Bio-Derived Foam

Table of Contents☰

About Bio-Derived Foam:

Bio-derived foam offers a sustainable alternative to plastic materials used in traditional Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) packaging.
The foam is made from bio-based epoxy resins, made from non-edible oils approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and hardeners derived from tea leaves.
It offers industries an environmentally responsible alternative to conventional expanded polystyrene (EPS) and polyurethane foam.
The new foam’s unique chemical structure features dynamic covalent bonds that can break and reform under external stimuli, allowing the foams to be mechanically reprocessed or dissolved in eco-friendly solvents without losing strength.
Unlike conventional packaging materials that persist in landfills for centuries, these bio-foams can disintegrate within three hours when exposed to eco-friendly solvents at 80°C.
It disintegrates safely in landfills without contaminating groundwater, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional plastic foams.
Significance: The Indian foam market is currently valued at $7.9 billion, is expected to reach $11.1 billion by 2032, according to an analysis report by ‘Research and Markets’.
With less than 1% of the 2.3 million tonnes of plastic foam produced annually being recycled, this innovation addresses a pressing environmental challenge.

Q1: What is Resin?

Resins are vicious, liquid polymers derived from organic or synthetic sources. Their benefit centres on their ability to transition from a liquid into a customisable solid, homogeneous structure.

News: IISc researchers develop recyclable, eco-friendly bio-derived foam for FMCG packaging