Issue 24/2021 - New DNA bioplastics are expected to replace petroleum-based plastics in some applications

Recently, the team of Professor Yang Dayong of Tianjin University and the PetroChina Petrochemical Research Institute have developed a new type of DNA bioplastic, which is expected to replace petroleum-based plastics
in some applications.
The results have been published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society
.

Yang Dayong said that the essence of DNA is a green natural biological polymer with precise and controllable chemical structure and biological functions, which has the advantages of good biocompatibility, and is a new functional material with great development potential, especially for biomedical materials
in the field of life and health.
In recent years, his team has focused on chemical assembly and intelligent manufacturing of DNA biofunctional materials, and used them for life analysis and disease treatment, and has achieved outstanding results
.

In the development of DNA bioplastics, Yang Dayong's team proposed the concept of sustainable DNA bioplastics, developed a new strategy for the assembly of biomass DNA and renewable ionomers, used the non-covalent bond interaction between DNA and ionomers to form composite hydrogels, and developed a new method for processing DNA materials at low temperatures, and then converted DNA/ionomer composite hydrogels into bioplastics, and the whole process of production, use and recycling was compatible with the ecological environment
.

This plastic raw material is derived from bio-renewable resources, including natural DNA and ionomers, and is rich
in raw materials.
Compared with the petroleum-based plastic melting processing strategy, the new DNA plastic consumes less than 5% of the processing energy, and can also be used to make new plastic products through non-destructive recycling strategies, and can also achieve controlled degradation
under the action of DNase.