After ages of experimentations with sustainable plastics, it is found to have been a curse for the environment – especially as post-consumer landfills. With the concerns increasing, biodegradable plastics have come to stay on the market.
But, scientists do not seem to be satisfied with just this. They are advancing to enhancing the biodegradable plastics, and that too using less base material in its making process.
To make such plastics, to improve plastics made from corn and soy proteins, U.S. researchers are using ultrasonics and nanotechnology in making plastics — i.e. reinforcing plastics with nanoclay. Nanoclay is a clay-piece of only 10 billionths to 20 billionths of a meter thick.
The project — partially supported by a $68,758 grant from the Grow Iowa Values Fund – is headed by David Grewell, an Iowa State University assistant professor of agriculture and biosystems.
