Diapers

http://accelrys.com/blog/index.php/2016/01/04/thin-breathable-effective-innovations-diaper-
products-support-elns/

Thin and Breathable: Effective Innovations in

Diaper Products with the Support of ELNs
Posted by Vernieda V. January 4, 2016 Consumer Packaged Goods, ELN

Increased disposable income and demand for convenience have led to a corresponding
demand for diaper products worldwide. How can ELNs help companies create products
that appeal to todays modern consumers?
Image source: Flickr CC user miguelb
When we think of items bought with disposable income, things like premium beverage
products and razor-thin high-end technology come to mind. In many ways, the improving
economy has helped drive the push for organic foods since, of course, these goods typically
command a higher price tag than their non-organic counterparts. While consumers certainly care
about their household budgets, perceived health effects often balance, and even trump, any
reservations about higher prices. What we dont usually think ofespecially in industrialized and
more mature marketsare basic items such as diapers.
It may come as a surprise to some people that diapers make up a significant global market. Birth
rates may be slowing in the United States, but the same cannot be said for countries in Asia and
Latin America. In fact, increasing birth rates in those geographic regions are causing a
corresponding expansion in the market, which is expected to see a 44.8% growth by 2018.1
Rising birth rates and increased disposable income arent the only reasons were seeing more
demand in the diaper market. Improving economic conditions have contributed to a busy, on-the-
go lifestyle that favors convenience. Whats easier to use and takes less time? Cleaning a piece of
cloth or throwing away a disposable diaper? Once consumers have extra income at their disposal,
theyre going to take advantage of products that make their lives simpler.

This growing market offers a prime opportunity for companies. At the same time, its important
to keep todays modern consumers in mind. For example, people with active, mobile lifestyles
dont want to drop everything to deal with a leaky diaper. Its a hassle and inconvenience. What
innovation can companies bring to diaper products and what tools can they use to help their
efforts?

Modernizing Diaper Products through the Use of ELNs

One concern tops the list of diaper product traits: absorption. How much liquid can a diaper
absorb without leaking? Were used to seeing fluffy pulp serve as absorbent material. The
problem with this solution is that its bulky. You put diapers on a person, usually an infant or
toddler. Theres a limit to how much pulp can be put into a diaper without making it
uncomfortable for the wearer.

Some companies, however, have found ways to address this issue. By developing innovative
absorbent core technology, they can eliminate the fluff and make diapers much thinner. 2 Other
companies are looking at plastic coatings that can be used to prevent leaks.3 Not only do these
advances boost overall convenience, they make diaper products more attractive and likely to be
used among elderly populations, which may require them in medical settings or for other health
reasons.
Developing and testing new diaper products is sure to generate a lot of data. R&D laboratories
will need the right set of tools to make sorting through the results easier. One such tool is an
electronic lab notebook (ELN).

An ELN offers the following advantages:

A search tool that enables you to sort through experiments and information quickly.
An experiment editor that allows you to create templates and clone often-used procedures
for maximum efficiency.
Intellectual property protection that safeguards your ideas in an extremely competitive
and mature market.
Due to the flexibility of an ELN, researchers can use it to both track basic variables and glean key
insights. They can manage results from basic experiments such as how long a new diaper design
can be worn without discomfort or whether it causes a skin rash. On the other hand, they can also
search through accumulated experiments to determine whether elements be adapted for other
markets. Can mesh overlays be used for feminine care products? Would absorbent fabrics be
suitable to use in disposable mops? In this way, companies can stay on top of the diaper market
while also finding ways to introduce innovation in other areas.

