Arboform - A Liquid Wood To Replace Plastic

Though it has proven to be extremely useful in the modern world, plastic still has a number of negative selling points. There is a new chemical invention that could do away with these long-standing concerns.Norbert Eisenreich, a senior researcher Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology (ICT) in Pfinztal, Germany, said his team of scientists have come up with a substance that could replace plastic: Arboform - basically, liquid wood.It is derived from wood pulp-based lignin and can be mixed with a number of other materials to create a strong, non-toxic alternative to petroleum-based plastics, Eisenreich said, as reported by DPA news agency.

"The cellulose industry separates wood into its three main components -- lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose," ICT team leader Emilia Regina Inone-Kauffmann told DPA.The lignin is not needed in papermaking, however. They mix that lignin with fine natural fibers made of wood, hemp or flax and natural additives such as wax. From this, they produce plastic granulate that can be melted and injection-moulded.The final product can resemble highly polished wood or have a more matted finish and look like the plastic used in most household items.

The German researchers were able to reduce the sulphur content in Arborform by about 90 percent, making it much safer for use in everyday items.Bolstering Arboform's environmental credentials, Eisenreich's team also discovered that the substance was highly recyclable.

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