On the afternoon of 11.11.2022, at COMPLEX 01, a presentation on an experimental project that generates biomaterials from bacteria was delivered by professors and researchers from RMIT University Vietnam and Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand.
Associate Professor Donna Cleveland – Deputy Dean of the School of Communication and Design, RMIT Vietnam was the keynote speaker of the event. She presented questions in the research related to the results of cultivating, harvesting and drying the biomaterial of Kombucha, which was made from agricultural materials in Vietnam and under the country’s climatic conditions. The study also experimented with how different combinations of ingredients affect the properties and performance of this new biomaterial. The questions on the application of this biologically derived material, and its potential as an alternative to existing synthetic ones, are also a question of focus in this project.
In her presentation, Associate Professor Donna Cleveland points out the effects of harmful materials on the environment, such as synthetic plastics or animal skins, and the importance of finding a biomaterial replacement for these existing materials that we’re used to. She believed that “plastic is not bad”, but “it is suitable for items and constructions with long-term use, which is counted in years, not the 45-minute life cycle of a plastic bag”. The experiment results show that cellulose biomaterials are completely suitable as an alternative in terms of performance and properties, and they are biodegradable in the span of a few weeks under suitable conditions, without harming the soil and water environment.
Event participants also had the opportunity to see and experience in person several samples among over 100 prototypes from the project. All of the audience felt strange and excited at the same time with the experimental samples made with different combinations of sugar (white sugar/brown sugar/malt/cane sugar), tea (black tea/oolong tea/herbal tea) and fruit (watermelon/banana/dragon fruit/coconut/…).
Following the demonstration, Frances Joseph, a professor of Material Futures from the School of Future Environments, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand, and Associate Professor Donna Cleveland answered the audience’s questions on the future of this material, while also providing suggestions on new material sources for designers who want to incorporate biomaterials into their own applications.
Several members of the audience said that the dialogue was an opportunity to access new ideas about biomaterials and a place to connect individuals, groups and businesses from many different industries who are seeking future partnerships. The students also said that this biomaterial experiment project motivated young people to care more about the environment and sustainable development.
