For this Project I experimented and developed my own Bio-Materials to create a product. As the demand of PPE has increased since the beginning of the Corona Virus Pandemic and normally after PPE items are used it gets discarded.
The product that I had to create was some sort of PPE that would be sustainable.
During this phase I did my research finding out what Bio-Materials are, the kinds of bio-materials that can be made with low-tech equipment, the different types of PPE and the materials that are used to make them.
During this phase I experimented with different ingredients to create my different types of Bio-Materials.
The ingredients that I used to make the Bio-Concrete were: Corn starch, water and sand.
The ingredients that I used to make the Bio-Plastics were: water, gelatine powder, charcoal, potato starch, vinegar and glycerine from there I experimented using different quantities of those ingredients.
In this phase I got some technical info on an existing PPE item that I chose to make using the Bio-material that I created.
From here I am still experimenting and trying to get my "almost clear" bio-plastic more clear and transparent so that I am able to use it for the front visor of the face shield and I will be using the charcoal bio-plastic to make the strap of the face shield.
For the manufacturing process I have designed a die to be used on a die press machine and this die would be used to cut out the strap for the face shield from a flat sheet of bio plastic.
After many tests trying to achieve a clear transparent Bio-plastic
the result of from all of the tests were clear when placed against an object
but frosted when moved a small distance away.
For the shield of the face shield this would not work,
so after some more research I found out the PET plastic is the most commonly used plastic which is thrown away after its use which is then recycled and made into a PET plastic roll or sheet which I have used to create my face shield.
