CBD is widely used for personal wellness. In the not-so-distant future, it could be used for environmental wellness.
By Phillip Smith, The American Hemp Monitor
Many ubiquitous plastics we use for everything from water bottles to food packaging to substrates for flexible electronics are made from petroleum-based materials such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which not only consume large quantities of fossil fuels but also break down into tiny particles called “microplastics.” These particles leach chemicals, including PET, into our air, water and food, and are linked to inflammation and cell damage.
Hemp, or more precisely, the hemp-derived cannabinoid CBD, may offer a viable alternative. In a study recently published in the journal Chem Circularity, a team of scientists and engineers demonstrated a hemp-derived thermoplastic that can stretch up to 16 times its original length. The material has a high “glass transition temperature,” a quality that allows plastics to stay dry and durable when they encounter boiling hot water.
Scientists have been looking for green alternatives to PET, but most plant-based polymers cannot match hemp’s glass transition temperature and cost more to produce. Additionally, producing bio-based plastics typically requires high-temperature catalysts, making large-scale production impractical due to challenges with catalyst removal and
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