Bamboo Revolution: IIT Guwahati Pioneers Eco-Friendly Automotive Material
Researchers at IIT Guwahati have developed an eco-friendly composite using Bambusa tulda bamboo and biodegradable polymers. This composite aims to replace plastics in automotive interiors, offering benefits such as high strength, thermal stability, and cost-effectiveness. It's a significant step towards sustainable materials in the automotive industry.
- Country:
- India
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati has taken a significant step in the push for sustainable materials by developing an eco-friendly composite material. Utilizing 'Bambusa tulda', a rapidly growing bamboo species from northeast India, combined with biodegradable polymers, the new material seeks to revolutionize automotive interiors.
Highlighted for its properties such as high strength, thermal stability, and low moisture absorption, the composite emerges as a formidable substitute for conventional plastics, potentially transforming the automotive manufacturing industry. The research, led by Professor Poonam Kumari and published in Environment, Development and Sustainability, addresses the pressing issue of plastic waste.
Extensive testing, including 17 different parameters and Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM), revealed that the formulation with bio-based epoxy performed best. IIT Guwahati's initiative aligns with the 'Make in India' policy and the global Green Tech Revolution, promising widespread applications in consumer electronics and sustainable materials.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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