DISSOLVABLE PLASTIC
TOP 10 – SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS
DISSOLVABLE PLASTIC
COMPANY: RIKEN HQ: TOKYO, JAPAN CEO: YASUNORI MAEKAWA
Japanese researchers from RIKEN and the University of Tokyo have developed a groundbreaking plastic that dissolves completely in seawater within hours, leaving no microplastics.
Made using supramolecular chemistry, the material consists of ionic monomers linked by reversible salt bonds, maintaining strength during use but rapidly breaking down in marine environments.
It fully decomposes in soil within ten days, releasing nutrient-rich byproducts. 91 % of its primary component can be recovered, too, making it highly recyclable.
06
Yasunori
Maekawa, CEO, Riken
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