Bioplastic Nanoparticles as Next‐Generation Sustainable Materials: Design Principles, Technological Advances, and Translational Applications
Persistent petroleum‐derived plastics have presented environmental problems, and this has amplified the world's interest in biodegradable and renewable alternatives. Bioplastic nanoparticles, as a novel class of materials with sustainability and improved performance, are among them. This review presents the main categories of bioplastics derived from natural, microbial, and chemically modified sources, highlighting their structural features and physicochemical properties. Special attention is paid to the role of nanotechnology in overcoming the drawbacks generally associated with traditional bioplastics, such as low mechanical strength, inadequate thermal stability, and barrier performance. Different fabrication strategies such as top‐down, bottom‐up, and green synthesis approaches and their impact on size, morphology, and functionality of nanoparticles are discussed. Moreover, the review also includes surface engineering and functionalization techniques that provide better stability, targeting, and response to external stimuli. The study discusses the degradability of bioplastics in composting, soil, and aqueous environment along with the processes involved in making bioplastics useful for lab and industrial scale manufacture. Moreover, the review also considers the fate of residual bioplastics under environmental conditions in which bioplastics may not completely degrade, pointing out the possible risks from ecotoxicology and drawbacks of biodegradable claims under natural environmental conditions. Specific focus is placed on issues related to the translation of technology into clinical and industrial setting. In addition, the increasing applications of bioplastic nanoparticles in drug delivery, gene therapy, vaccine systems, food packaging, agriculture, and environmental remediation are reviewed critically. While significant progress has been achieved, scalability, economic feasibility, safety assessment, and regulatory compliance still pose challenges to large‐scale implementation. Emerging developments in synthetic biology, artificial intelligence‐assisted formulation design, and evolving regulatory frameworks are discussed as key factors expected to influence the future advancement and commercialization of nanoengineered bioplastic systems. This review summarizes the paradigm shifting impact of nanoengineered bioplastics on sustainable material science and discusses future prospects for their safe and effective implementation in a variety of industrial sectors.