Future Textile School: Bacteria decompose plastic into polyester fiber

　　 mushroom material

　　 Scientists are actively looking for alternative plastic foam packaging materials that harm the ecological environment. At present, mushroom materials with environmental protection properties are one of the ideal materials. Ecovative combines mycelium with agricultural by-products and can customize packaging insulation materials that are sustainable, biodegradable and low-cost competitive.

　　 Gecko Adhesive

　　 Gecko skin glue is a textile base glue designed to benefit from the characteristics of the gecko's foot. The gecko uses the skin-tendon-bone connection to make it have super adhesion and can be glued to any surface. The newly developed gecko skin glue has the above functions. It is made of commercial materials such as nylon and polyurethane. However, unlike disposable adhesives, the gecko skin glue can be reused without leaving any sticky residue.

　　 linen instead of cotton

　　 Flax, as another natural fiber, uses less pesticides, water, emissions and land use during its growth process than cotton, but it is not as cost-effective as cotton. Based on the latest chemical manufacturing technology, CRAiLAR has developed a new method that can form a new linen material that can be comparable to the cost and performance of cotton. The water consumed to produce 1 kg of flax is only 1 kg of the same amount of cotton. /100.

　　 Artificial Bee Silk

Many people don’t know that bees make silk. Unlike the molecular structure of sheet-like silk made by moths, worms and spiders, the silk made by bees contains coils of multiple helixes that are coiled together to form a hard, lightweight silk. And has high flexibility.

The Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) has conducted extensive research on natural smart materials and found that bee silk can be used as ideal materials for sponges, transparent films, bionic fibers and nanofibers. Currently, CSIRO theoretical research scientist Tara Sutherland They pointed out that they have now identified bee silk genes, and some research institutions can now produce high-quality and quantity recombinant silk proteins, which will help to develop artificial bee silk to replace traditional textile materials.

　　Bacteria decompose plastic into polyester fiber

　　 As a material that is almost non-degradable, environmentalists are worried about plastics, but its use value makes it difficult for people to give up.

Ambercycle Company proposes a new sustainable material recycling method. Researchers use synthetic biology to prepare bacteria and decompose plastic into its chemical components. The bacteria grow in a bioreactor environment and undergo a series of processes to degrade polyester and synthesize Fiber (PET) plastic. Of course, it will take a period of experimentation for this method to be applied in practice.