Is your company interested in tools that support your efforts to create products for todays
modern consumer? Do you want the ability to manage your data effectively, so that you can
develop goods in a wide variety of markets? Then please contact us today to learn more about
the BIOVIA Notebook and how it can benefit your organization.
1. P&G Studies Pee Points to Maintain Edge in Diaper Wars, March 4, 2014,
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-03-04/p-g-studies-pee-points-to-maintain-

edge-in-diaper-wars
2. Evonik licenses new technology for ultrathin diaper designs, November 9, 2015,
http://corporate.evonik.com/en/media/press_releases/pages/news-

details.aspx?newsid=55578
 3. Global Diapers Market Size, Segments, Growth and Demand Forecast to 2020,
November 26, 2015, http://www.rundirectmagazine.com/global-diapers-market-size-

segments-growth-and-demand-forecast-to-2020/3226/

http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Disposable-Diaper.html

Background
A disposable diaper consists of an absorbent pad sandwiched between two sheets
of nonwoven fabric. The pad is specially designed to absorb and retain body fluids,
and the nonwoven fabric gives the diaper a comfortable shape and helps prevent
leakage. These diapers are made by a multi-step process in which the absorbent
pad is first vacuum-formed, then attached to a permeable top sheet and
impermeable bottom sheet. The components are sealed together by application of
heat or ultrasonic vibrations. Elastic fibers are attached to the sheets to gather the
edges of the diaper into the proper shape so it fits snugly around a baby's legs and
crotch. When properly fitted, the disposable diaper will retain body fluids which pass
through the permeable top sheet and are absorbed into the pad.

Disposable diapers are a relatively recent invention. In fact, until the early 1970s
mothers had no real alternative to classic cloth diapers. Cotton diapers have the
advantage of being soft, comfortable, and made of natural materials. Their
disadvantages include their relatively poor absorbency and the fact that they have to
be laundered. Disposable diapers were developed to overcome these problems. The
earliest disposables used wood pulp fluff, cellulose wadding, fluff cellulose, or cotton
fibers as the absorbent material. These materials did not absorb very much moisture
for their weight, however. Consequently, diapers made from these materials were
extremely bulky. More efficient absorbent polymers were developed to address this
issue.

Since the 1970s, disposable diaper technology has continued to evolve. In fact,
nearly 1,000 patents related to diaper design and construction have been issued in
the last 25 years. Today's diapers are not only highly functional, they include
advanced features such as special sizing and coloring for specific gender and age,
color change indicators to show when the child is wet, and reattachable VelcroTM-
type closures. These innovations have enabled disposables to capture a large share
of the diaper market. In 1996, disposable diaper sales exceeded $4 billion in the
United States alone. Proctor and Gamble and Kimberly Clark are the two largest
brand name manufacturers, and their sales account for nearly 80% of the market.
Private label manufacturers that produce store brands and generic diapers account
for most of the remaining 20%.

Raw Materials
Absorbent pad
The single most important property of a diaper, cloth or disposable, is its ability to
absorb and retain moisture. Cotton material used in cloth diapers is reasonably
absorbent, but synthetic polymers far exceed the capacity of natural fibers. Today's
state-of-the-art disposable diaper will absorb 15 times its weight in water. This
phenomenalabsorption capacity is due to the absorbent pad found in the core of the
diaper. This pad is composed of two essential elements, a hydrophilic, or water-
loving, polymer and a fibrous material such as wood pulp. The polymer is made of
fine particles of an acrylic acid derivative, such as sodium
acrylate, potassium acrylate, or an alkyl acrylate. These polymeric particles act as
tiny sponges that retain many times their weight in water. Microscopically these
polymer molecules resemble long chains or ropes. Portions of these chemical
"ropes" are designed to interact with water molecules. Other parts of the polymer
have the ability to chemically link with different polymer molecules in a process
known as cross linking. When a large number of these polymeric chains are cross
linked, they form a gel network that is not water soluble but that can absorb vast
amounts of water. Polymers with this ability are referred to as hydrogels,
superabsorbents, or hydrocolloids. Depending on the degree of cross linking, the
strength of the gel network can be varied. This is an important property because gel
strength is related to the tendency of the polymer to deform or flow under stress. If
the strength is too high the polymer will not retain enough water. If it too low the
polymer will deform too easily, and the outermost particles in the pad will absorb
water too quickly, forming a gel that blocks water from reaching the inner pad
particles. This problem, known as gel blocking, can be overcome by dispersing wood
pulp fibers throughout the polymer matrix. These wood fibers act as thousands of
tiny straws which suck up water faster and disperse it through the matrix more
efficiently to avoid gel blocking. Manufacturers have optimized the combinations of
polymer and fibrous material to yield the most efficient absorbency possible.

