Plastic and Rubber Weekly, UK
11-03-06
Clay could provide backbone for bioplastics
By Luke Hutson
Nanoparticles are being used to strengthen plastics made from soy and corn.
3 November 2006 – An unlikely solution may have been found to improve the
strength of bioplastics.
A team of US researchers at Iowa State University are using clay nanoparticles
to reinforce plastics made from corn and soy proteins.
Working with these nanoclays, also called platelets, is not easy because the
particles have the habit of clumping together due to electrostatic forces.
To counter the problem, the team is exploiting high-powered ultrasonics to
separate and disperse the nanoclays. According to Michael Kessler, an Iowa
State assistant professor of materials science and engineering, the platelets
need to be mixed evenly throughout the bioplastics to be effective as a
reinforcing agent.
The plastics produced by the team are still in the laboratory stage of
development. David Grewell, an Iowa assistant professor in polymer
processing and with 12 years' experience of working with ultrasonics at Branson
Ultrasonics, is working on production recipes and processing techniques.
The researchers have been using microcellular foaming technology from Trexel
in Massachusetts to mould and extrude the plastics. It is hoped that this
technology will enable less plant material to be used in making the bioplastic.
EPN’s and PRW’s Bioplastics conference, now in its 8th year, will be held on 6-7
December in Frankfurt, Germany. For details contact Emap conferences on +44
(0)20 7841 4811 (International) or 0845 056 5069 (UK only), or visit
www.bpevent.com