Bio-Derived Foam

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