New Polymer Degrades in Ocean While Matching Nylon’s Strength

Korean scientists have developed a material that could transform how we approach ocean pollution from synthetic textiles and fishing gear.

This new polymer degrades by more than 92% in marine environments within just one year, while maintaining strength comparable to conventional nylon. The innovation, detailed in the March 2025 issue of Advanced Materials, offers a genuine solution to persistent plastic waste problems in our oceans without compromising on performance or requiring entirely new manufacturing infrastructure.

Solving the Ocean Plastic Dilemma

Nylon-based products like clothing and fishing nets are notorious contributors to marine pollution, persisting for decades in ocean environments. While biodegradable alternatives exist, they’ve typically suffered from poor durability and heat resistance—making them impractical for many real-world applications.

The research team from Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), led by Dr. Hyun-Yeol Jeon and Dr. Hyo-Jeong Kim, created a polyester-amide (PEA) polymer that addresses these limitations. Their innovation combines the biodegradability of ester linkages with the strength-providing amide bonds found in nylon.

“The key achievement is that this material overcomes the limitations of conventional biodegradable plastics while offering nylon-level performance,” explained Dr. Sungbae Park, senior researcher and co-first author of the study.

Strength Meets Sustainability

What sets this polymer apart isn’t just its biodegradability but its impressive mechanical properties. The material can match—and in some tests exceed—the performance of traditional nylon:

• Tensile strength up to 110 MPa, surpassing both nylon 6 and PET
• Single fiber strand capable of lifting a 10 kg object without breaking
• Heat resistance allowing fabrics to withstand ironing at 150°C
• Marine degradation of 92.1% within one year (compared to PLA at 0.1%, PBS at 35.9%, and PBAT at 21.1%)
• Carbon footprint just one-third that of conventional nylon production

This balance of performance and environmental benefits makes the polymer suitable for applications where existing biodegradable materials simply couldn’t compete—including fishing nets, clothing, and food packaging.

Manufacturing Innovation

A critical breakthrough in the research was the development of a two-step melt polymerization process that eliminates the need for toxic organic solvents traditionally required for such materials. This makes the production process safer and more environmentally friendly.

Perhaps most importantly for commercial adoption, the process is compatible with existing polyester manufacturing facilities. With only minor modifications, current industrial infrastructure could begin producing this biodegradable alternative—removing a significant barrier to widespread implementation.

The team has already demonstrated industrial-scale production of up to 4 kg in a 10-liter reactor, suggesting the material is ready for larger commercial applications.

Upcycling Approach Reduces Carbon Impact

Beyond performance and degradability, the researchers incorporated sustainability into the very building blocks of their polymer. They synthesized the material using long-chain dicarboxylic acids derived from castor oil—a non-edible crop that doesn’t compete with food production—and caprolactam derivatives recovered from recycled nylon 6 waste.

This upcycling approach dramatically reduces the carbon footprint of the material, bringing emissions down from 8–11 kg CO₂eq/kg for conventional nylon to just 2.3–2.6 kg CO₂eq/kg for the new polymer.

KRICT President Young-Kuk Lee emphasized the broader significance of the work: “This technology marks a pivotal step toward the commercialization of biodegradable engineering plastics and will significantly contribute to solving the global marine plastic pollution crisis.”

From Lab to Ocean

Real-world testing has been a priority for the research team. Marine biodegradability tests were conducted off the coast of Pohang, South Korea, demonstrating how the material performs in actual ocean conditions rather than just laboratory simulations.

Could this material finally offer a practical solution to the persistent problem of synthetic fishing gear and textile waste in our oceans? With commercialization expected within two years, we may soon find out.

The innovation comes at a critical time, as growing awareness of microplastic pollution from textiles and abandoned fishing gear continues to drive demand for truly biodegradable alternatives that don’t sacrifice performance.

The research team, which also included Professor Dong-Yeop Oh at Inha University and Professor Je-Young Park at Sogang University, received support from KRICT’s basic research fund, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.