Date:11 november 2024
Country: India
Tea
Leaves
Biomaterials
packaging material
Application
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 through a process involving epoxidation of fatty acids from non-edible oils and extraction of polyphenol-based hardeners from tea leaves. The epoxidized fatty acids are combined with the extracted polyphenols to create a bio-derived epoxy foam with dynamic covalent bonds. These bonds allow the foam to be mechanically reprocessed or dissolved in eco-friendly solvents without losing strength. The foam biodegrades within hours when exposed to eco-friendly solvents at 80°C, and its production process significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional plastic foam manufacturing.
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Tags: Biodegradable foamEco-friendly packagingTea leaf extractsNon-edible oils
Biomaterials
packaging material
Types of Feedstock
Secndary agricultural residue
Name
Tea leaf extracts
Form
Liquid (oils) and powder (tea extracts
Logistics
Easily sourced from agricultural and tea-producing regions
Characteristics
Fully biodegradable
Chemical
Epoxidation,Polyphenol Extraction
Educational Institution
IISc Bengaluru