Plastics get fruity
Sugar can provide the raw materials for polystyrene.
Apple juice and corn, rather than petroleum, could be the raw materials for some of the plastics and pharmaceuticals of the future, thanks to a new chemical process devised by researchers at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
Read the story here.
Comments
Is 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) tested for sensitization and subsequent allergic hyperreactivity in exposed workers and users? When I hear "furfural resins" I think "foundary sand casting." Food and aesthetic applications have more stringent standards re allowed HMF levels in honey, UN Codex Alimentarius.
Posted by: Uncle Al | June 30, 2006 02:06 AM
I am thrilled to hear this news. Congratulations to the researchers at Univ of Wisconsin. We desparately need a benign alternative to oil-based materials and this is a great example of 'green chemistry' in action. I can't wait to use the product. When will it be in wide circulation? Would the price of the raw plant materials be the same as if they were for food consumption? I am interested to know more about the economics of this material - from its use of land, water and other inputs to its use of energy in being processed. Then we shall have a clearer idea of what is really involved in its production.
Posted by: Caroline Webb | July 4, 2006 05:05 AM
Will the fruit-sugar derived plastic be biodegradable?
Indian scientists have added sugar molecules to make plastic biodegradable;
if the plastics are not biodegradable,the benefit from them will be limited.
It is possible to achieve biodegradability by some extra tweaking of the chemistry.
Dr K.S.Parthasarathy
Posted by: Dr K.S.Parthasarathy | July 5, 2006 04:56 AM