Green composites and blends from leather industry waste

Blends based on protein hydrolysate (PH), derived from waste products of the leather industry, and poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA), were obtained by reactive blending and their physico-chemical properties as well as their mechanical and rheological behavior were evaluated. The effect of vinyl acetate content and of a transesterification agent added to increase interaction between polymer and bio-based components were investigated. Novel biodegradable polymeric materials for spray mulching coatings were also obtained from hydrolyzed proteins and end-functionalized poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), which was used as crosslinking agent. These products, almost entirely obtained from renewable sources, represent a new type of biodegradable material which looks promising for several applications, for instance in packaging or in agriculture as transplanting or mulching films with additional fertilizing action of PH.