Techno- Report #99 -The shellworks, new way to make bioplasticssteemCreated with Sketch.

in #technology5 years ago

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The shellworks, new way to make bioplastics

Today I bring you a report on something that is sounding in the world of renewable technologies, those technologies that seek to improve the current condition of our ecosystems, is like a way to repair everything that has produced the industrial revolutions and its extractive policy that has disappeared forests, rivers, seas, mountains and what is in them the great biodiversity of the planet. At the moment the most dantesco problem that we have is the contamination by plastic that goes directly to the seas, it is estimated that more than 8 million tons of plastic end up in the oceans every year. That's why today's post is dedicated to a great initiative called Shellworks that are making it possible to manufacture bioplastics with marine designs. Join me to learn more about this incredible invention.

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The idea was born thanks to the ingenuity of students from the Royal College of Art and Imperial, who had the brilliant idea of making bioplastics with an unusual ingredient, lobster shells and other crustaceans. The first thing that can come from the mind is: will they kill a lot of lobsters to make this type of plastic? The answer is no, lobsters like other crustaceans have a slightly short life, once they die they are deposited in sandbanks both in the depths and on the shores, as they are always in schools or groups usually remain the bone remains in the same place.

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The idea is a radical change in the way plastics are made, taking as a reference that plastics have meant one of the most important technological advances of the last 100 years. The problem is that all polymers decompose very slowly and this brings as a consequence that their pollution in the environment is noticed. Up to 300 years can take a plastic bottle to disintegrate, equal means pollution, so the creation of this bioplastic is a way in which you can trace the way to develop this technology and be a gradual way to replace the plastic of fossil origin.

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Among the main characteristics of the plastic we have that the Shellworks is more resistant because it has a hardness very similar to that of aluminum, on the other hand, we have that it is very flexible, transparent and can be adapted to any type of device on the market. The main ingredient that gives these amazing properties is the chitin a biopolymer that is present in all exoskeletons of crustaceans and some insects. is the second most abundant on the planet, tests have been done with 3D printer technology, of course, the machines are specially modified to use chitin instead of artificial polymers. To date, flat leaves, plant pots, and antibacterial ampoules have been created.

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The most important thing is that once the device made with Shellworks can be disposed of anywhere without impacting the environment. Personally, I think that this bioplastic can be very useful in the manufacture of food packaging since it represents a very high percentage of contaminated plastic.

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Some of its main characteristics are, its resistance can be compared with the resistance of aluminum and also has half its weight, another serious that being a matter that abounds in the sea is very economical. For its versatility can be used in the field of manufacturing medical products and consumer products.

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The main reason why this biopolymer had not been manufactured is that its production was expensive because to separate chitin from lobster shells. The creators of Shellworks solved this with 3 machines to which they gave specific names in addition that supposes that the production of this biopolymer is much cheaper than the traditional production. One of the machines is called Dippy and is responsible for molding by hot immersion and 3D shapes, the next machine is called Vacancy, it is another vacuum modeler to make containers makes the material more elastic, and Sheety manufactures only flat sheets.

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theshellworks WEBSITE

Thank you for reading


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