Imperial College researchers develop packaging polymer from non-food crops

The sugars in the polymer mean it absorbs water and will degrade in the home compost bin, rather than need to be sent to an industrial facility.

Williams said research into “greener” plastics was being spurred on, not only because of the environment, but also for economic and supply reasons.

“Our key breakthrough was in finding a way of using a non-food crop to form a polymer, as there are ethical issues around using food sources in this way,” she said.

Williams said the polymer had been three and a half years in development due to the need to produce sufficient capacity.

“For the plastic to be useful it had to be manufactured in large volumes, which was technically challenging,” she said.

As well as packaging, there are potential applications in medicine as it has shown to be non-toxic to cells and can decompose in the body into harmless by-products.

The next step is to develop the specific characteristics needed for packaging and other uses.

Williams is already working to commercialise the product and hopes to have something on the market within two to five years.

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