University of Washington Develops Fire Resistant and Recyclable Bioplastic

The University of Washington has developed a new bioplastic that degrades in the same amount of time that a banana peel would.

Using heat and pressure, researchers have successfully made bioplastics from powdered blue-green cyanobacteria cells, also known as spirulina. The researchers at the University of Washington have said that their new bioplastic has mechanical properties that are comparable to single-use, petroleum-derived plastics.

“We were motivated to create bioplastics that are both bio-derived and biodegradable in our backyards, while also being processable, scalable and recyclable,” said senior author Eleftheria Roumeli, UW assistant professor of materials science and engineering.

Spirulina can isolate carbon dioxide as cells grow, which makes the biomass a carbon-neutral feedstock for plastics, which is why UW researchers chose to use it.

“When exposed to fire, it instantly self-extinguishes, unlike many traditional plastics that either combust or melt,” said Hareesh Iyer, a UW materials science and engineering doctoral student. “This fire-resistant characteristic makes spirulina-based plastics advantageous for applications where traditional plastics may not be suitable due to their flammability.”

The new bioplastic is still under development at UW as according to them, it’s not ready for industrial usage just yet.

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