On August 16, the launch ceremony of the world's first all-bio-based biodegradable shoes was held at Beijing University of Chemical Technology.
It is reported that the innovative use of bio-based biodegradable polyester rubber material independently developed by Beijing University of Chemical Technology for the sole of the biodegradable shoes, and the use of hemp fiber, bamboo fiber material and corn stalk latex material for the upper and insole, can achieve stability in the daily environment and rapid degradation under composting conditions.
World's first fully bio-based biodegradable shoes finished
After eighteen years of scientific research, the research team created the first biodegradable polyester rubber material by using molecular structure design, broke through the problem of continuous production process of high molecular weight polyester rubber, completed a thousand-ton continuous pilot test, and realized its application in many rubber fields such as biodegradable shoes, tires, oil-resistant seals, polylactic acid toughening agent and thermoplastic vulcanizing rubber.
According to Dynasty, it has long been difficult to prepare biodegradable soles due to the absence of biodegradable rubber materials internationally, which has seriously limited the development of fully biodegradable shoes. China can produce up to nearly 1 billion pairs of discarded shoes every year, which, if not effectively recycled and treated, can easily pose a threat to the natural environment.
Since 2019, the team members have focused on serving the national "double carbon" strategy, with the concept of "innovation, low carbon, environmental protection and health", and devoted themselves to developing all-bio-based degradable shoes. After three years of research, through molecular structure design, rubber composite composition control and interfacial interaction research, the contradictory relationship between shoe sole degradation and service performance has been solved, and fully bio-based degradable rubber soles that meet the performance requirements have been prepared.
