Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hi

I've read that cellulose is a bio polymer that can be used to make bio plastics. Waste newspapers, tissue papers , pencil shavings all contain cellulose. So how can I make a bio plastic out of them?

Hi Harshul,

Welcome to science buddies!

Making bioplastic from plants involves a preliminary step to ethanol as described in this article from Scientific American.

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... p101.shtml

It would probably not be possible to get approval to do a science project involving ethanol, so I recommend that you consider making a different type of bioplastic.

There is one project on this website that describes how to make plastic from milk. Perhaps you could do an investigation on this topic.

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... p101.shtml

For a science project, you will need to do a controlled experiment with measurable results.

I hope this is helpful. Please let us know if you need any additional information.

Donna Hardy

Thank you for the reply and I know I am late to reply

Could you please explain to me the exact process of how cellulose is converted to bioplastics? You said there is a step that involves converting it to alcohol. Could you tell about it in more detail and bd then i can see if i can make it. My aim is not to make a regular bioplastic but trying to make something new. So your help would be immensely beneficial for me.
Thanks in advance
Regards
Harshul Surana
Ps - You probably did not give the correct url for the scientific American article.