Spent Coffee Grounds: From Food Waste to Bioplastics

While you sip on your morning cup of coffee, learn a little-known fact about the Spent Coffee Grounds (SCG). They contain various functional compounds, such as lignin, a polymer with excellent anti-UV, antioxidant and antibacterial properties. See how IMRE scientists explore the endless possibilities of upcycling these food waste and convert them into bioplastics that can replace petroleum based plastics.



For more studies on SCG and Lignin, refer to the publications below:

• Towards lignin-based functional materials in a sustainable world
• Implantable and degradable antioxidant poly(ε-caprolactone)-lignin nanofiber membrane for effective osteoarthritis treatment
  
• Engineering Poly(lactide)–Lignin Nanofibers with Antioxidant Activity for Biomedical Application
  
• Lignin-Incorporated Nanogel Serving As an Antioxidant Biomaterial for Wound Healing
  
• Recycling of spent coffee grounds for useful extracts and green composites
  
• Reinforcement of aligned cellulose fibers by lignin-polyester copolymers
  
• How far is Lignin from being a biomedical material?
  
• Cationic Lignin-Based Hyperbranched Polymers to Circumvent Drug Resistance in Pseudomonas Keratitis
  
• Synergistic UV protection effects of the lignin nanodiamond complex