IBM Produces Eco-friendly Plastic From Plants
On March 9, 2010 in San Francisco, IBM researchers reported that they have found a way to create environmentally friendly plastic from plants that can take the place of petroleum-based products. According to IBM’s Almaden Research Center’s science and technology manager Chandrasekhar “Spike” Narayan, the findings guarantee that the eco-friendly plastics are produced by an energy efficient method.
In addition to this, the researchers at the IBM research facility and Stanford University revealed that this breakthrough can lead to an era where plastics can attain sustainability alongside the ecosystem, with the use of organic catalysts that can result to biodegradable molecules made from renewable resources.
Aside from its renewability, the plant plastics can also be turned “biocompatible,” which means that it can significantly enhance the targeting prowess of drugs in bodies; for instance, producing cancer medicines designed to kill the cancer cells while keeping the healthy ones safe.
The company is looking for new ways of applying technology in order to create a future that is focused on environmental sustainability. IBM is collaborating with scientists at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia to make sure that the breakthrough findings work for the recycling process of plastics used for beverage and food containers.
Plant plastics that are used for other materials or objects like car parts can be produced and purchased at lower costs. More details about plant plastics can be found in a paper published in the American Chemical Society journal Macromolecules.
IBM (International Business Machines) is a worldwide computer, technology and IT consulting corporation with offices in the United States, North Castle, New York, and Armonk. The company is one of several IT businesses with a long history that dates back to as early as the 19th century. IBM produces and sells computer hardware and software, and presents infrastructure, hosting and consulting services ranging from mainframe computers to nanotechnology.