UIC engineers develop plant-based plastic alternative for use in shopping bags
Toward a plant-based bioplastic, designed for use in everyday objects like shopping bags
Most shopping bags today are made of low-density polyethylene, which can take hundreds of years to decompose in the environment. But one research group at UIC has created a sustainable alternative: a plant-based bioplastic, designed for use in everyday objects like shopping bags. It’s biodegradable ... [a]nd it’s designed to match the strength and performance of conventional plastic bags while reducing environmental impact, the team reports in a recent study published in Chemical Engineering Journal.
“Most plastics are derived from crude oil, which is a finite resource and is fast depleting,” said Taiwo Zacchaeus Adesanya, first author of the new study and a PhD student in Ezinne Achinivu-Ibagere’s lab in the UIC College of Engineering.
For the full article: https://today.uic.edu/uic-engineers-develop-plant-based-plastic-alternative-for-use-in-shopping-bags/