@article{iyer2023fabricating,
author = {Iyer, Hareesh and Grandgeorge, Paul and Jimenez, Andrew M. and Campbell, Ian R. and Parker, Mallory and Holden, Michael and Venkatesh, Mathangi and Nelsen, Marissa and Nguyen, Bichlien and Roumeli, Eleftheria},
title = {Fabricating Strong and Stiff Bioplastics from Whole Spirulina Cells},
year = {2023},
month = {June},
abstract = {Since the 1950s, 8.3 billion tonnes (Bt) of virgin plastics have been produced, of which around 5 Bt have accumulated as waste in oceans and other natural environments, posing severe threats to entire ecosystems. The need for sustainable bio-based alternatives to traditional petroleum-derived plastics is evident. Bioplastics produced from unprocessed biological materials have thus far suffered from heterogeneous and non-cohesive morphologies, which lead to weak mechanical properties and lack of processability, hindering their industrial integration. Here, a fast, simple, and scalable process is presented to transform raw microalgae into a self-bonded, recyclable, and backyard-compostable bioplastic with attractive mechanical properties surpassing those of other biobased plastics such as thermoplastic starch. Upon hot-pressing, the abundant and photosynthetic algae spirulina forms cohesive bioplastics with flexural modulus and strength in the range 3–5 GPa and 25.5–57 MPa, respectively, depending on pre-processing conditions and the addition of nanofillers. The machinability of these bioplastics, along with self-extinguishing properties, make them promising candidates for consumer plastics. Mechanical recycling and fast biodegradation in soil are demonstrated as end-of-life options. Finally, the environmental impacts are discussed in terms of global warming potential, highlighting the benefits of using a carbon-negative feedstock such as spirulina to fabricate plastics.},
url = {http://approjects.co.za/?big=en-us/research/publication/fabricating-strong-and-stiff-bioplastics-from-whole-spirulina-cells/},
journal = {Advanced Functional Materials},
}