‘Liquid wood’ emerges as tomorrow’s plastic

Brian Whitley

Almost 40 years ago, American scientists took their first steps in a quest to break the world’s dependence on plastics. But in those four decades, plastic products have become so cheap and durable that not even the forces of nature seem able to stop them. A soupy expanse of plastic waste—too tough for bacteria to break down—now covers an estimated 1 million square miles of the Pacific Ocean.

Sensing a hazard, researchers started hunting for a substitute for plastic’s main ingredient, petroleum. They wanted something renewable, biodegradable, and abundant enough to be inexpensive.

Though they stumbled upon a great candidate early on, many US chemists had given up on it by the end of the 1990s. The failed wonder material: lignin, the natural compound that lends strength to trees. A waste product from paper production, much of the lignin supply is simply burned as fuel.

But while many scientists turned to other green options, a German company, Tecnaro, says it found the magic formula. Its “liquid wood” can be moulded like plastic, yet biodegrades over time.

Now, Tecnaro’s success could revive interest in lignin and propel the search for better and cheaper bioplastics.

“The lignin itself was misunderstood completely by [leaders in the field] and the majority of people,” says Simo Sarkanen, an environmental science professor at the University of Minnesota.

This past holiday season, nativity figurines made from Tecnaro’s “liquid wood” raised eyebrows among the bioplastic community. Sold as Arboform, the tough mixture is chock full of lignin—sometimes more than 50%, compared with the 30% threshold where many researchers would max out. The rest is fibre from wood, flax, or hemp, as well as a few additives.

Raw Arboform consists of dark brown pebble-sized pellets. It is processed using the same equipment used to make conventional plastic. The granules are dropped into a barrel and heated until they melt. Then the contents are highly pressurized and forced into a rigid mould—that of a figurine, perhaps.

As the liquid cools, Arboform actually conforms better than most plastics to the boundaries of complex moulds, says Benjamin Porter, a researcher with Tecnaro. CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR

Chandrayaan spurs space ambition in IITs

Srinivas Laxman | TNN

Mumbai: When Chandrayaan-I soared into space last October, so did the dreams of many young and aspiring IITians keen on a career with the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro). Says a professor from IIT-Bombay’s aerospace engineering department, “Ever since Chandrayaan lifted off, space has become the magic word among students. They aspire to become rocket scientists and hope to play a role in taking India beyond the moon some day.’’ The fact that Isro has planned a manned mission to the low earth orbit (Leo, 2000 km above earth) in 2014, a mission to Mars around 2020 and another to the moon is a great source of excitement, he adds.

Two fourth year BTech aerospace students, Shashank Tamaskar and Kartavya Neema, are already doing a research project on interplanetary flight. Says Shashank, “Inspired by Chandrayaan-I, I am doing a study on a satellite’s flight from Leo to the moon.’’ He started work on the project in August 2008, when Chandrayaan was being primed for its historic launch, and hopes to complete it in ayear.

Asked if he would like to join Isro, he says, “Definitely, after I complete my studies.’’ The budding rocket scientist said that the focus among students earlier had been on designing planes, but “with the success of Chandrayaan, most of us are talking about designing rockets and satellites’’.

Kartavya says he is designing a flight path for a satellite to Mars. “For both of us, the inspiration came from Chandrayaan,’’ he confirms, adding thathe’d love to work at Isro.

Space is IITians’ new catchword
Mumbai: The success of Chandrayaan-I has resulted in an increasing number of IITians being attracted to space studies. Gyandeep Singh Momi, an aerospace student at IIT-Kharagpur, said, “Space has become the catchword here after Chandrayaan and most aerospace students want to be involved with space technology.’’

Gyandeep says that Chandrayaan also had a strong impact at their student festival earlier this year. “Nearly 50% of the emphasis was on rocketry. And we had a Nasa astronaut talking to us.’’

After India tested its nuclear weapons at Pokhran in May 1998, the number of applications received by BARC’s training school in Trombay increased manifold. Today, job openings at Isro carry more lucrative packages because a slew of projects is in the pipeline. The space buzz has infected IIT-Kanpur as well. S Kamle, head of the aerospace engineering department there, says, “Now, there’s a lot of excitement in our department about space, with students talking about rocketry and satellites.’’ They had been designing a rover for Chandrayaan-II, he adds, which is slated for launch in 2012. But during PM’s visit to Moscow in 2007, a decision was taken to carry a Russian rover and lander instead. IIT-Bombay is also designing a micro satellite which will be launched by Isro’s PSLV. The project started when Chandrayaan-I was steadily moving from the laboratory and workshop to the launch pad at Sriharikota.

Isro is well aware of this excitement. “The success of Chandrayaan-I has given confidence to students. More now want to be part of India’s space programme,’’ says its chief spokesperson S Satish.