Banning plastics is crucial for reducing pollution, but finding practical alternatives to take its place is equally important. Researchers have developed a plant-based plastic that decomposes into sugar, which shows promise for applications like food packaging.
Key points about the new plastic:
- Properties: The plant-based plastic has similar versatility and durability to conventional plastics, making it suitable for food packaging and other uses.
- Production: It is made by “cooking” non-edible plant materials, such as wood or agricultural waste, in inexpensive chemicals to produce the plastic precursor.
- Source Material: The process involves altering lignin, a polymer in biofuels, converting it into a potential source for bio-based plastics and fuels.
- Recyclability: The plastic can be converted back into sugars and used in various applications, including packaging, textile fibers, and 3D-printing filaments.
- Degradability: The material is inherently degradable and can be chemically recycled.
Standardized biodegradation studies are still needed, but the new plastic’s degradable nature and chemical recyclability offer a promising solution to replacing traditional plastics.
Learn more at https://www.optimistdaily.com/2022/07/this-plastic-alternative-breaks-down-into-sugar/