Photo via Shutterstock As we begin to see the devastating
effects of plastic pollution on our environment, scientists are
working towards generating more eco-friendly alternatives to
petroleum-based materials. Chuanbing Tang from the University of
South Carolina is looking to the noble conifer to provide the
key to biodegradable, renewable plastics. His research group has
been altering the natural resins of firs, pines, and other
evergreens through polymerization to create compounds that are
more sustainable than fossil fuel-derived plastics. Evergreen
sap is rich in hydrocarbons, and the turpentine and rosins found
in the trees are similar in composition to petroleum. Through
polymerization, they can be altered chemically to become
biodegradable versions of common plastics. While renewable bases
for plastics are currently inferior in performance to petroleum,
Tang’s laboratory just received the National Science Foundation
CAREER award to further investigate and refine the chemistry to
make them viable compet