International. Imperial College London student Nicole Stjernswärd is using plant waste to create natural powder pigments that can be used for paints, inks or textiles. She has invented Kaiku, a system that converts plants into powder coating pigments using vaporization technology.
Nicole is a student of the Master's course in Innovation Design Engineering, offered jointly by Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art.
Many plants and fruits that are eaten every day, such as avocados, onions, and pomegranates, have valuable colors on their skins and peels. Normally, these are left to rot in landfills, but Kaiku transforms this waste into a high-value resource.
Kaiku's color making machine converts plant dyes into paintable pigments, allowing the user to create custom colors and have full control over the source of the colors. Vegetable dyes are added to the machine tanks and then vaporized into dry powders. This process takes minutes and produces pigments that can be used for paints, inks and textiles by traditional artists.
Depending on how it is cared for, the natural color of the plant can fade in just a few months, making it perfect for items used for a short time. Items needed longer can be re-dyed or re-colored as needed.
The color making machine converts vegetable dyes into paintable pigments.
Each batch of natural pigment is unique and subject to the growing conditions of the raw plants used, for example, one batch of avocado pigment will differ slightly from another. This allows mass-produced products to feel more artisanal and unique and makes applications numerous.
Nicole's inspiration for the project began with oil paints, which used to be made more naturally, but are now made primarily of synthetically derived materials and chemicals. He then met textile designers, who talked about the desire to use more natural dyes, but found that these should be used quickly as they get moldy. Nicole says her system is easier to use and has a better lifespan.
She said: "The project uses old and existing knowledge that people might have forgotten, incorporating new technologies."
Studying at both Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art allowed Nicole "access to specialists in the field and experts on both sides. I really enjoyed working with different disciplines, and I'm exploring how I can continue to do this after I graduate."
Nicole hopes her hands-on process will spark interest in the public and encourage them to care about the products they buy and where they come from.
Source: Imperial College London.
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