Northwestern University researchers have developed a new water- and oil-resistant material that could become a safe, viable replacement for harmful plastics and toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in paper-based food and beverage packaging. Derived from graphene oxide, the material is reportedly non-toxic, environmentally friendly and affordable.
When applied to paper, the coating not only provides barrier properties but also significantly enhances a product’s overall strength. This could mean an end to flimsy paper plates and soggy takeout containers. After use, packaging treated with the material can be readily composted or recycled — closing the loop for a sustainable solution.
GO-Eco — a subsidiary of Chang Robotics and a resident startup at Northwestern’s Querrey InQbation Lab (The Q) — is commercializing the patent-pending product. Recent independent evaluations have shown that Northwestern’s coating significantly improves strength and barrier properties compared to current commercially available solutions.
“This is not just a materials innovation; it’s a market-ready solution,” says Timothy Wei, who co-developed the product. “We are thrilled to be taking GO-Eco from the lab to the factory floor, with applications that could transform the food-packaging industry.”
Wei is an adjunct professor of mechanical engineering at Northwestern’s McCormick School of Engineering, chief scientist at Chang Robotics and former dean of engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He co-developed the product with graphene-oxide expert SonBinh Nguyen, a professor of chemistry at Northwestern’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences.
The urgency for new solutions is clear. After analyzing numbers from various sources, the GO-Eco team estimates the US alone produces approximately 14 million tonnes of paper-based food packaging and corrugated paperboard each year, generating more than $60 billion in annual sales. These products are often coated with plastic, foil, or PFAS to achieve water- and oil-resistance, despite mounting regulatory pressures to eliminate these materials due to environmental and health risks. While some bio-based alternatives exist, their high cost has rendered them commercially unviable.
The potential solution to this global problem came from decades of research from Nguyen’s and Wei’s labs. While Nguyen’s research group has published extensively on characterizing and manufacturing graphene oxide, Wei brings expertise in advanced manufacturing and the food industry. Together, they developed a new proprietary process that harnesses the properties of graphene oxide — oxidized single-atom-thick sheets of carbon atoms — to enhance the barrier properties of paper and board products.
After developing the process, the team rigorously tested the material on a diverse range of food- and beverage-packaging prototypes, including paperboard boxes, plastic produce bags and disposable tableware, such as plates, cups and straws. In every instance, the new coating rendered these products resistant to water, oil and grease, while simultaneously boosting the strength of the paper substrates.