A group of Indian scientists have developed an environmentally friendly, biodegradable and non-toxic polymer using guar gum and chitosan. These are polysaccharides derived from guar beans and shells of crab and shrimps.
Polymers have many commercial and industrial uses like making grocery bags, soda and water bottles, phones, textile fibers, food packaging, computers, toys, auto-parts, etc. Polymer is not biodegradable and poses a major threat to the environment and earth’s ecosystem.
In order to find the solution to this challenge, Dr Devasish Chowdhury, Associate Professor, and Sazzadur Rahman, Inspire Junior Research Fellow, created a guar gum-chitosan composite film which is a cross-linked polysaccharide without using any plasticizer. This was achieved with the help of a method called the solution casting method (a simple technique to make polymer films), the officials said.
According to the Ministry of Science and Technology, the fabricated guar gum-chitosan film has high water stability, which means it is not easily dissolved in water. When tested, it had stayed intact even after 240 hours, touch mechanical strength, and resistance to extreme environmental conditions. Along with these features, it does not absorb vapour easily as well. Because of these qualities, they can prove to be an excellent bio-degradable material for packaging.
Keywords: low carbon, biodegradable, sustainability
Pic credits : pixabay
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