Nonwoven fabric
The absorbent pad is at the core of the diaper. It is held in place by nonwoven fabric
sheets that form the body of the diaper. Nonwoven fabrics are different from
traditional fabrics because of the way they are made. Traditional fabrics are made by
weaving together fibers of silk, cotton, polyester, wool, etc. to create an interlocking
network of fiber loops. Nonwovens are typically made from plastic resins, such as
nylon, polyester, polyethylene, or polypropylene, and are assembled by
mechanically, chemically, or thermally interlocking the plastic fibers. There are two
primary methods of assembling nonwovens, the wet laid process and the dry laid
process. A dry laid process, such as the "meltblown" method, is typically used to
make nonwoven diaper fabrics. In this method the plastic resin is melted and
extruded, or forced, through tiny holes by air pressure. As the air-blown stream of
fibers cools, the fibers condense onto a sheet. Heated rollers are then used to flatten
the fibers and bond them together. Polypropylene is typically the material used for
the permeable top sheet, while polyethylene is the resin of choice for the non-
permeable back sheet.

Other components
There are a variety of other ancillary components, such as elastic threads, hot melt
adhesives, strips of tape or other closures, and inks used for printing decorations.

The Manufacturing
Process
Formation of the absorbent pad
1 The absorbent pad is formed on a movable conveyer belt that passes
through a long "forming chamber." At various points in the chamber,
pressurized nozzles spray either polymer particles or fibrous material onto the
conveyor surface. The bottom of the conveyor is perforated, and as the pad
material is sprayed onto the belt, a vacuum is applied from below so that the
fibers are pulled down to form a flat pad.

At least two methods have been employed to incorporate absorbent polymers

into the pad. In one method the polymer is injected into the same feed stock
that supplies the fibers. This method produces a pad that has absorbent
polymer dispersed evenly throughout its entire length, width, and thickness.
The problems associated with method are that loss of absorbent may occur
because the fine particles are pulled through the perforations in the conveyor
by the vacuum. It is therefore expensive and messy. This method also causes
the pad to absorb unevenly since absorbent is lost from only one side and not
the other.

A second method of applying polymer and fiber involves application of the

absorbent material onto the top surface of the pad after it has been formed.
This method produces a pad which has absorbent material concentrated on
 its top side and does not have much absorbency throughout the pad. Another
disadvantage is that a pad made in

this way may lose some of the polymer applied to its surface. Furthermore, this
approach tends to cause gel blocking, since all the absorbent is on the outside of the
pad. The moisture gets trapped in this outer layer and does not have a chance to
diffuse to the center. This blockage holds moisture against the skin and can lead to
discomfort for the wearer.

These problems are solved by controlling the mixture polymer and fibrous
material. Multiple spray dispensers are used to apply several layers of
polymer and fiber. As the fiber is drawn into the chamber and the bottom of
the pad is formed, a portion of the polymer is added to the mix to form a layer
of combined polymer and fiber. Then more pure fiber is pulled on top to give a
sandwich effect. This formation creates a pad with the absorbent polymer
confined to its center, surrounded by fibrous material. Gel blockage is not a
problem because the polymer is concentrated at core of pad. It also solves
the problem of particle loss since all the absorbent is surrounded by fibrous
material. Finally, this process is more cost effective because it distributes the
polymer just where it is needed.

2 After the pad has received a full dose of fiber and polymer, it proceeds down the
conveyor path to a leveling roller near the outlet of the forming chamber. This roller
removes a portion of the fiber at the top of the pad to make it a uniform thickness.
The pad then moves by the conveyor through the outlet for subsequent operations to
form the competed diaper.
Preparation of the nonwoven
3 Sheets of nonwoven fabric are formed from plastic resin using the
meltblown process as described above. These sheets are produced as a wide
roll known as a "web," which is then cut to the appropriate width for use in
diapers. There is a web for the top sheet and another for the bottom sheet. It
should be noted that this step does not necessarily occur in sequence after
pad formation because the nonwoven fabrics are often made in a separate
location. When the manufacturer is ready to initiate diaper production these
large bolts of fabric are connected to special roller equipment that feeds fabric
to the assembly line.

