Natural chitosan has been used as a packaging material for hygiene products. Soaps, washable make-up removal pads, toothbrushes, tampons, cotton swabs and plasters can be hygienically packaged with it without using plastic.
72 tests in the laboratory were necessary to optimize the material and find an application. The result is a monomaterial that degrades in its own compost within a few days. The film used is bonded with dissolved chitosan and labeled with a laser.
In the soil, the package can promote the growth of plants. Chitosan has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. Tampon packaging can be disposed of in the toilet without any problems, because this packaging dissolves in water.
Chitosan is produced from chitin, which is found, for example, in the exoskeleton of insects and crabs. Chitin is one of the most abundant polysaccharides in the world. Through a deacetylation process, chitin becomes chitosan. Most often, fishery waste is used for its production. Chitosan is then whitish and available as flakes or powder. Research has been conducted with yeasts that produce chitosan. Production with microorganisms can reduce manufacturing costs. Chitosan can be dissolved in certain acids and then processed into films, for example. Different manufacturing processes and compositions can cause the material to vary greatly in properties. Chitosan is harmless to health and to allergy sufferers.
1st place Hochschulpreis 2019 of Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
Winter semester 2018/2019 supervised by Uli Budde and Susann Paduch Bauhaus-Universität Weimar