Grape Waste Creates More Durable Plastics

May-27-18 Bio-waste material from wine production could help make plastics more durable.

Grape marc, the waste from wine production, is rich in polyphenols—the same compound that works as an antioxidant in the body. In a novel use for the material, researchers from France determined that polyphenols also function as excellent stabilizers for polymers.

The team microwaved and freeze-dried a sample of the marc, then mixed the resulting powder into melted polypropylenes, a common material used in making packaging. Under accelerated aging simulating sunlight exposure, the marc-enhanced material remained undamaged for twice as long as untreated material, offering a bio-friendly alternative to commercial stabilizers.

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