Eco-Friendly Biodegradable Foam From Tea Leaf Extracts

Date:11 november 2024

Country: India

Application

• Used for traditional Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) packaging

Description

IISc Bengaluru researchers developed a biodegradable foam from non-edible oils and tea leaf extracts to replace plastic packaging.The foam disintegrates within three hours at 80°C in eco-friendly solvents, unlike conventional plastics that persist for centuries.Producing the foam drastically cuts greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional plastic packaging.Featuring dynamic covalent bonds, the foam is reprocessable and durable, withstanding 10,000 loading cycles.Targeted at the growing FMCG packaging market, researchers are seeking partners for commercialization.

Pathway Description:

The researchers developed a biodegradable foam by combining epoxidized fatty acids from non-edible oils with polyphenol-based hardeners extracted from tea leaves. This bio-derived epoxy foam has dynamic covalent bonds that allow it to be mechanically reprocessed or dissolved in eco-friendly solvents without losing strength. The foam biodegrades in hours when exposed to eco-friendly solvents at 80°C. The production process significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional plastic foam manufacturing.