Biodegradable compositions, methods and uses thereof

Abstract

Disclosed herein are biodegradable compositions, materials, gloves and methods thereof.

1 . A biodegradable elastomeric material formed from a composition comprising:
 a) an acrylonitrile butadiene based rubber;   b) an alkali stabilizing agent;   c) a metal oxide crosslinking agent; and   d) a biodegradation agent,   wherein the biodegradable elastomeric material exhibits a biodegradation rate as measured according to an ASTM D5511 testing standard that is greater than that of a substantially identical reference elastomeric material in the absence of the biodegradation agent.   
     
     
         2 . The biodegradable elastomeric material of  claim 1 , wherein the alkali stabilizing agent is present in an amount of from greater than 0 to about 2.0 parts per 100 dry parts of the acrylonitrile butadiene based rubber. 
     
     
         3 . The biodegradable elastomeric material of  claim 1 , wherein the alkali stabilizer comprises an alkali hydroxide. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The biodegradable elastomeric material of  claim 1 , wherein the alkali stabilizing agent comprises ammonia. 
     
     
         6 . The biodegradable elastomeric material of  claim 5 , wherein the composition has a pH in the range of from about 8.5 to about 10.5. 
     
     
         7 . The biodegradable elastomeric material according to  claim 1 , wherein the acrylonitrile butadiene based rubber is an acrylonitrile butadiene rubber latex. 
     
     
         8 . The biodegradable elastomeric material according to  claim 1 , wherein the acrylonitrile butadiene based rubber is a carboxylated acrylonitrile butadiene rubber latex. 
     
     
         9 . The biodegradable elastomeric material according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide crosslinking agent is zinc oxide or magnesium oxide. 
     
     
         10 . The biodegradable elastomeric material according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide crosslinking agent is present in an amount of from greater than 0 to about 5.0 parts per 100 dry parts of the acrylonitrile rubber. 
     
     
         11 . The biodegradable elastomeric material according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide crosslinking agent comprises zinc oxide. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The biodegradable elastomeric material according to  claim 1 , wherein the biodegradation agent is present in an amount of from greater than 0 to about 2.0 parts per 100 dry parts of the acrylonitrile butadiene based rubber. 
     
     
         15 . The biodegradable elastomeric material according to  claim 1 , wherein the biodegradation agent comprises a carboxylic acid compound. 
     
     
         16 . The biodegradable elastomeric material according to  claim 1 , wherein the biodegradation agent comprises a chemo attractant compound; a glutaric acid or its derivative; a carboxylic acid compound with chain length from 5-18 carbons; a polymer; and a swelling agent. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The biodegradable elastomeric material according to  claim 16 , wherein said polymer comprised in the biodegradation agent is selected from the group consisting of: polydivinyl benzene, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyterephthalate, polyesters, polyvinyl chloride, methacrylate, nylon 6, polycarbonate, polyamide, polychloroprene, acrylonitrile butadiene based rubber, and any copolymers of said polymers. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The biodegradable elastomeric material according to  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric material is vulcanized. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The biodegradable elastomeric material according to  claim 1 , wherein the biodegradation agent comprises a biodegradable polymer comprising polylactic acid, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), polypolypropylene carbonate, polycaprolactone, polyhydroxyalkanoate, chitosan, gluten, and one or more aliphatic/aromatic polyesters such as polybutylene succinate, polybutylene succinate-adipate, polybutylene succinate-sebacate, or polybutylene terephthalate-coadipate, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The biodegradable elastomeric material according to  claim 1 , wherein the biodegradation agent comprises polybutylene succinate. 
     
     
         29 . A biodegradable elastomeric glove formed from the biodegradable elastomeric material of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         30 . A biodegradable elastomeric material, comprising a biodegradable elastomeric glove material formed from a composition comprising:
 a) a halogen containing elastomeric polymer comprising polychloroprene; and   b) a biodegradation agent,   wherein the biodegradable elastomeric material exhibits a biodegradation rate as measured according to an ASTM D5511 testing standard that is greater than that of a substantially identical reference elastomeric material in the absence of the biodegradation agent.   
     
     
         31 . A biodegradable elastomeric glove formed from the biodegradable elastomeric material of  claim 30 . 
     
     
         32 . A method for producing a biodegradable elastomeric glove, comprising:
 a. providing a glove former having a predetermined size and shape;   b. contacting at least a surface portion of the glove former with a coagulant to provide at least a partial coagulant coating on the surface portion of the glove former;   c. drying the coagulant coating;   d. coating the glove former having the dried at least partial coagulant coating on the surface thereof with a composition comprising
 i. an acrylonitrile butadiene based rubber; 
 ii. an alkali stabilizing agent; 
 iii. a metal oxide crosslinking agent; and 
 iv. a biodegradation agent, 
   e. curing the coating of step d) to provide an elastomeric glove material that exhibits a biodegradation rate as measured according to an ASTM D5511 testing standard that is greater than that of a substantially identical reference elastomeric glove material in the absence of the biodegradation agent.   
     
