Fully biodegradable materials refer to those materials that can be completely decomposed into harmless substances (such as water, carbon dioxide, etc.) through the action of microorganisms in the natural environment. These materials usually come from natural organisms, such as starch, cellulose, chitosan, etc., or are polymer materials manufactured with similar properties through synthetic technology.

Traditional plastics are often difficult to degrade in the natural environment, leading to long-term accumulation and environmental pollution. In contrast, fully biodegradable materials can be completely decomposed by microorganisms within a certain period and will not cause long-term pollution to the environment.

Due to their environmental characteristics, fully biodegradable materials are widely used in packaging materials, agricultural films, medical devices, clothing textiles, and other fields. Especially in disposable products such as disposable tableware and plastic bags, the application of fully biodegradable materials can significantly reduce plastic waste generation.

The degradation process of fully biodegradable materials typically includes hydrolysis and microbial degradation steps. Hydrolysis refers to the decomposition of materials into smaller molecules under the action of water molecules; microbial degradation refers to microorganisms further decomposing the materials into smaller molecules through the secretion of enzymes and other substances, ultimately converting them into harmless substances.

With the increasing global environmental awareness, the future development prospects of fully biodegradable materials are very promising. Governments, enterprises, and research institutions are actively investing in the research and production of fully biodegradable materials to replace traditional plastics and reduce environmental pollution. In the future, fully biodegradable materials are expected to be widely used in more fields, becoming an important means to address plastic pollution issues.

Currently, the production cost of fully biodegradable materials is usually higher than that of traditional plastics. This is because the production process of fully biodegradable materials may be more complex and require special raw materials and technologies. However, with the continuous improvement of technology and large-scale production, it is expected that the cost of fully biodegradable materials will gradually decrease and compete with traditional plastics in the future.

Common fully biodegradable materials include:
1. Polymers obtained through microbial fermentation and chemical synthesis, such as polylactic acid (PLA), etc.;
2. Polymers directly synthesized by microorganisms, such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), etc.;
3. Petrochemical-based biodegradable plastics, which refer to plastics synthesized by chemically synthesizing petrochemical monomers, such as polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polycarbonate (PPC), polyglycolic acid (PGA), etc.
These materials typically have good biodegradability and environmental friendliness and have begun to replace traditional plastics in some application areas.

In the field of agriculture, fully biodegradable materials are widely used in agricultural films, seed coatings, pesticide carriers, etc. Traditional plastic films can cause soil and environmental pollution due to long-term residues in the fields, while fully biodegradable materials can naturally degrade within a certain period, making them an ideal alternative to traditional plastic films.