Vilásia Martins

Chemistry, Life Sciences

Vilásia Martins Enhancing the Properties of Bioplastics Derived from Sustainable Materials (2018)

Food engineer Vilásia Martins, with her fondness for the beach, provides a clear insight into the inspiration behind her research. Having earned her master’s and doctorate in food science and engineering from the Federal University of Rio Grande, Vilásia cherishes every opportunity to gather her family by the sea.

Her research into innovative bioplastics holds significant implications for those who appreciate a pristine beach. Vilásia acknowledges that the current bioplastics on the market face technical challenges that hinder their widespread adoption. As she explores new renewable packaging alternatives, Vilásia makes time to return to the beach for stand-up paddleboarding.

Lattes

Open Calls

Science Call 1

Projects

Approaches to Enhance the Properties of Bioplastics Derived from Sustainable Resources
Science / Life Sciences

Over 90% of plastic packaging used in the food industry is derived from non-renewable fossil fuels, which take a long time to degrade, inflicting considerable harm on the environment. However, many polymers, derived from agricultural by-products like proteins and carbohydrates, can be utilized to create renewable and biodegradable packaging.

The commercial application of these bioplastics is currently limited, primarily due to their inadequate mechanical and barrier properties. This project aims to employ various strategies to enhance the properties of these sustainable and biodegradable polymers, making them comparable to the synthetic polymers used in the food industry. To achieve this, technologies such as plasma, ultraviolet light, chemical odifications, and the incorporation of additives will be applied to the bioplastics produced.

Amount invested

Grant Serrapilheira: R$ 100,000.00
  • Topics
  • Biodegradable materials
  • Bioplastic
  • Food industry
  • Polymers
  • Sustainable materials