Scientists from Korea Develop Completely Biodegradable Paper Straws

News- Researchers have developed eco-friendly paper straws that are 100 percent biodegradable, perform better than conventional paper straws, and can be easily mass-produced. Straws made with 100 percent paper become too soggy when they come in contact with liquids and cannot function as straws. Accordingly, their surfaces have to be coated.

The researchers from the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology synthesised a well-known biodegradable plastic, polybutylene succinate (PBS), by adding a small number of cellulose nanocrystals to create a coating material. The added cellulose nanocrystals are the same material as the main component of paper, and this allows the biodegradable plastic to firmly attach to the paper surface during the coating process.

The new paper straws do not cause bubble formation in carbonated drinks because the coating material uniformly and strongly covers the surface of the straws, the researchers said. Also, the coating material is made of paper and biodegradable plastic and therefore will decompose and degrade completely, they said.

The team also found that the straws did not become soggy when used to stir various beverages such as water, tea, carbonated drinks, milk, and other drinks containing lipids, or upon prolonged contact with liquids.

The new straws decompose well, even in the ocean. In general, paper or plastic decomposes much more slowly in the ocean than in soil because of the ocean’s low temperature and high salinity, which impede growth of microbes.

06.02.2023

Ref: www.businessinsider.in

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