4 At some point in the process, stretched elastic bands are attached to the backing
sheet with adhesive. After the diaper is assembled, these elastic bands contract and
gather the diaper together to ensure a snug fit and limit leakage.

Assembly of the components

5 At this point in the process there are still three separate components, the absorbent
pad, the top sheet, and the backing sheet. These three components are in long strips
and must be joined together and cut into diaper-sized units. This is accomplished by
feeding the absorbent pad onto a conveyor with the polyethylene bottom sheet. The
polypropylene top sheet is then fed into place, and the compiled sheets are joined by
gluing, heating, or ultrasonic welding. The assembled diaper may have other
attachments, such as strips of tape or Velcro , which act as closures.
6 The long roll is then cut into individual diapers, folded, and packaged for shipping.
Byproducts/Waste
Diaper production does not produce significant byproducts; in fact the diaper industry
uses the byproducts of other industries. The absorbent polymers used in diaper
production are often left over from production lines of other chemical industries. The
polymer particles are too small for other applications, but they are well suited for use
in diapers. In diaper production, however, considerable amounts of both nonwoven
material and polymer particles are wasted. To minimize this waste, the industry tries
to optimize the number of diapers obtained from every square yard (meter) of
material. Furthermore, every attempt is made to recover the excess fiber and
polymer material used in the forming chamber. However, this is not always possible
due to clogging of filters and other losses.

Quality Control
There are several methods used to control the quality of disposable diapers, and
most of these relate to the product's absorbency. One key is to make sure the
polymer/fiber ratio in the absorbent pad is correct. Too much variation will impact the
diaper's ability to soak up moisture. Industry trial and error has shown that for optimal
performance and cost, the fiber to particle ratio should be about 75:25 to 90:10. Even
more critical than this ratio are the size and distribution of these particles. It has been
established that particles with mass median particle size greater than or equal to
about 400 microns work very well with the fibers to enhance the rate at which the
fluid is transported away from the body. If the particles vary much outside this range,
gel blocking may occur.

There are several standard tests the industry uses to establish diaper absorbency.
One is referred to as Demand Wettability or Gravimetric Absorbance. These tests
evaluate what is are commonly referred to as Absorbance Under Load (AUL). AUL is
defined as the amount of 0.9% saline solution absorbed by the polymers while being
subjected to pressure equivalent to 21,000 dynes, or about 0.30 lb/sq in (0.021 kg/sq
cm). This test simulates the effect of a baby sitting on a wet diaper. If the diaper has
an absorbency of at least 24 ml/g after one hour, the quality is considered
acceptable.

Other quality control factors besides absorbency are related to the diaper's fit and
comfort. Particular attention must be paid to the melt characteristics of the nonwoven
fabrics used to form the diaper's shell. If materials with different melting points are
used, the material that melts the quickest may become too soft and stick to the
assembly apparatus. When the fabric is pulled off it may be left with a rough surface
that is uncomfortable to the user. Finally, the alignment of the components must be
carefully checked or leakage may result.
The Future
Disposable diaper manufacture is a high technology field which has consistently
shown innovation over the last few decades. Nonetheless, there are still a number of
areas which require additional improvement. One such area is that of leakage
reduction. It is likely that manufacturers will develop improved elastic bands to hold
the waist more tightly without causing chafing or discomfort. It is also likely that
current concern regarding the role of disposable diapers in landfills will impact
manufacturing and formulation. This concern may to lead to the development of
diapers which are less bulky and more biodegradable.

Where to Learn More

Periodicals
"Dueling diapers." The Edell Health Letter, August 1993, p. 6.

McAloney, Regina. "Thin is in." Nonwovens Industry, November 1994 p.52.

