{"id":694,"date":"2026-01-20T06:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T07:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mycrochettips.com\/?p=694"},"modified":"2026-02-02T18:52:04","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T18:52:04","slug":"biodegradable-plastics-research-wins-500k-hill-prize","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mycrochettips.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/20\/biodegradable-plastics-research-wins-500k-hill-prize\/","title":{"rendered":"Biodegradable plastics research wins $500k Hill Prize"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"biodegrable<\/h4>\n

Scientists working on safe, biodegradable alternatives to plastics made from agricultural waste awarded \u00a3500,000 2026 Hill Prize in Physical Sciences.<\/h4>\n

Teysha Technologies\u00a0and Texas A&M University<\/a>, Dr. Karen Wooley and Matthew Stone, along with team members Dr. Senthil Kumar Boopathi and Dr. Ashlee Jahnke, received the award for a joint venture to develop biodegradable alternatives to plastics.<\/p>\n

Wooley and Stone were recognised for their patent-pending polymer chemistry, which converts plant-derived sugars and natural phenolic compounds into high-performance alternatives to bisphenol A (BPA).<\/p>\n

The materials are engineered to match or exceed the durability and functionality of conventional plastics, while safely degrading at end of life,\u00a0with the aim of eliminating\u00a0long-term environmental and human health risks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Hill Prize<\/a> awards early-stage scientific research with strong societal impact. It provides $500,000 in non-dilutive funding to accelerate the translation of breakthrough science into real-world applications.<\/p>\n

Dr. Karen Wooley,\u00a0Chief Technology Officer\u00a0of Teysha Technologies\u00a0and Distinguished Professor and W. T. Doherty-Welch Chair in Chemistry at Texas A&M University, commented:\u00a0\u201cThis funding allows us to accelerate the transition from\u00a0university\u00a0lab-scale innovation to materials that can be adopted by industry, without sacrificing performance or safety.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Stone founded the materials company Teysha Technologies, which has developed a biopolymer platform with the aim of producing commercially viable materials validated across packaging, cosmetics, 3D printing and durable goods.<\/p>\n

In 2025, Teysha Technologies says materials it produced were tested during a world-record Mount Everest expedition, withstanding temperatures below \u201340\u00b0C, extreme UV\u00a0exposure\u00a0and prolonged mechanical stress.<\/p>\n

Matthew Stone, CEO and\u00a0Founder of Teysha Technologies, said: \u201cThis award\u00a0validates\u00a0the idea that sustainable materials must work within existing industrial systems.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the Hill Prize, we can scale\u00a0KarmaCane\u00a0faster and support partners who are actively looking to replace toxic plastics with practical, high-performance alternatives.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

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The post Biodegradable plastics research wins $500k Hill Prize<\/a> appeared first on Circular Online<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 Scientists working on safe, biodegradable alternatives to plastics made from agricultural waste awarded \u00a3500,000 2026 Hill Prize in Physical Sciences. Teysha Technologies\u00a0and Texas A&M University, Dr. Karen Wooley and Matthew Stone, along with team members Dr. Senthil Kumar Boopathi and Dr. Ashlee Jahnke, received the award for a joint…<\/p>\n

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