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UrduPlastics transformed engineering in the past century, but they also transformed the environment in ways that will take millennia to repair. Washington University in St. Louis is leading a new effort to address the grand challenge of developing the next generation of high-performance, sustainably sourced and biodegradable plastics that advance engineering while also protecting the environment.
Tag: biodegradable materials
A Sea Change for Plastic Pollution: New Material Biodegrades in Ocean Water
Seeking solutions to counteract a rapid rise in plastic trash, scientists at UC San Diego have developed biodegradable material that is designed to replace conventionally used plastic. In a new study, an interdisciplinary team of researchers has shown that the material biodegrades in seawater.
Q&A: Making Earth-friendly electronics
April 21, 2022 The very components that make electronics fast and easy to use also make their disposal an environmental nightmare. Components of smartphones, computers and even kitchen appliances contain heavy metals and other compounds that are toxic to us…
Making cleaner, greener plastics from waste fish parts
Derived from crude oil, toxic to synthesize, and slow to degrade, polyurethanes are not environmentally friendly. Today, researchers discuss a safer, biodegradable alternative derived from fish waste that would otherwise likely be discarded. They will present their results at ACS Spring 2021.