Lenzner, Robert, and Carrie Shooc. "The Battle of the Bottoms." Forbes, March 24,
1997, p. 98.
Ohmura, Kin. "Superabsorbent Polymers in Japan." Nonwovens Industry, January
1995, p. 32.
Randy Schueller

Read more: http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Disposable-Diaper.html#ixzz4J9Xp0C8O

https://www.teachersource.com/product/sodium-polyacrylate-diaper-polymer/chemistry

Sodium Polyacrylate (Diaper Polymer)

Zoom

You know... the super-absorbent polymer found in disposable baby diapers. Also used in many
'disappearing water' magic tricks, this fine white powder instantly turns liquid water into a slush-
like solid substance. Technically speaking, the polymer absorbs from 500 to 1,000 times its own
weight in water. Simply add table salt to reverse the reaction. Safe and amazing -- your students
will love it!

http://www.nonwovens-industry.com/contents/view_experts-opinion/2012-02-13/adhesives-at-
the-core-of-diaper-innovation

Adhesives at the Core of Diaper Innovation

By Heather Campe, North America Business Director, Nonwovens H.B. Fuller | February 13,
2012
Diapers have changed dramatically over the past decade and continue to evolve.

Related Expert's Opinion

Incontinence Products Revolutionize Hygiene Market

Small Things Impact Big Things
Product Odor in Disposable Hygiene
Zika Virus and the Baby Diaper Industry
Gone are the days of big and bulky diaper cores loaded with fluffy pulp. Todays diaper industry
is driven by product innovation designed to answer the call for less waste, greater sustainability,
lower transportation costs and most importantly greater comfort for active babies and toddlers.

But just as diapers have transformed, so too have adhesives. We have more raw materials to
choose from than ever, more processing variables and more application techniques. While in the
past adhesives may not have been a focal point, todays innovators realize adhesives can do
much more than simply stick two materials together. They can be the key to diaper innovation.

Diaper manufacturers can take a note from a breakthrough in another industry where adhesives
provided the answer to the noisy compostable SunChips bag. In addition to adhering the
packaging films together, the adhesive was designed to deaden sound.Manufacturers can think
beyond the traditional function of adhesives and gain innovative ground with the help of their
adhesive partner.

For example, take todays ultra-thin diapers. In order to achieve a thinner diaper, most
manufacturers are reducing the amount of pulp in the core. However, this magnifies the risk of
the core bunching, making the diaper uncomfortable and prone to leaks. To achieve a thinner
core, adhesives have been formulated to construct and penetrate the core to stabilize the fibers,
ensuring consistent performance and a positive consumer experience.

Tomorrows Innovation Will be Driven by Todays Collaboration

The rate of innovation continues to increase and manufacturers are looking throughout the
supply chain for the next win. The next wave of diaper innovation will likely be a direct result of
greater collaboration between diaper manufacturers and their suppliers, including their adhesive
partner.

Here are a few recommendations for getting the most innovation from your adhesives:

Establish a partnership with an adhesive partner that has a broad range of products for
nonwovens and experience using their adhesives to help innovation in diapers.

Involve your partner early in the R&D process. Share your vision and goals.

Challenge your supply partners to collaborate. Adhesives, materials, and packaging supply
partners should be encouraged to work together to reach your goals with truly innovative
thinking.

Share your challenges. What is missing from your value proposition?It may be that adhesive
technology can help you meet your challenges.
- See more at: http://www.nonwovens-industry.com/contents/view_experts-opinion/2012-02-
13/adhesives-at-the-core-of-diaper-innovation#sthash.gPOTynAs.dpuf

http://www.ecouterre.com/pantene-rolls-out-first-sugarcane-based-plastic-packaging/
Pantene Rolls Out First Sugarcane-Based Plastic Packaging
by Rebecca Paul , 04/25/11 filed under: Eco-Fashion News, Eco-Friendly Beauty

