Biodegradable plastics-Activities

	Published by Australian Academy of Science
Activities \| Making packaging greener – biodegradable plastics

CyberScience (CSIRO Australia)
- Problems with plastic and how to spot PVC – students use a copper wire and a burner to determine if a plastic is PVC.
Land Learn, Victorian Department of Primary Industries, Australia
- A whey to make biodegradable plastic – students investigate the synthesis of PHB and its degradation by bacteria. Students also discuss responsible waste management, recycling and ways to reduce their ecological footprint.
Berkeley Lab (University of California, USA)
- Polymer modelling activity – students use paper clips to model the linking of polymers.
Michigan Reach Out! (University of Michigan, USA)
- Playing with polymers – students use cooked spaghetti to model a polymer, and make a polymer using white glue, talcum powder and borax.
The Dow Chemical Company and the National Science Teachers Association (USA)
- Density determination of plastics – a more accurate density determination using a titration method.
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (Illinois Institute of Technology, USA)
- World of plastics and polymers – students make and investigate polymers.
- Polymers – students make nylon fibres by layering two chemical solutions.
Organic and biochemistry (Mansfield University of Pennsylvania, USA)
- Plastics analysis – students examine some physical and chemical properties of some recyclable plastics and identify two unknown plastics.
- Preparation of polymers – how to make polystyrene, nylon and slime.

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Page updated April 2006.

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