fairfolio
Saved Projects

Replacing Plastics: Innovating Biodegradable, Bio-based Plastics

CSEF · 2017 Environmental Engineering Second Award

Rachel L. Eizner, Lisa J. Leung · Diablo Vista Middle School, Danville, Contra Costa County

Overview

Objectives/Goals The objective was to create a biodegradable, protein-based film that could hold at least 200 grams of weight. Methods/Materials Protein, water, and glycerin were used to make films. Students tested strength using a modulus involving adhesive tape and 100g weights placed in middle with the dip of films being recorded. Information for films was found from online studies, then modified. Information for modulus was also found online, then modified. Results The strength (dip) of the prototypes was compared. The protein film that used casein was able to hold 200 grams and was the strongest of the films, with a dip that was, on average 30% stronger (30% less dip) than the 2nd best prototype. In addition, its transparency made it the most viable alternative. Conclusions/Discussion Casein films were found to be the strongest and most successful film, compared to the other two protein films: pea and brown rice. Their strength was sufficient for actual usage in packaging and as a replacement for today's plastics.

Summary statement

We created a protein-based, biodegradable polymer film that could potentially replace non-biodegradable plastics.

Help received

We created and tested the films entirely ourselves after doing research on methods. However, our mentor Ms. Saksena reviewed our work.

Awards (1)

Competition history

  • CSEF 2017 Environmental Engineering · Entry J1112

Resources

Related projects

Closest projects by meaning, across every fair and year in the corpus.

Browse more like this

Source: California Science & Engineering Fair public projects

Save projects to your library

Sign in with Google to keep track of projects you find interesting, organized into folders. An account also raises your daily allowance for “Has this been done?”, and lets you create a key for the MCP server with a much higher limit than anonymous use. Browsing stays public.

Continue with Google