Corn Next, a leader in sustainable innovation and biodegradable solutions, has officially announced the launch of its CornNext-17 technology, which happens to be a game-changing bio-based material designed to fight against global plastic pollution crisis.
According to certain reports, the stated technology arrives on the scene with an ability to replace traditional plastics, and therefore, play what would be a critical role in supporting global sustainability initiatives.
More on the same would reveal that, derived from renewable corn starch, CornNext-17 leverages a patented fermentation-based process to create a fully biodegradable material with superior versatility and performance. You see, unlike traditional plastics and bio-plastics such as PLA and PHA, CornNext-17 can also retain its natural polysaccharide structure, something which treads up a long distance to enable rapid decomposition. This it does alongside successful maintenance of those mechanical properties that are necessary for diverse applications.
Talk about the given solution on a slightly deeper level, we begin from its fully biodegradable nature, as it decomposes naturally in no more than 30 days, leaving no harmful residues in the environment.
Next up, we must get its versatility. We get to mention versatility because CornNext-17 is actually suitable for a wide range of applications, including packaging, consumer goods, and industrial components. Not just that, it is also quite cost-effective. The stated cost efficiency is a result of adopting an efficient manufacturing process, which eventually allows you to offer competitive pricing.
Another detail worth a mention here is rooted in the solution’s promise to deliver high-performance, as CornNext-17 brings to the fore excellent mechanical properties, including strength, flexibility, and heat resistance. Beyond that, thanks to its corn starch origin, the solution can also be deemed eco-friendly.
“CornNext-17 represents a significant leap forward in sustainable materials,” said Randy Yongzhong Zhang, Founder and CEO of Corn Next. “We are proud to offer a solution that addresses the urgent need for environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional plastics. The development of CornNext-17 is guided by our vision to revolutionize how materials are used and discarded. As a fully natural biodegradable innovation, it marks not just a breakthrough in material science, but a significant milestone in humanity’s pursuit of a greener, more sustainable future.”
Having referred to its innate features, we now must turn our attention towards some of CornNext-17 potential use cases. Now, we referred to how it can come in handy for creating consumer goods, but what we haven’t mentioned yet is how it can very well conceive stuff like compostable tableware, single-use products, food containers, and eco-friendly packaging solutions that cater to environmentally conscious consumers.
The next use case in line comes from the packaging industry, where the material’s strength, flexibility, and resistance to heat and moisture enable it to be an ideal choice for biodegradable packaging, including in retail, food, and industrial applications. Then, there is the agriculture sector, which can bank upon CornNext-17 to manufacture biodegradable mulch films, seedling trays, and irrigation components, reducing waste and enhancing soil health.
Joining the mix from here would be the healthcare industry. CornNext-17 can help the healthcare industry dispose medical supplies such as gloves, syringes, and packaging, to ensure environmental safety.
Hold on, there is more, considering we haven’t yet touched on how automotive industry can also stand to gain from Corn Next’s latest brainchild by creating automotive components like panels, trim, and interior parts, thus contributing to vehicle sustainability and fuel efficiency. Finally, we have the electronics space, where CornNext-17 can replace certain plastic components in electronics to reduce e-waste.
To understand the significance of such a development, we must acknowledge that, despite all the recent advancements, plastic waste remains one of the most pressing environmental challenges, with over 400 million tons of plastic produced annually and only a fraction recycled.
Founded in 2017, Corn Next’s rise up the ranks stems from developing bio-based new materials, such as CornNext-17, a patented, 100% natural, biodegradable material derived from renewable corn starch. The company’s proprietary technology can be used, at the moment, for manufacturing the world’s first corn-based drinking straw, protein spoon, dinner knife, and forks, with future uses projected in utensils, dental floss, packaging and more.
