Corn Next, a pioneering material science company based in Irvine, California, is touting CornNext-17, which it describes as a next-generation sustainable material made from corn starch and natural enzymes.

“After eight years of research and development, we have patented a corn-starch-based material that is ready to replace single-use plastics,” says Randy Zhang, Founder and CEO of Corn Next. “100% of our straws, utensils and other products return naturally to the Earth after use without harming the ecosystem. When you choose Corn Next, you’re helping save our oceans, wildlife, and planet.”

Variant A

The company describes Variant A of CornNext-17 as suitable for products produced by extrusion molding, adding that it can be used to produce various models of straws, rods, thin sheets and similar products by adjusting process parameters and molds.

Corn Next touts these characteristics of Variant A:

• Easier To Produce: The raw material has been upgraded from powder to granular form, which offers processing convenience. The high utilization rate can seamlessly achieve dust-free production.
• Naturally Degradable: Processed products naturally degrade and do not produce harmful and toxic components that cause environmental pollution.
• Upgraded Durability: Product variations have been upgraded with water and temperature resistance and can be soaked at 25 ℃ or 77 °F beyond two hours.

Variant B

The company describes Variant B of CornNext-17 as suitable for products produced by injection molding, adding that it can be used to produce a variety of spoons, knives, forks, plates, trays and similar products by adjusting process parameters and molds.

Like Variant A, Variant B has been upgraded from powder to granular form, and Variant B also is naturally degradable. As for durability, Corn Next notes that Variant B product variations have upgraded toughness and fracture resistance, thus enhancing their strength.

"The development of CornNext-17 is driven by a vision to transform the way we use and discard materials,” Zhang adds. “As a fully biodegradable solution, it represents not just an innovation in material science, but a milestone in humanity’s journey toward a greener, more sustainable future."

A white paper regarding CornNext-17 can be found here.