From utensils to food containers, single-use hard plastics are prevalent in our lives but they can create significant environmental issues when thrown away. Researchers have now developed a breakthrough that could offer an alternative: a lightweight material crafted from sugar and wood powder that can disintegrate as soon as it's commanded to. Read SURFACE REPORTER (SR)’s complete report below:
A Sugary Solution To Eliminate Plastics
This innovative material, composed of sugar alcohol and natural additives including cellulose, sawdust and wood powder, is lightweight yet can be broken down quickly.
It presents a promising option to the standard plastics found in landfills that take years to degrade. To fabricate this substance, researchers combined these elements and then heated the mixture before extruding it into pellets which could then be moulded into any desired shape, e.g. balls, saucers or chess pieces.
An Ideal Alternative
The novel material can be dissolved within minutes, offering a potential substitution for single-use plastics.
The findings of the study showed that all of the additives tested caused the material to become harder than ordinary plastics such as PET and PVC. But, in contrast to traditional plastics, this material will quickly dissolve in water.
The saucers were treated with food-grade shellac and cellulose acetate, which enabled them to be immersed in water for a whole week before disintegrating when the coating was damaged.
Food Service and Decorations
Researchers believe this new material could be used for food-service and decorative items that can simply be disposed of by crushing and spraying with water. Whilst it may still enter the environment, it will eventually biodegrade into sugar and plant-based components that could help enhance the soil.
Particularly since there has been an increase in awareness concerning pollution caused by plastic packaging, most shoppers are now conscious of this issue. As GlobalData outlines in a report on the shifting public attitude towards plastic waste, there is an increased desire among consumers to form bonds with retailers and manufacturers beyond just exchanging money for products. This heightened recognition of the damage plastic can cause to our environment has been a major catalyst for this trend.
Source: ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering
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