Eco-friendly plastic made from cellulose and water

Plastics have many benefits to society and are widely used in our daily lives: they are lightweight, inexpensive and adaptable
.
However, the production, processing and disposal of plastics is unsustainable and often poses a significant global threat to the environment and human health
.
Eco-friendly processing of reusable and recyclable plastics derived from plant-based raw materials would be an ideal solution
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So far, the technical challenges have proven too great
.
However, researchers at the University of Göttingen have now found a sustainable method - "hydraulic coagulation", which uses water under normal conditions to process and reshape a new type of water-plastic polymer, cinnamon Cellulose acid (CCi)
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The research was published in Nature Sustainability
.

Plastics are polymers, which means their molecular structures are formed by bonding together a large number of similar units
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Currently, most plastics are made from petrochemicals, and both extraction and handling are harmful to our environment
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In contrast, cellulose, the main component of plant cell walls, is the most abundant natural polymer on the planet and an almost inexhaustible source of raw materials
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By introducing a "cinnamoyl" group that slightly alters a small fraction of the chemical properties of cellulose, the researchers succeeded in producing a special CCi suitable for forming a hydroplastic (i.
e.
soft when in contact with water) and plastic) new bioplastics of polymers
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This means it can be moulded at everyday temperatures and pressures using only water
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In this unique method, known as hydrogelation, researchers can create various shapes by simply dipping the bioplastic in water and letting it dry in the air
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Compression-molded shapes maintain long-term stability and can be reshaped into a variety of 2D and 3D shapes time and time again
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Although plastic should not come into direct contact with water as it will lose its shape, it can retain moisture and be used in wet conditions
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CCi bioplastics show high-quality mechanical properties compared to the currently widely used plastics
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Professor Kai Zhang from the University of Göttingen explains: "Our study provides a feasible way to engineer other eco-friendly water plastics from renewable sources
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This opens up new research avenues and stimulates further exploration of other Sustainable bioplastics with excellent mechanical properties and new functionalities
.
”

The hydraulic process avoids expensive and complex machinery and harsh processing conditions
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"This eco-friendly approach highly simplifies plastic manufacturing, making it more economical and sustainable to process and recycle
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This research offers great potential for the application of bioplastics in many different fields, such as biology, electronics and medicine.
," Zhang said, adding, "In particular, the detrimental impact of plastics on the environment, that is, damage to all forms of life on Earth, will be minimized by reusing water-based plastics with unique functions
.
"