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Volume 18
Issue 16
10.3390/ma18163842
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

New Biodegradable Polyester–Polyurethane Biocompositions Enriched by Urea

by
Iwona Zarzyka
1,*,
Beata Krzykowska
1,
Karol Hęclik
2,
Wiesław Frącz
3,
Grzegorz Janowski
3,
Łukasz Bąk
3,
Tomasz Klepka
4,
Jarosław Bieniaś
5,
Monika Ostapiuk
5,
Aneta Tor-Świątek
4,
Magda Droździel-Jurkiewicz
5,
Anita Białkowska
6,
Adam Tomczyk
7,
Anna Falkowska
7 and
Michał Kuciej
7
1
Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Rzeszów University of Technology, Powstańców Warszawy 6, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland
2
Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatic, Rzeszów University of Technology, Powstańców Warszawy 6, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland
3
Department of Materials Forming and Processing, The Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics, Rzeszow University of Technology, al. Powstańców Warszawy 12, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland
4
Department of Technology and Polymer Processing, Faculty Mechanical Engineering, Lublin University of Technology, Nadbystrzycka 36, 20618 Lublin, Poland
5
Department of Materials Engineering, Faculty Mechanical Engineering, Lublin University of Technology, Nadbystrzycka 36, 20618 Lublin, Poland
6
Faculty of Mechanic, Radom University, Stasieckiego 54, 26-600 Radom, Poland
7
Department of Mechanics and Applied Computer Science, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Bialystok University of Technology, 45C Wiejska St, 15351 Bialystok, Poland
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Materials 2025, 18(16), 3842; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18163842
Submission received: 22 June 2025 / Revised: 17 July 2025 / Accepted: 21 July 2025 / Published: 15 August 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomass-Derived and Biodegradable Polymer Materials: Synthesis and Application)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Novel polyester–polyurethane polymeric materials were formulated by combining a natural aliphatic polyester, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB), with a synthetic aliphatic polyurethane via melt blending. The resulting fully biodegradable compositions were functionally modified through the incorporation of urea, with the aim of enabling post-consumer utilization of the material residues as nitrogen-rich fertilizers. The fabrication process was systematically established and optimized, focusing on homogeneous blending and processability. Comprehensive mechanical characterization—including tensile strength, impact resistance, and Shore hardness—was performed. Among the tested formulations, composites containing 1 wt.% urea demonstrated superior mechanical performance and optimal processing behavior. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was employed to investigate molecular-level interactions between polymeric phases and urea, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was utilized to assess the morphological characteristics of the resulting biocompositions. Comparative analyses of the physico-mechanical properties and biodegradability were conducted among the urea-modified compositions, binary P3HB–polyurethane blends, and neat P3HB. The observed improvements in mechanical integrity and functional biodegradability suggest that the developed urea-enriched compositions are promising candidates for the fabrication of eco-friendly seedling pots via injection molding technology.
Keywords: natural polyester; polyurethane; urea; morphology; molecular interactions; biodegradability; mechanical properties natural polyester; polyurethane; urea; morphology; molecular interactions; biodegradability; mechanical properties

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MDPI and ACS Style

Zarzyka, I.; Krzykowska, B.; Hęclik, K.; Frącz, W.; Janowski, G.; Bąk, Ł.; Klepka, T.; Bieniaś, J.; Ostapiuk, M.; Tor-Świątek, A.; et al. New Biodegradable Polyester–Polyurethane Biocompositions Enriched by Urea. Materials 2025, 18, 3842. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18163842

AMA Style

Zarzyka I, Krzykowska B, Hęclik K, Frącz W, Janowski G, Bąk Ł, Klepka T, Bieniaś J, Ostapiuk M, Tor-Świątek A, et al. New Biodegradable Polyester–Polyurethane Biocompositions Enriched by Urea. Materials. 2025; 18(16):3842. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18163842

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zarzyka, Iwona, Beata Krzykowska, Karol Hęclik, Wiesław Frącz, Grzegorz Janowski, Łukasz Bąk, Tomasz Klepka, Jarosław Bieniaś, Monika Ostapiuk, Aneta Tor-Świątek, and et al. 2025. "New Biodegradable Polyester–Polyurethane Biocompositions Enriched by Urea" Materials 18, no. 16: 3842. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18163842

APA Style

Zarzyka, I., Krzykowska, B., Hęclik, K., Frącz, W., Janowski, G., Bąk, Ł., Klepka, T., Bieniaś, J., Ostapiuk, M., Tor-Świątek, A., Droździel-Jurkiewicz, M., Białkowska, A., Tomczyk, A., Falkowska, A., & Kuciej, M. (2025). New Biodegradable Polyester–Polyurethane Biocompositions Enriched by Urea. Materials, 18(16), 3842. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18163842

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