CSIRO Science Image

Starch is extracted from wheat and converted into plastic pellets that can be used as the base polymer material to make biodegradable packaging and other thermoformable objects.

CSIRO has developed a variety of biodegradable polymer materials from renewable resources such as starch, cellulose and protein. Nanoparticles and other additives can be applied to enhance the properties of these materials for specialised use in transport, packaging and medical applications. The technologies of starch-based biodegradable materials developed by CSIRO have received worldwide recognition and won various awards. Some of the technologies developed have been commercialised through the establishment of a spin-off company, Plantic.

Photographer : Mark Fergus

Libraries and tags

•  wheat   polymers