Biobased battery, starch-based gift cards, future fashion, plant-based flame retardants, and more: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of September 5th

September 4, 2019 |

This week is a merry mix of biobased innovations around the world. From the creation of artificial reefs made from PLA in Israel and Spain’s starch-based gift cards to the U.S. where biobased battery materials are reality in Washington state and where flame retardants made from plants are being developed in Michigan, it’s pretty exciting times regardless of where you live in the world. Here are the top innovations for the week of September 5th.

In today’s Digest, biobased battery, starch-based gift cards, future fashion, plant-based flame retardants — these and more, ready for you now at The Digest online.

#1 Israel tests artificial reefs made from PLA

In Israel, researchers at University of Technion University, University of Ben Gurion of the Negev and Bar Ilan University claim they have created 3D-printed coral reefs using polylactic acid, a biodegradable bioplastic made from corn, cassava, or sugarcane.

Coral reefs—key ecosystems for marine life—are being decimated by pollution and climate change. The technology is being deployed on the coast of Eilat, where the researchers hope columns of the material will become artificial reefs, attracting aquatic life.

“A successful implementation of this study may enhance our understanding of coral interactions with their surrounding environment, provide design tools for public displays such as large-scale aquariums and hence reduce their dependence on live corals, and provide a valuable design guidelines and tools when approaching the matter of active coral reef restoration,” say the researchers, according to Mashable India.
More on the story, here.

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