NEC Corporation of Japan has successfully developed new vegetable-based plastic, or bio-plastic, with shape memory and outstanding recyclability. This plastic is the first of its kind in the world, and can return to its original shape after being deformed by heat or pressure.

This shape memory effect was achieved through improvements in polylactide (PLA) resin, a major material used in bio-plastics, that made it heat-reversible, that is, enable it to be repeatedly dissociated by high temperatures and recombined by cooling it down.

When deformed by heat or pressure, the bio-plastic can return to its original form by heating it for about 30 seconds to approximately 60 degrees Celsius, a temperature attainable with a hair dryer. Moreover, it can also be reprocessed into a different form and recycled once its intermolecular bonds have been dissociated by heating it to approximately 160 degree Celsius.

NEC is working on developing environment-conscious materials in order to more effectively use resources. The company envisages further improvements in this enhanced bio-plastic to enable future practical application in electronic equipment such as personal computers as part of a trend toward thinner models.



Posted: 2004/08/11 09:37:04 AM
Japanese version

TAG Eco-product/Business , Ecosystem , Manufacturing industry , Material reduction , Technology