KTH researchers develop wood-based degradable plastic

In Sweden, plastics used in home furnishings and constructions materials could be replaced with a new kind of wood-based degradable plastic with semi-structural strength. Unlike thermoplastic, the material can be broken down without harm to the environment, researchers at KTH have reported.

One of the goals of renewable wood composite development is to make materials strong enough to replace fossil-based materials used in home construction and furnishing, such as bathroom cabinets, doors, wall-boards and countertops. And it needs to be sustainable, or circular.

High fiber content is the key to the strength of materials like fiberglass, but it’s difficult to deliver a degradable wood composite without intensive heat damage from processes like melt-compounding.  

In order to achieve higher fiber content, the researchers combined polymer chemistry with process technology similar to what is used for carbon fiber composites.