Coffee grounds make for stronger cement. Other types of waste are increasingly popular too.
(Using wine residue?) a Toronto-based startup is extracting nanocrystals from chitin, which is found in crab, shrimp and lobster shells. With a formula containing just 1% of chitin nanocrystal, the team has created a sustainable packaging film.
A single-layer solution without chemical glue, it can be manufactured and recycled in a more energy-efficient way than traditional foils. The nanocrystals make the film twice as tear-resistant.
Weighing less than its counterparts, it can also ease logistic issues and lower emissions during transportation. Other materials such as epoxy resin can equally be strengthened by the crystals’ presence.
Meanwhile, Chitosan from crustaceans is suitable as an electrolyte for batteries.Â
