Researchers create strong biodegradable plastic from bamboo
Scientists in China have developed a hard plastic from bamboo cellulose that matches the strength of conventional engineering plastics used in cars and appliances. This bioplastic is fully recyclable and biodegrades in soil within 50 days. The innovation addresses limitations in bioplastics' mechanical properties and manufacturing compatibility.
Bioplastics, derived from biological matter, currently represent only about half a percent of the over 400 million tonnes of plastics produced annually. They often fall short in mechanical strength compared to oil-based plastics and are not easily integrated into standard manufacturing processes.
Dawei Zhao and his team at Shenyang University of Chemical Technology in China have overcome these challenges by producing a plastic from bamboo-derived cellulose. Bamboo, a rapidly growing renewable resource, has been underutilized beyond traditional woven products. As Zhao notes, “Bamboo’s rapid growth makes it a highly renewable resource, providing a sustainable alternative to traditional timber sources, but its current applications are still largely limited to more traditional woven products.”
The process involves treating bamboo with zinc chloride and a simple acid to break down its strong chemical bonds into smaller cellulose molecules, followed by adding ethanol to solidify them into a tough plastic. This material rivals engineering plastics used in vehicles, appliances, and construction, according to Andrew Dove at the University of Birmingham in the UK, who was not involved in the study.
Dove highlights its limitations: “It’s not something that’s going to challenge the use of the main plastics we use in packaging, like polyethylene and polypropylene. But while it’s targeting a smaller set of engineering plastics, it could still help alleviate some of the sourcing concerns of the incumbent [plastics] in that area.” The plastic retains 90 percent of its strength after complete recycling, though its biodegradability claim—fully breaking down in soil within 50 days—requires further validation, as similar assertions for other bioplastics have not always held up.
The research appears in Nature Communications (DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-63904-2).