See all Residues See all Plants

Upcycling pineapple leaves into eco-aerogels

Date:08September2020

Country: Singapore

Plant Name:

    Pineapple

Residue Name:

    Leaves

End Products

Food

food preservation

Application

  • The main applications of this project include food preservation by delaying ripening and wastewater treatment by removing heavy metals. Additionally, the eco-aerogels can be used for oil absorption, heat and sound insulation, and waste management.

Description

Researchers at NUS Mechanical Engineering have developed a low-cost method to upcycle pineapple leaf fibers into ultra-light, biodegradable eco-aerogels. These versatile aerogels can be used for food preservation, wastewater treatment, and waste management. They effectively absorb ethylene gas to delay fruit ripening and remove heavy metals from water. The eco-aerogels are cost-effective, reusable, and environmentally friendly, offering a sustainable solution for agricultural waste.

 

 

Pathway Description:

The process used in this project involves several key steps: shredding or blending pineapple leaf fibers, mixing them with water and a small amount of non-toxic chemicals, stirring, aging, freezing, and freeze-drying. This method takes about 12 hours to produce the aerogels, which is much faster than the conventional sol-gel method used for commercial aerogels.

Source: Know More...

Tags: Pineapple Leaf AerogelsBiodegradable Pineapple AerogelsSustainable Aerogel Production

End Products

Food

food preservation

Feedstock

Types of Feedstock

Primary agricultural residue

Name

pineapple leaves

Form

Fibrous Material

Commercials

Low-cost and abundant; valorizes waste streams for high-value applications

Logistics

Sourced from pineapple farms

Characteristics

High cellulose content

Pathways

Chemical

Aging,chemical blending

Thermal

Freeze-drying

Mechanical

Shredding,Stirring

Stakeholders

Educational Institution

National University of Singapore (NUS)