Biodegradable Glass Materials

Researchers from the Institute of Process Engineering (IPE) at the Chineses Academy of Sciences (CAS) created a glass sheet out of biodegradable materials. Whereas traditional glass is made out of raw materials such as sand and limestone that are then blasted at high temperatures, the IPE's biodegradable glass is made out of biologically-derived amino acids and peptides. These materials result in a sustainable glass alternative that is both biodegradable and recyclable.

The team faced several barriers in creating this material, most importantly the fact that the amino acids and peptides break down at high temperatures, and glass requires high temperatures to form. The team of researchers chemically modified the natural materials to make them melt before they decompose, which allowed them to quickly melt then pressure cool the materials to form glass sheets. On top of this, the glass sheets formed in this way have a comparable appearance and durability level to traditional glass.

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