On April 12 and 15, 2024, CCTV-10's "Innovation in Progress" column reported the R&D story behind the fully bio-based degradable shoes of Beijing University of Chemical Technology, focusing on the scientific research achievements of the Advanced Elastomer Materials Research Center of the School of Materials Science and Engineering of the university in the field of bio-elastomer materials in the past 20 years. Rubber material with independent intellectual property rights, from the shoelace to the sole of the shoe, all biodegradable...... They are at the forefront of scientific research, innovating R&D technology, effectively solving the problem of environmental pollution, and making the concept of environmental protection deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.
Relevant data show that billions of pairs of shoes are discarded every year in the world, most of them will not be recycled, but will be discarded or buried together with other garbage, many materials on shoes are extremely difficult to degrade naturally, and exist in the soil for a long time, which has a huge impact on the ecological environment.
In the face of this problem, Professor Wang Chao of the School of Materials Science and Engineering of Beijing University of Chemical Technology objectively analyzed and proposed that the biggest difficulty in realizing the degradability of the whole shoe lies in overcoming the degradable technology of rubber soles, and using the image of "eating watermelon" as a metaphor for the difficulty of biodegradable rubber materials.
In the field of rubber material production, the scientific research team of Beihua has always insisted on overcoming difficulties and achieving sustainable development of production. As early as 2003, Zhang Liqun, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, began the research of bio-based rubber in Beihua, using starch and cellulose to ferment, and then further synthesizing bio-based rubber.
After more than ten years of hard work, the whole team has developed many bio-based rubber varieties. Zhang Liqun affirmed it, "The source is sustainable, and it can even be considered inexhaustible." We use the abundant bio-based raw materials to build new structures of rubber materials, produce new properties, and let China have its own voice in the field of synthetic rubber and occupy a place. ”
As a student of Zhang Liqun, Wang Chao is an important member of the research team, after more than ten years of tempering, the former students have grown into teachers, and now he leads the students to use this bio-based degradable polyester rubber to start the research and development of degradable shoes.
Bio-based degradable polyester rubber benefits from its special molecular structure, which gives microorganisms the opportunity to destroy it into smaller molecular fragments, which can then be engulfed and degraded. After testing, more than 70% of this rubber can be completely degraded within 3 months in the composting environment, which meets the relevant national standards, and the degraded residue will not pollute the environment.
"Strictly speaking, our rubber is currently the only rubber material that can be biodegradable in its body. "Dynasty is proud to present a major technological breakthrough for this rubber.
At the National Energy Biorefining R&D Center at Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Wang and his students used edible corn cobs to prepare the synthesis of this special rubber. They grind corn cobs into powder, undergo a series of complex treatments such as fermentation, distillation, and refining in various instruments, and then process them into chemical preparations necessary for synthetic rubber. After mixing in proportion, it is thoroughly mixed in a vacuum, high-temperature environment, and after a few hours, a piece of degradable rubber is born.
The prepared bio-based degradable rubber is called "raw rubber", but its elasticity, strength and wear resistance cannot meet the requirements of shoe performance. Wang Dynasty proposed the need for further processing of raw rubber, describing this process as "baking bread", "raw rubber" is flour, and a variety of auxiliary materials need to be added to achieve value, such as the introduction of "silica" to improve strength and mechanical properties, and the introduction of antioxidants to improve life expectancy.
In order to balance the contradictory relationship between degradability and stability, and optimize from temperature, time, formula and other aspects, the team plunged into the laboratory to investigate and verify many influencing factors.
After several twists and turns, the biodegradable sole has turned from an idea into a reality. "The world's first pair! Biodegradable soles have been made today!" The excitement of taking out the sole for the first time still lingers in Wang Dynasty's heart, and it also inspires him to continue to carry out scientific research and innovation.
Common sneakers are mostly made of artificial leather, chemical fiber fabrics, etc., except for the sole, and most of them are difficult to be degraded naturally. In order to solve this problem, after many discussions and researches, the Dynasty team finally chose hemp fiber fabric for the upper, corn stalk latex for the insole, and natural cotton for the laces.
After the first batch of degradable shoe samples was completed, Dynasty sent them to the mechanical testing laboratory, where they were subjected to tests such as friction of the sole at all angles and hundreds of repeated bending, and the data obtained met the standards.
The project team continued to test the performance of degradable shoes through personal try-on, degradability experiments, skateboard tip-flip action experiments, etc., proving that they were competent for daily wear and excellent performance in strenuous exercise.
After nearly four years of research and development and nearly 100 trial productions, the development of bio-based degradable shoes was declared successful. In August 2022, Beijing University of Chemical Technology held a launch ceremony for the first batch of fully bio-based degradable shoes, and Wang Dynasty gave the first batch of 500 pairs of shoes to students on campus as "gifts".
Wang Chao explained that if students wear bio-based degradable shoes developed by the school, they will have a clearer understanding that the scientific research work they do is valuable, can be transformed, and can also stimulate students' enthusiasm for scientific research. At the same time, it is also hoped that by wearing such shoes, students can become aware of the concept of environmental protection at any time.
More than a year has passed since the first batch of shoes were distributed, and according to the feedback from the students, the team returned to the laboratory to continue the research and development of degradable shoes, and cooperated with Professor Guo Baochun's team to further optimize the process and performance of shoes, and planned to develop degradable shoes with more styles and functions.
Dedicated to scientific research and determined to struggle, the scientific research team of Beihua will achieve a breakthrough from 0 to 1 in degradable shoes, so that the technology is in a leading position in the field, and use the power of science and technology to develop more environmentally friendly products. In the future, with the mass production of bio-based degradable rubber, this bio-based degradable shoe will go to thousands of households and will definitely bring epoch-making innovation.
Original link to the video
"Innovation in Progress" 20240412 Plant Shoes (1) (cctv.com):
Hatps://tv. CCTV. CN/2024/04/13/Vid7DFVJOK02VKFaloki240413.
"Innovation in Progress" 20240415 Plant Shoes (2) (cctv.com):
Hattapus://tv.cctv.cn/2024/04/15/videkki8u6situnmjpd240415.stmall?spm=C53121759377.PVNJMGU8S4.0.0