Relieving the environment of the increasing burden of non-biodegradable and toxic wastes, scientists have come up with a new way that can help the world from relying on petroleum – making plastics from high-fructose corn syrups or other plant materials.
Chemical engineer James A. Dumesic and a team of researchers at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, have developed an efficient way of converting fructose into a polymer precursor.
The chemical 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) can not only be converted into furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) easily, but its different chemical structure will also allow engineers to design plastics with a range of different properties.
Timothy D. Leathers, a research geneticist at the US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service in Peoria, Illinois said,
There are many types of petroleum-based polymers with different properties and it will be necessary to develop many types of bio-based polymers with different properties as alternatives.
Via: New Scientist
