Produce plastics from fruits

Apple juice and grains, not oil, could be a raw material for some plastics and pharmaceuticals in the future, thanks to a new chemical process set up by US scientists.

Cereal (photo: csiro)

Engineers James Dumesic of the University of Wisconsin in Madison and colleagues have found a way to convert fructose (a sugar in fruit, cereal and honey) into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural or HMF, a basic material. to make polyester. Accordingly, one could theoretically be able to make plastics from plants instead of petroleum. HMF can also be used to generate diesel fuel.

HMF is formed when the heat is used to break down sugar molecules. There are many effective ways to turn fructose into HMF, but they are often very energy-efficient, expensive catalysts and organic solvents. Dumestic's team wants to find a solution at the most comfortable cost if it wants to apply on an industrial scale. They used either acidic HCL or acacia to break down the sugar molecules. Both have the advantage of producing less byproducts. In this way, the ratio of fructose to HMF is 4/5.

T. An