Overview

• Researchers cut recycled HDPE stretch film into stiff “bricks” and bonded them with softer polymer “mortar” to mimic seashell nacre.
• Custom mechanical tests paired with an uncertainty-aware Tension Shear Chain model showed a 68% reduction in performance variability and preserved virgin plastic strength.
• Lab-scale results suggest the design could halve packaging production costs and divert hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of plastic from landfills if scaled.
• The team intends to apply the method to other recycled polymers and swap commercial adhesives for greener, bio-based alternatives.
• Plans are underway to scale up the process for industrial use and explore off-Earth applications such as NASA’s Lunar Recycling Challenge.