The Biodegradable Plastic Straw PHA Research Group, comprised of researchers from Georgia University (UGA), graduate students and renowned alumni, collaborated with the RWDC Foundation to synthesize a food grade polymer that will be used to develop a commercial A viable straw raw material. The development of biodegradable plastics is related to awards from the Temasek Eco Foundation in Singapore. The $71,000 award is the highest award in the first Life Ability Challenge and was awarded to RWDC Industries in Singapore in July.
RWDC and the New Materials Institute will develop prototypes to demonstrate that straw production capacity meets global demand and is fully biodegradable in soil, freshwater and seawater. Most of the testing will be conducted at the RWDC-funded Foundation’s New Materials Research Laboratory.
The plastics are made from a plant-based material called polylactic acid (PLA), which is labeled “biodegradable plastics” and can be composted in a limited environment, but they are not completely degraded. Polylactic acid is a new type of bio-based and renewable biodegradable material made from starch raw materials proposed by renewable plant resources. The starch raw material is obtained by saccharification to obtain glucose, and then glucose and a certain strain are fermented to produce high-purity lactic acid, and then a certain molecular weight polylactic acid is synthesized by chemical synthesis. It has good biodegradability. After use, it can be completely degraded by microorganisms in nature under certain conditions, and finally produces carbon dioxide and water, which does not pollute the environment. This is very beneficial to the environment and is recognized as an environmentally friendly material.
Jason Rocklin, director of the Institute of New Materials, professor of chemistry at the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, and head of the School of Engineering, said: “Plastics made from PLA can only be degraded in industrial composting environments at high temperatures. Other types of plastics are based on petroleum. Foundation, the recovery rate of these plastics is less than 10%. Non-renewable 90% of the material will eventually break over time, and the remaining plastic as micronized will remain in the soil, rivers and oceans forever.
The RWDC Real World Design Challenge is an educational program and event for young people around the world. It is designed to help young people to apply science, art, technology, engineering and mathematics to relevant knowledge through project-based learning. A real world of the future. The competition requires students to have a solid foundation in science, innovative spirit, willing to invest time to complete the project, excellent English and good cooperation. The theme of the 2017-2018 season was to design an unmanned aerial vehicle system that accurately sprays pests and diseases that occur randomly in a designated area of cornfields and develops a business plan for the commercial operation of the system. RWDC encourages students to combine business acumen, problem-solving skills and leadership development to learn critical thinking so they can better understand the job skills required for this fast-paced, ever-changing society.
Sulfamic acid |