On June 8-11, at the exhibition Expo 2015 in Milan, Lithuania presented six modern technologies, including one from Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VGTU).

 

At the exhibition, VGTU presented an innovative material – cellulose nanocrystals, created at the Department of Chemistry and Bioenergy. The material derived from the fibre of hemp by Assoc Prof Dr Ingrida Bružaitė and a team of researchers, can be used for the production of ecological packaging. It would become approximately thirty per cent stronger and would reduce its natural decay more than twice, as compared with that of usual plastic packaging.

 

Cellulose nanocrystals can be adapted not only for the production of bioplastics, but also for nano-cellulose, the material comparable with carbon fibre in its strength. They can also apply cellulose nanocrystals in various branches of industries – civil engineering, textile, aviation.