[#item_full_content] Korean researchers have developed to strengthen biodegradable plastics using hemp hurd, an agricultural by-product. The approach is expected to be applicable to other large-volume agricultural residues, including soybean stalks and rice straw. A research team led by Dr. Hoyong Kim of the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), headed by President Suk-Min Shin, extracted cellulose from discarded stalks of industrial hemp, which is used to produce traditional hemp textiles. The team then applied a drying process that preserves the microfibrillar structure of the cellulose, enabling it to serve as a reinforcing biofiller for biodegradable plastics. Read More