Dagli scarti della filiera agro-alimentare alla produzione di biopolimeri per l’architettura. Stato dell’arte e prospettive future

The contribution reports the researches focus on biopolymers produced by waste from the agri-food industry. Furthermore, future perspectives in relation to the production of architectural materials are identified. In the first part, a series of terminology specifications are made with the aim of providing a general classification of biopolymers. After, the reference regulatory framework is provided. Subsequently, the category of biodegradable polymers is examined with particular reference to those derived from the waste from agri-food production. In particular, the production of biopolymers from bacterial fermentation and those deriving from natural starches is analyzed. Production processes are carried out starting from the secondary raw materials: waste from the wine industry, the dairy industry and the corn, tomato, potato and cereal industry. For some of the identified biopolymers, the results of the experiments related to mechanical and chemical-physical performances are compared, where possible, to those of the petrochemical synthesis polymers. To complete this comparison, a series of economic considerations on production costs are made. Finally, some case studies are reported in which the biopolymers are used experimentally in architecture.