Researchers from the Weizmann Institute have achieved a significant breakthrough in materials science by creating a new composite material based on cellulose and amino acids. This innovative material is durable, edible and biodegradable, which could be a step in the solution globally.
The world has already accumulated billions of tons of plastic waste. According to a study by the Earth Action organization, in 2024 their number will increase by another 220 million tons.
The solution to the problem would be a plastic that decomposes naturally, for example, as food waste, but industrial plastics consist of massive molecules - polymers, which take a long and difficult time to decompose.
In a study published in the journal ACS Nano, scientists at the Weizmann Institute have created a new composite plastic that is very strong and yet easily decomposes.
Currently, industries use composites, which are plastics made by joining two or more pure materials. Composites are light and strong. Parts of airplanes, cars or bicycles are made from them.
In an effort to create a composite plastic that would meet the needs of industry and be environmentally friendly, researchers at the Weizmann Institute focused on common and inexpensive starting materials.
Scientists have discovered that molecules of tyrosine, a common amino acid that forms exceptionally strong nanocrystals, can be used as a component to create a biodegradable composite.
The scientists chose hydroxyethyl cellulose, a cellulose derivative that is widely used in the production of medicines and cosmetics. Hydroxyethyl cellulose easily decomposes by itself. To combine it with tyrosine, both materials were mixed in boiling water. When they cooled and dried, an exceptionally strong composite was formed, consisting of fibrous nanocrystals of tyrosine embedded in hydroxyethyl cellulose.
The new material is very strong: a strip with a thickness of 0.04 mm can withstand a load of 6 kg. Scientists believe that the new plastic has great industrial potential.
