Chinese Cabbage Waste Becomes 18 MPa Building Material

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Chinese cabbage trash was used by Japanese researchers to make construction-grade materials with a flexural strength of 18 MPa, which is four times that of concrete.

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This innovation in biomaterials from food waste was pioneered by Yuya Sakai of the University of Tokyo.

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Plastic additives are not necessary thanks to the drying, crushing, and hot pressing processes.

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The combination of cabbage's sugar and dietary fiber, rather than just its sugar level, is what gives it its power.

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In addition to being resistant to worms, fungi, and insects, the material is also water-resistant thanks to surface treatments.

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The concept was commercialized by Fabula Inc., which used 30 tested food waste types to make furniture, coasters, and plates.

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To increase strength, materials made from cabbage strengthen weaker materials like pumpkin.

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Since cement manufacture accounts for 8% of world carbon emissions, the approach also reduces food waste.

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Applications include moon construction research, desert sand processing, and catastrophe relief.

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