Scientists develop new class of degradable plastic polymers using sugar compounds - Republic World

Marking a sustainable achievement, a team of scientists from two renowned universities has created a new family of plastic polymers using sugar-based starting materials

This invention resulted from the collaboration of scientists from the UK's University of Birmingham and the Duke University in the US who have developed the two new polymers

In their report explaining the constituents of the new polymers, scientists revealed that the starting materials are compounds made from sugar derived from alcohol instead of usual petrochemical derivatives

To be specific, the scientists used isoidide and isomannide as building blocks that are derived from alcohol and have impressive qualities. Among the new polymers developed, one is stretchable like rubber whereas the other, like most commercial plastics is tough but ductile.