Bioplastic Kit™: All-in-one kit to get started with biomaterials

Discover a greener way to craft and create with the Bioplastics Kit™: All-in-one kit! This hands-on kit teaches a renewable solution to reduce plastic waste and fight climate change. Learn the science and create a project that empowers you to be part of the solution. Learn to make a difference with the Bioplastic Kit™!

You may have heard of “Bioplastics” already: plastic-like materials made from non-petroleum sources, such as plant and animal matter. But what exactly are the ingredients in bioplastics, and do these materials actually have the potential to replace regular plastics? In this hands-on, multi-part kit, you will learn about the material science behind bioplastics and how to make your own. 

As the field of bioplastics grows, we want to empower learners like you with all the information you need to understand the promise and current limitations of these new materials in a responsible and fun way. After you have completed this kit, you will have the knowledge and tools to explore the many possibilities and applications of bioplastics on your own!   

This kit is made up of 5 main exercises:

• Day 1: Discover. Test ingredient properties and learn the basics of making bio-plastics recipes.
• Day 2: Transform. Add colour, texture, and mould your materials.
• Day 3: Manipulate. Extrude, weave and build by turning your bio-materials into bio-yarn.
• Day 4: Additives: Reinforce and reuse waste to make bio-composite plastics.
• Day 5: Usability: Use all of your skills to make a product for the everyday!

In exercises 1 and 2, you will develop the basic skills for making bioplastics, including weighing, mixing, and pouring. Exercises 1 and 2 will also familiarize you with common bioplastic ingredients—their names (there can be many!), the sources from which they derive, and their chemical structures.

In exercises 3, 4, and 5, you will build on your basic “making” skills to extrude, color, pipette, reinforce, and make useful products from bioplastics.

The Bioplastic Kit comes in individual sizes. Using the dropdown, you can select whether you need a scale and if you want the complete kit or just need an ingredient refill.

The Complete kit includes all the tools, molds, and ingredients needed to learn and make 23+ bioplastics.

The Ingredient refill includes the six bioplastic powders, the glycerol, and the acetic acid you need to make 23 more bioplastics using the tools, dyes and molds you already have.

This experiment kit includes an instruction manual with easy-to-understand vocabulary and step-by-step procedures and an online experiment simulation to practice with, teach you fundamentals, and guide you along the way. Available online. See the Resources tab for links!

To complete this experiment you will also need:

• access to a microwave or kettle,
• a water source (distilled or tap water),
• a microwave-safe mixing tool (like a spoon)
• a small scale (0.1 g to 100.0 g) if you do not add one from the drop-down

Cleaning and safety supplies are not included in the kit. Necessary safety and cleaning supplies are latex or nitrile gloves, and a chlorinated bleach cleaner or a 10% solution of chlorinated bleach in a spray bottle (you can make this by adding 9 parts water to 1 part bleach in a spray bottle). You can add a Mini Safety Set to your kit which includes gloves and a reusable plastic apron to protect your clothes.

For more information about safety, set up and clean up, you can have a look at the instruction manual for the experiment linked in the Ressources section below, and at the "Practicing safe science" page.

Shipping Times

Experiment kits are shipped 1-10 working days after you place your order. If you require yours for a specific date or event, please contact us before or with your order # so that we can try to make it happen for you! ☺︎ 

Storage

This experiment kit can be stored at room temperature (out of direct sunlight) or in the refrigerator.

For any questions, don't hesistate to reach out to us - contact us