Peter Olsén, a researcher at KTH, holds up a sample piece of a new degradable plastic from wood. “These new materials, because of their high fiber content and degradable, matrix could be a game changer for a future circular material economy,” he says.
(Photo: courtesy of Peter Olsén)
Plastics used in home furnishings and constructions materials could be replaced with a new kind of wood-based degradable plastic with semi-structural strength. Unlike thermoplastic, the material can be broken down without harm to the environment, researchers at KTH have reported.
One of the goals of renewable wood composite development is to make materials strong enough to replace fossil-based materials used in home construction and furnishing, such as bathroom cabinets, doors, wall-boards and countertops. And it needs to be sustainable, or circular.
“Degradability enables circularity,” says Peter Olsén, a researcher at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. “By degrading the plastic, the fibers can be recycled and the chemical components from the plastic reused.”
High fiber content is the key to the strength of materials like fiberglass, but it’s difficult to deliver a degradable wood composite without intensive heat damage from processes like melt-compounding.
Olsén and fellow researchers at KTH report that they’ve found a way to deliver both high fiber content and degradability.
“No one has been able to make a degradable plastic with fiber content this high before, while having good dispersion and low fiber damage,” Olsén says. “This enabled the material properties to be improved dramatically compared to previous attempts.”
In order to achieve higher fiber content, the researchers combined polymer chemistry with process technology similar to what is used for carbon fiber composites.
Everything is based on cheap and available raw materials, Olsén says. The degradation products are also harmless to the environment, and can be reused—enabling what Olsén calls “a fully-circular product concept.”
And it could actually save trees. “It invites recycling of wood fibers to enable reformation of the material,” he says.
But in order to move on to commercialization, Olsén says the formula needs to be optimized. “The key to the work is that it shows a new way of how we can create degradable biocomposites with high fiber content,” he says.
Original Article: Wood-based plastic may enable circular home furnishings and building materials
More from: KTH The Royal Institute of Technology
The Latest Updates from Bing News
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Wood-based degradable plastic
- Food wrap made from faba beans? U of S researchers creating biodegradable replacement for plastic wrap
A new plant-based film made from faba beans has the potential to keep meat and food fresher and replace plastic wraps, according to researchers at the University of Saskatchewan.
- This revolutionary ‘bioplastic’ could be a sustainable plastic alternative
Researchers have created new bioplastic pellets that could offer a more sustainable and safer alternative to plastic.
- Rising Market Demand and Innovation Propel Growth in Fiber-Based Packaging Sector | FMI
The Fiber-Based Packaging Market is a shining example of environmentally conscious creativity in the complex web of sustainable solutions, connecting the dots between environmental responsibility, ...
- Using CO2 and Biomass, FAMU-FSU Researchers Find Path to More Environmentally Friendly Recyclable Plastics
Modern life relies on plastic. This lightweight, adaptable product is a cornerstone of packaging, medical equipment, the aerospace and automotive industries and more. But plastic waste remains a ...
- Wood Plastic Composites: A Sustainable Solution for Dilapidated Buildings – Market to Reach US$ 16 Billion by 2032
The wood plastic composites market size is forecasted to flourish at a CAGR of 11.3% and reach a valuation of US$ 16.06 Billion by 2032, while it holds a revenue of US$ 6.38 Billion in 2022. Growing ...
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Renewable wood composite
- Designing an infused, two-piece composite baseball bat
With its Icon BBCOR bat, Rawlings leveraged its experience in braided fabrics and RTM to create an optimized, higher-performance two-piece design.
- Strong Tech Earnings Boost Stocks
Real-time index price for TSX Renewable and Clean Tech Index (TXCT), along with buy or sell indicators, analysis, charts, historical performance, news and more ...
- The world’s largest 3D printer is at a university in Maine. It just unveiled an even bigger one
The university that boasts the world’s largest 3D printer developed one even bigger. And it’s poised to help tackle one of America’s biggest problems of all.
- New Windelo 50, The Sustainable Bluewater Cat With Outstanding Performance
Find out why the New Windelo 50 is the catamaran that is changing the game. Experience its speed, comfort, and environmental awareness.
- Buildings are a big part of New England's emissions. States are working to change that
Homes and buildings produce the second highest global warming emissions in New England, after transportation. Efforts like greener building techiques, renewable energy systems and home weatherization ...