Maize Starch: biodegradability testing of a pen

[Christophe]

Biodegradability test of a (tip of) pen in corn starch

I just ran a biodegradability test of a cornstarch pen tip. For the moment I have only dipped it in water, if that is not enough I will put a little "compost" to bring some enzymes or bacteria.

I put the pot close to our woodstove.

I wonder how long it will take because the touch, it is difficult to differentiate between this plastic and a plastic from oil.

Here are some photos:






The continuation in 2009!

[JLB]

it seems absurd to want to leave a piece of biodegradable material in an almost asceptic environment
Or you do not tell everything about your experience, or it is doomed to fail.
A piece of wood is also biodegradable, but leaving it in a pot, just exposed to the air, you may wait a few decades or millennia depending on the environmental conditions and the type of wood.
Put your pen in a pile of manure for example (not a simple flower pot) with a piece of wood and another of plastic as comparative samples.
There, the experience will be more conclusive.

[Christophe]

Well that's what I thought (hence my remark) but to tell the truth we just had a similar experiment with "floncons" (to call the packages) in starch and after 2 weeks they just molded well. immersed in water. So we are far from "almost skeptical" ...

Another subject is planned for this other experiment.

[JLB]

It seems to me that starch is soluble in water, it must facilitate the appearance of mold.
On the other hand, for biodegradable "plastics", the presence of bacteria may be necessary.
Thank you for the details.

[Christophe]

Yes we will see I think (I hope) that the biodegradable plastic is still quite stable in the water ...

It will be an opportunity to see just how far it is!

And after a few weeks, following the behavior, I mix it with a little compost!

[Gregconstruct]

He's pre-machined your pen?

[Christophe]

No he is not new ...

Apparently it is scratched more easily than the standard plastic ...

[Gregconstruct]

Not bad!

[Lietseu]

The small traces left on the surface suggest, my dear Greg, that the small corncob, which in the form of a Bic, was pre-chewed by a nervous plantigrade, of a size of 1.75cm and a weight of 80 to 90 kg

Without malice, Master Martz

[Christophe]

from a weight of 80 to 90 kg

Pfff you remove 10 kg and you will be + close to the truth (even after the holidays)! No, but ... I look so heavy?

ps: I NEVER premacholated this pen for the simple reason that I do not use a pen!