Polystyrene will soon be replaces by new eco-friendly substitutes. Two researchers from ARS Western Regional Research Center in Albany, Calif. have developed a way to use corn, potato, or wheat starches as an eco-friendly alternative to petroleum for making rigid foam inserts for shipping cartons. Agricultural Research Service (ARS) food technologist Artur Klamczynski and ARS plant physiologist Gregory M. Glenn’s pioneering technique will reduce America’s dependence on petroleum.
It has been nearly two decades since Glenn has been developing and patenting novel earth-friendly techniques for converting plant starch into biodegradable foamed goods such as shipping liners, dinnerware etc. Gleen has recently joined forces with Simon K. Hodson to develop two new technologies, which would yield strong, durable, and versatile biofoams that are quite similar to polystyrene foam goods. These biofoams are capable of being molded into a variety of shapes, sizes and thickness with varying densities.
The biofoams are obtained by heating up and mixing starch and other natural compounds in an equipment called the extruder. After the heating and mixing, the extruder squeezes out long strings, called ‘thermoplastic melt,’ that are later cut into small beads about half the size of a marble. As they are not waterproof, to prevent them from dampness, a moisture barrier can be made from using plant sources like corn.