| Yissum to Collaborate for Commercialization of Biodegradable Plastic Produced from Protein-Rich Pla |
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JERUSALEM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Yissum Ltd., the technology transfer company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, announced today the signing of a licensing agreement with a Belgian holding company for the commercialization of an innovative clean technology for the manufacturing of biodegradable plastic produced from protein-rich plants. According to the agreement, Yissum will receive licensing fees and royalties from sales of future products. Professor Sergei Braun, from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, has developed a unique technology enabling the production of biodegradable plastic for the food-packaging industry that is manufactured from dregs left after processing protein-rich crops such as corn, canola, rapeseed and soy beans. The economic advantage resides in the use of a simple chemical reaction that replaces some of the primary amines in the protein-based material with a different chemical group, in order to produce a new "building unit" for the construction of plastic. The technology enables to convert an agriculturally-produced protein into new raw material similar in qualities to polypropylene, yet retaining the organic properties which render it highly degradable. "Prof. Brown has shown that it is possible to prepare numerous products from degradable plastic, including plastic bags, crates, and fibers in competitive costs," stated Nava Swersky Sofer, CEO of Yissum. "The novel material is recyclable, completely degradable, and may serve as compost and even as a food supplement for animals. We hope that Prof. Brown's invention will bring about a positive change in the plastics industry, and we're proud that this invention was made at the Hebrew University." Prof. Braun added, "Until now, the main barrier to the entry of biodegradable products into the plastics market was their high price. Biodegradable plastics, such as the popular PLA, cost five to tens times the price of ordinary packaging materials. Our invention is intended to change the market conditions and offer a cheap and available alternative that is also environmentally friendly." The food oils and starches industry produces a surplus of vegetable proteins that can be used for the manufacturing of environmentally friendly food packaging. Just 6% of surplus vegetable protein production in the US is needed to produce plastic packaging for the entire country. The global plastics packaging market was worth an estimated $130 billion in 2006. Source: Business Wire Bookmark this page!      |
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