04/11/2020 – Bioplastics films from cotton to substitute plastics — auf Deutsch lesen
DNFI Award 2020
Dr Noureddine Abidi, Professor and Director, Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute, Texas Tech University, has won the 2020 Discover Natural Fibres Initiative Innovation Award.
The Innovation in Natural Fibres Award has been granted by the DNFI since 2017 and honours outstanding scientific achievements in the field of natural fibres. © Mathias Ulrichs/Bremer Baumwollbörse
Dr. Abidi has developed a process to produce a plastic substitute from cotton by dissolving the fibres to form a gel which can be transformed into bioproducts, including plastic films. © dnfi.org
Dr. Abidi has developed a process to produce a plastic substitute from cotton by dissolving the fibres to form a gel which can be transformed into bioproducts, including plastic films. Cotton fibres are approximately 99 percent cellulose, and cellulose-derived bioplastics are inherently biodegradable in landfills and composting facilities. Testing shows that when for instance cotton cellulose bioplastic films are buried in soil decomposition begins in about three weeks. However, when these bioplastic films are kept in normal household conditions, they remain stable.
Several commercial applications are envisioned, including shopping bags, soil covering in agriculture, bioplastic packaging, and other single-use items. This technology can be developed as an inexpensive alternative to petroleum-based plastics providing a solution to plastic accumulation in the environment.
The Bremen Cotton Exchange has committed itself to DNFI since its founding in 2010.
Source: www.dnfi.org
Bremen Cotton Report – issue 41-42/2020
