Green polymer adhesives

CHED 707

Julie Mouchon, jqmouchon@plymouth.edu, Anil Bhalchandra Waghe, awaghe@plymouth.edu, and Philip Thompson, pthompson@plymouth.edu. Chemical, Earth, Atmospheric and Physical Sciences Department, Plymouth State University, 17 High Street MSC48, Plymouth, NH 03264
With the advent of the new environmental movement of recyclable and renewable resources a/many biodegradable polymer glues are very useful. Green-ware products are increasing in popularity with the public, and the demand for a better product is on the rise. It seems, at the moment, that there is not a consistency of reliable product on the market; such products like biodegradable cups do not seem to be able to stay together when the stress of a hot liquid comes into the equation. With this in mind we chose to find a more reliable product for these products, one that will be able to withstand the heat but still follow the biodegradable concept. We chose, using a verity of tests, to test several different natural products and test their reliability of strength and consistency as an agent for the polymer. For natural compounds we used potatoes starch, lignin, corn, grass, and several others as the organic compound to the polymer. We then reported on our results to figure out which ones were the strongest and the most applicable to the Green-ware paper cup movement.