Recycling issues solved with insulating material from paper
Researchers have developed a recyclable insulating material that could be used as a replacement for non-biodegradable polystyrene, reports Springwise.
Polystyrene is both non-biodegradable and difficult to recycle. Many companies have stopped using it in packaging. Although its lightweight and insulating properties mean that it is still commonly used in shipping and for storing items that need to be kept cold. Now, researchers at the Institute of Natural Products Engineering at TU Dresden, Germany have developed an insulating material made from recycled paper. The material has similar insulating properties.
The researchers used paper slated for recycling. First paper is shredded and then converted into a slurry. By using a special drying process, they created fibre mats with a low density. But it has very small gaps between the fibres, similarly to Styrofoam. Tests indicated that the new material had low thermal conductivity and could be used as a replacement for polystyrene.
Thomas Schrinner, project coordinator at the Chair of Wood Technology and Fiber Materials Engineering, added that “Due to the low thermal conductivity and higher heat storage capacity of cellulose, the insulating properties of the sustainable fibre mats even surpass those of most other materials.” Partner easy2cool GmbH has already tested the new product. It works as a good solution in mail order shipping.
It is necessary to wrap the new insulation in film to prevent direct contact with food. Despite that, the total amount of non-recyclable elements is still much lower than using polystyrene. Schrinner says that “At seven percent, the proportion of film in the overall system is so low that the shipping packaging can be fed into the paper for recycling cycle without hesitation. Nevertheless, film wrapping is only an interim solution. We have already started developing sustainable alternatives, such as cellulose-based barrier layers.”
Developing a polystyrene substitute is just the latest effort in the global drive to find replacement materials for non-biodegradable plastics and foam.
