Materials and technologies – September 2026
How 'smart' hydrogel packaging tells you if your food is still fresh
Researchers at Kyushu University have created a self-healing, biodegradable hydrogel that extends food shelf life and visibly changes colour to signal spoilage as pH levels rise.
Modified clay prevents fruits and vegetables from rotting too quickly
Scientists at UCPH University have chemically modified natural montmorillonite clay to capture the ethylene released during the ripening of fruits and vegetables. This keeps fruits and vegetables fresh longer during transport.
A tiny additive makes bioplastics rapidly compostable
University of Minnesota researchers added trace organic anhydrides to Polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastics, dramatically accelerating breakdown during composting without sacrificing strength or transparency, ACS reports.
Full biodegradation of previously indestructible plastics uncovered
Research from Imperial College London, SIRIM, and Polymateria shows that polyolefin plastics treated with Polymateria's technology are fully consumed by soil microbes within two years. The study is published in npj Materials Degradation.
UBC’s ‘wood foam’ enters production at indigenous-led Vancouver plant
A new Vancouver pilot plant run by the University of British Columbia (UBC) and the Wet'suwet'en First Nation is producing biodegradable "wood foam" from forestry waste. The material replaces plastic foam for packaging and insulation.
Structural innovation in PHB: paving the way for scalable bioplastics
Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have succeeded in producing Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) using microorganisms in a new, less regular structure. This significantly alters the plastic’s properties and could pave the way for more easily processable bioplastics.
Scientists turn PVC plastic waste into high-performance engine lubricant
Researchers at Virginia Tech have discovered a way to turn notoriously difficult-to-recycle PVC plastic into a key ingredient used in high-performance lubricants such as engine oil. The technique could give PVC plastic waste a valuable second life while making lubricant production more sustainable.
Chemical tweak makes seawater-soluble plastic potentially more biodegradable
WUR researcher Julian Engelhardt has further developed and chemically refined a salt-responsive plastic during his PhD research. The material, which dissolves in seawater, now contains a built-in chemical structure designed to enhance its biodegradability. This could help prevent discarded plastic from accumulating in the oceans.
A novel wood bark-based packaging coating material
In the COCOBIN project, coordinated by the University of Oulu, coating materials are being developed from suberin, a natural compound found for example in birch bark. The material can be applied especially in paper or paperboard packaging materials as a moisture barrier. One key application area is food packaging.
NVC members receive this information with all the relevant links in the monthly NVC Members-only Update. If you have any questions, please contact us: info@nvc.nl, +31-(0)182-512411