     
         33 . A method for producing a biodegradable elastomeric glove, comprising:
 a. providing a glove former having a predetermined size and shape and being at least partially lined with a support material;   b. contacting at least a portion of the support material of step a) with a composition comprising
 i. an acrylonitrile butadiene based rubber; 
 ii. an alkali stabilizing agent; 
 iii. a metal oxide crosslinking agent; and 
 iv. a biodegradation agent, 
    to provide a first coating of the composition on the support material;   c. allowing the first coating to at least partially set;   d. repeating steps b) and c) in sequence “n” times; wherein “n” is an integer equal to or greater than 1 to provide a supported elastomeric glove material that exhibits a biodegradation rate as measured according to an ASTM D5511 testing standard that is greater than that of a substantially identical reference elastomeric glove material in the absence of the biodegradation agent.   
     
     
         34 . A method for producing a biodegradable elastomeric glove, comprising:
 a. providing a glove former having a predetermined size and shape;   b. contacting at least a surface portion of the glove former with a coagulant to provide at least a partial coagulant coating on the surface portion of the glove former;   c. drying the coagulant coating;   d. coating the glove former having the dried at least partial coagulant coating on the surface thereof with a composition comprising
 i. a halogen containing elastomeric polymer comprising polychloroprene, and 
 ii. a biodegradation agent, 
   e. curing the coating of step d) to provide an elastomeric glove material that exhibits a biodegradation rate as measured according to an ASTM D5511 testing standard that is greater than that of a substantially identical reference elastomeric glove material in the absence of the biodegradation agent.   
     
     
         35 . A method for producing a biodegradable elastomeric glove, comprising:
 a. providing a glove former having a predetermined size and shape and being at least partially lined with a support material;   b. contacting at least a portion of the support material of step a) with a composition comprising
 i. halogen containing elastomeric polymer comprising polychloroprene; and 
 ii. a biodegradation agent, 
    to provide a first coating of the composition on the support material;   c. allowing the first coating to at least partially set; and   d. repeating steps b) and c) in sequence “n” times; wherein “n” is an integer equal to or greater than 1 to provide a supported elastomeric glove material that exhibits a biodegradation rate as measured according to an ASTM D5511 testing standard that is greater than that of a substantially identical reference elastomeric glove material in the absence of the biodegradation agent.   
     
     
         36 . A biodegradable thermoplastic material, formed from a composition comprising:
 a) a halogen containing thermoplastic polymer comprising polyvinyl chloride;   b) a biodegradation agent; and   c) a plasticizer,   wherein the biodegradable thermoplastic material exhibits a biodegradation rate as measured according to an ASTM D5511 testing standard that is greater than that of a substantially identical reference thermoplastic material in the absence of the biodegradation agent.   
     
     
         37 . A method for producing a biodegradable thermoplastic glove, comprising:
 a. providing a glove former having a predetermined size and shape;   b. coating the glove former having the dried at least partial coagulant coating on the surface thereof with a composition comprising
 i. a halogen containing thermoplastic polymer comprising polyvinyl chloride, and 
 ii. a biodegradation agent, 
   c. curing the coating of step b) to provide an thermoplastic glove material that exhibits a biodegradation rate as measured according to an ASTM D5511 testing standard that is greater than that of a substantially identical reference thermoplastic glove material in the absence of the biodegradation agent.   
     
     
         38 . A method for producing a biodegradable thermoplastic glove, comprising:
 a. providing a glove former having a predetermined size and shape and being at least partially lined with a support material;   b. contacting at least a portion of the support material of step a) with a composition comprising
 i. halogen containing thermoplastic polymer comprising polyvinyl chloride; 
 ii. a plasticizer; and 
 iii. a biodegradation agent, 
    to provide a first coating of the composition on the support material;   c. allowing the first coating to at least partially set; and   d. repeating steps b) and c) in sequence “n” times; wherein “n” is an integer equal to or greater than 1 to provide a supported thermoplastic glove material that exhibits a biodegradation rate as measured according to an ASTM D5511 testing standard that is greater than that of a substantially identical reference thermoplastic glove material in the absence of the biodegradation agent.   
     
     
         39 . A biodegradable thermoplastic glove, comprising a biodegradable thermoplastic glove material formed from a composition comprising:
 a) a halogen containing thermoplastic polymer comprising polyvinyl chloride; and   b) a biodegradation agent,   wherein the biodegradable thermoplastic glove material exhibits a biodegradation rate as measured according to an ASTM D5511 testing standard that is greater than that of a substantially identical reference thermoplastic glove material in the absence of the biodegradation agent.