy consumption for cooking in utensils made from wheat bran will be less than in traditional functional containers of the same size, made of stainless steel. Calculations show that the use of utensils made from wheat bran can reduce the costs of the process of thermal cooking of dishes in them. At the same time, such dishes are an excellent alternative to disposable plastic dishes due to the absence of negative impact on the environment.