GREEN DESIGNING
OF BIOMASS

Stubble burning costs lives. The fix is an economic one.

Every winter, Delhi's air quality collapses. A major cause: farmers in Punjab and Haryana burning paddy stubble after harvest — not out of carelessness, but because no economically viable alternative exists to clear millions of tonnes of crop residue before the next sowing window. The cost is atmospheric, and human.

The question I started with: what if stubble had value? What if the decision to burn it became economically irrational?

I developed Bio Fibre Material (BFM) — biodegradable packaging sheets made from processed agricultural stubble. The material was evaluated across five properties: tensile strength, mouldability, heat resistance, electrical conductivity, and biodegradability. Variants included pure BFM, ceramic-reinforced sheets for structural rigidity, and graphite-composite conducting sheets for potential electronics applications.

During testing, I independently explored graphene oxide synthesis from bio-soot via the Modified Hummers Method — a finding I have documented for future research. An unexpected discovery: the graphite-composite variant showed measurable electrical conductivity, opening a potential materials science direction that goes beyond packaging.

I also consulted with scientists at ICAR — Dr. Ranjan Bhattacharya and Dr. Ajeet Kumar, who recognised the work and supported its continuation. At the Division of Microbiology, IARI, Dr. Livleen Shukla recommended replacing alkali treatment with the PUSA Decomposer for a more organic, faster process. These conversations sharpened both the science and the direction.