Columbia Technology Ventures

Biodegradable, bio-based cellulose material

This technology is a sustainable biomanufactured nanomaterial made with microbial cellulose that can be used as an alternative for consumer plastic and textiles.

Unmet Need: Sustainable materials as an alternative to plastics

Oil-derived plastics are commonly used in nearly every industry because they are strong, lightweight, and flexible, resulting in nearly 350 million tons of plastic produced each year. However, the generation of plastic relies upon a non-renewable resource. Further, plastic waste contributes to environmental pollution and the accumulation of potentially hazardous microplastics. Although bio-based materials can be broadly used as an alternative to oil-derived plastics, fabrication can be costly and inefficient. As a result, there exists a need for a more cost-efficient and sustainable material with favorable properties to support a variety of use cases.

The Technology: Biodegradable, biomanufactured cellulose material to replace consumer plastics

This technology is a sustainable and regenerative biomanufactured nanomaterial made of microbial cellulose. This material is compostable and can be produced through a controlled and optimizable green chemistry. The material’s properties are tunable within the range of plastic consumables and can be a potential alternative to materials commonly used in packaging, textiles, and biomaterials.

Applications:

  • Food and product packaging
  • Fashion textiles
  • Medical biomaterials
  • Medical devices
  • Single-use products

Advantages:

  • Sustainable and compostable
  • Regenerative life cycle
  • Biomanufactured
  • Fabrication process is optimized and controlled
  • Post-fabrication processing uses green chemistry
  • Material properties are precisely tunable
  • Mechanical properties are within the range of everyday consumer thermoplastics

Lead Inventor:

Helen Lu, Ph.D.

Patent Information:

Patent Pending

Related Publications:

Tech Ventures Reference:

  • IR CU24116

*Licensing Contact: Joan Martinez