Pantene, the brand of haircare products run by Proctor and Gamble, will be
shipping its first plant-based plastic containers to stores in Western Europe
this month. Sourced mainly from sugarcane, the new packaging is expected
not only to slash P&Gs fossil-fuel consumption by 70 percent but also to
reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 170 percent, according to Len Sauers,
the companys vice president of sustainability. Not that consumers will be able
to tell the differenceat first glance, anyway. With the exception of an extra
green label, the packaging will look exactly the same as before. So, it
appears, will its less-than-au-naturel formula.
NATURAL SHINE

The facility that makes the new containers runs almost entirely on energy
derived from sugarcane by-products. In fact, it even produces enough energy
to pump back into the grid, says Hanneke Faber, vice president and general
manager of global hair for P&G.

Although the new process is costlier than the one before, P&G doesnt
anticipate any impact to its bottom line.

But although the new process is costlier than the one before, P&G doesnt
anticipate any impact to its bottom line. It is an investment to be at the
forefront and as the technology becomes more mainstream [costs will
decrease], Faber tells WWD. As the worlds biggest hair care brand, we
need to be there first. We are responsible for healthy hair and also a healthy
world.
P&G unveiled its first official sustainability strategies in 2007, including plans
to improve five billion lives within the next five years. Not in Western Europe?
Pantenes bottle swap will roll out over 18 months to cover all 180 countries
where its sold.

Now if only itd do something about the toxic chemicals in its shampoo and
conditioner.

+ Pantene

[Via + WWD]

http://inhabitat.com/packaging-the-future-edible-wrappers-containers-and-bags-yum/

Packaging the Future: Edible

Wrappers, Containers and Bags
(Yum?)
 ENVIRONMENT

12/05/2012
under Environment, Features, Green Graphics & Packaging, Innovation, packaging-the-future
4 Comments

by Starre Vartan

VIEW SLIDESHOW

Here at Inhabitat weve been hoping for, and advocating, biodegradable packaging
for years, but now designer entrepreneurs are thinking even bigger; how about
packaging one could actually consume? Turning what was a waste product into
something that could actually confer nutrition (and would degrade quickly if uneaten),
could make litter a thing of the past. Several companies have been working on edible
 packaging over the last couple of years, and as the idea moves closer to reality, Time
magazine even called it a game changer for 2012. Read on for a look at the state
of the art in edible packaging!




Chocolate wrapper photo from Shutterstock

Litter drives me nuts. Its hard not to pick it up, especially if Im on a hike, or walking a
beach (litter seems particularly offensive to me in natural areas); but I also find junk
food wrappers, chip bags, plastic water bottles and cigarette cartons on the sidewalk
outside my house sometimes, which is not only gross, its frustratingno matter how
many bits of trash I pick up, theres always more where those came from.

According to Packaging Digest, two companies are seriously working on packages

one can consume one is Monosol, which is probably closer to market with a product
application since they already manufacture water-soluble packaging for
detergent and pesticides (and say they are working with dry foods for other
applications). The other major player is Wikicell, which is a project of Harvard
Universitys Weiss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering. Wikicells
solution differs from Monosols in that it can hold wet food or beverage items, since it
is made from a special ultra thin membrane technology, according to its creator,
Professor David Edwards.
The idea is attractive to everyone from food manufacturers to personal consumers,
who could have Wikicell Machines in their homes (edible packaging for your
homemade Christmas cake anyone?). According to an abstract for a presentation on
the idea:

WikiCells consist of a natural food membrane held together by electrostatic forces

and containing a liquid, emulsion, foam, or solid food substance possibly within an
edible or biodegradable shell. They can be produced by consumers with a WikiCell
Machine in a practically inexhaustible variety of membranes and forms and with a wide
range of food and drinks. WikiCells use special membrane technology that permits the
fabrication of thin delicious membranes with significant water diffusional resistance
and adjoined shells that allow for stability of the WikiCells over long periods of time.
Molecular gastronomy photo from Shutterstock
What are the applications for such a material? According to the Guardian, So far,
Dr Edwards and his team at Harvards Wyss Institute have created a tomato
membrane containing gazpacho soup, an orange membrane filled with orange juice
that can be sipped through a straw, a grape-like membrane holding wine and a
chocolate membrane containing hot chocolate.
Of course, more than a few people have pointed out some of the problems inherent to
edible packaging; namely that the point of packaging is to keep germs and grime off
food. If the packaging itself is handled by all sorts of people and subject to the dust
and dirt of storage, nobody is going to want to ingest that. But what about all the
packaging thats inside other packaging? (Think gum wrappers, individual servings of
chips and snacks that come inside a larger bag, cereal, which is usually packaged
inside a box, or beverage containers that are often wrapped in a thin layer of plastic
the list goes on once you really start to think about it).







