September's Polymer Research Breakthroughs: Sustainability is the Key

TAGS:  Sustainability and Bioplastics    Creativity with Plastics      Nanotechnologies     Cost Efficiency   

In today's world, sustainability assumes a central role in all aspects. In response, the polymer industry saw a burst of advancements and discoveries.

Some research focuses on recycling waste into useful materials. At the same time, others concentrate on producing bio-based and biodegradable materials.

Let's cater to some of the key polymer advancements in September!

Transforming Waste into Useful Products

Incorporate Recycled Plastic Waste into Asphalt for Roads

Researchers at RMIT University are going to use recycled plastics in asphalt roads. They will do so by incorporating PIR and PCR plastics into asphalt as a performance enhancer.

The project will be carried out at 10 project sites in the City of Melbourne. They will use approximately 21,000 kg of recycled plastic. Key benefits of this study include:

• Recycled asphalt mixtures have 150% less cracking and 85% less deformation under pressure.
• No detrimental effects on the environment.

Inexpensive Method of Plastic Recycling Using Table Salt (Sodium Chloride)

A study by MSU uses a salt catalyst to pyrolyze polyolefins which can be reused. The main attributes of this study are:

• Salt recycles plastics better than much more expensive catalysts.
• It removes the wax byproduct (approximately 60% of plastic waste) produced during pyrolysis.

In their earlier work, they showed both copper oxide and table salt work as catalysts to break down polystyrene.

Go beyond traditional mechanical recycling & combine different recycling techniques that matches your requirements.

Harvesting Hydrogen from Plastic Waste Using a Low Emissions Method

Hydrogen is a promising alternative to fossil fuels. But the methods used to make it either generate too much carbon dioxide or are too expensive.

Researchers have developed a low-emission method to harvest hydrogen from plastic waste. The plastic waste samples were exposed to rapid flash Joule heating for 4 seconds. When the temperature reaches 3100°K, the hydrogen in the plastic vaporizes, leaving behind graphene.

Recycling Polyesters Using Hartshorn Salt (Ammonium bicarbonate)

Conventional polyester recycling preserves the plastic, resulting in a loss of cotton fibers. To ensure neither is lost in the process, researchers have invented a green and simple solution to recycle polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

This method uses hartshorn salt which breaks down into ammonia, CO₂, and water. Ammonia and CO₂ act as a catalyst that undergoes a selective depolymerization reaction. It breaks down the polyester while preserving the cotton fibers.

This process has two main advantages:

• Ammonia is toxic in isolation. But when combined with CO₂, it becomes both environmentally friendly and safe for use.
• The cotton fibers remain intact and in excellent condition. This is due to the mild nature of the chemicals involved.

Earlier, the same research group demonstrated that CO₂ could serve as a catalyst for breaking down nylon.

Discover the differences between PE and PET and make the right choice for your application.

Sustainable Solutions Tailored for Different Needs

Researchers Develop Biodegradable Self-healing Plastic

Konstanz chemists create the next generation of their mineral plastic that heals itself. They produced it with the help of microorganisms and is completely biodegradable.

In 2016, the Konstanz team presented a mineral plastic with self-healing properties. But due to its chemical composition, it was difficult to biodegrade. To overcome this, they used polyglutamic acid instead of petroleum-based ingredients.

To overcome this shortcoming, they used use polyglutamic acid instead of petroleum-based ingredients.

There were two reasons to use this polymer:

• It is available in large quantities
• It can be obtained sustainably, for example from biotechnological production using microorganisms

The degradation experiments performed showed quick breakdown of this polymer. After only 32 days, the microorganisms had completely degraded the plastic.

Optically Active Biodegradable Nanocomposite Film

Researchers have developed an optically active biodegradable nanocomposite film with excellent mechanical properties. This film can be used in optical devices like flexible displays.

Studies show polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) has good film-forming and excellent mechanical properties. Its optical and mechanical properties can be tuned by incorporating suitable nanomaterials.

Researchers fabricated a biodegradable PVA-CuO nanocomposite film using a facile solution casting technique. This method uses Cu salt to form in-situ CuO nanoparticles.

These nanocomposite films have superior optical and antimicrobial properties.

Conclusion

This month's polymer research breakthroughs reveal their vast potential. It drives innovation to tackle environmental issues.

We can expect more extraordinary research in the future exploring sustainable options.

Source: Curated by SpecialChem