This presentation describes a new type of composite material that uses sugar as a renewable, non-toxic, and cost-effective binder and matrix. The low hygroscopicity of the sugar supports a prolonged shelf-life, while plant-based additives combined with the amorphous matrix enables facile tuning of mechanical properties. The composites can be molded into a variety of shapes at low temperatures using standard industrial injection molding, resulting in objects that have compression and flexural strength values that are comparable to rigid thermosets and ceramics. At the end-of-use, these materials can be dissolved in water at a controlled rate, or composted in soil. For certain applications, versions of these materials are designed to be water-insoluble until an exterior surface coating is compromised. Thus, these composite materials are promising as environmentally friendly replacements for disposable plastics in a variety of commercial products, satisfying many of the metrics for sustainable materials.

Sugar-based composite materials as sustainable alternatives to short-term-use, rigid plastics

Fall 2022 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch in mid-September.

ACS Fall 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.