 Mochi
ice cream photo from Shutterstock

Edible packaging isnt a brand-new idea. In the natural world, all sorts of fruit and
produce come in their own protective (and once-washed) completely delicious
wrapping. Potato skins are a delicacy unto themselves, and the exteriors of lemons
are not only hydrophobic, but make for incredible, aromatic and flavorful additions to
baked goods and all sorts of savory dishes. Human-made foods like sausages, Scotch
eggs, savory pies, mochi (Japanese ice cream or candy thats served in sweet, soft
glutinous rice shell) are proof-positive that packages that could be transported and
eaten later have endured for thousands of years and even become part of food culture.

More recently, chefs have even been experimenting with the idea; Heston Blumenthal
is known for his dont bother unwrapping them caramels, withwrappers made of
glycerine, gelatin, and water that anyone can make at home. Beyond the novelty of
this concept is the idea that we could genuinely reduce wasteand maybe even
package food better. Perpeceuticals, based in the UK, just won a grant to develop
edible, anti-microbial films for meat that would help them last longer on supermarket
shelves (and in fridges at home), leading to less food waste.

Wasting less food, and creating less waste while we do it; definitely and idea worth
pursuing (and worth working out the consumer challenges it may face).

+ Packaging the Future





STARTSLIDESHOW




http://inhabitat.com/harvard-scientists-create-super-strong-degradable-bioplastic-from-shrimp-
shells/

Harvard Scientists Create Super Strong

Degradable Bioplastic from Shrimp
Shells
 INNOVATION

05/09/2014
under Green Graphics & Packaging, Green Technology, Innovation, News, Sustainable Materials
1 Comments

by Morgana Matus

VIEW SLIDESHOW
Thanks to a team of Harvard scientists, being called a shrimp will no longer amount to an
insult. The Universitys Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering isolated chitin
in the arthropods exoskeleton to make chitosan, a super tough polysaccharide that can be
derived from the tons of crustacean shells discarded each year. Strong and easily made into 3D
forms using injection molding or casting techniques, the final product dubbed shrilk can
break down into the environment after two weeks and release nutrients that feed plants at the
same time.


Until recently, most bioplastics were fabricated from plant cellulose that doesnt fully degrade
once altered. Led by Javier Fernandez and Don Ingber, the Harvard group manipulated chitosan
to produce a tough and transparent material that retained as much of the natural molecular
structure of chitin as possible. By adding silk derivatives and wood flour, they avoided the
potential for cracking or shrinking during the injection molding process.
Related: Bananas Sprayed with Substance Derived from Shrimp and Crab Shells

There is an urgent need in many industries for sustainable materials that can be mass produced.
Our scalable manufacturing method shows that chitosan, which is readily available and
inexpensive, can serve as a viable bioplastic that could potentially be used instead of
conventional plastics for numerous industrial applications, Ingber stated in a Harvard press
release.

Shrilk can also be modified for use in water and dyed by altering the compounds acidity. The
dyes can be collected after the bioplastic has outlived its use and repurposed when the Skrilk
is recycled. Current plastic nightmares such as trash bags, diapers, and clam shell packaging
could all be replaced by the invention and help reduce the millions of tons of plastic trash that
streams into landfills, waterways, and marine ecosystems each year. Now, take-out containers
meant for temporary use need not haunt the environment for thousands of years after their role
has been fulfilled, and all because of the humble shrimp.
+ Harvard Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering
Via Harvard Gazette