Recently, researchers in the United States have developed a new type of plastic that can be converted to its original molecular state after one hour of heating. This means that the new material is fully recyclable, contains no petroleum and can be broken down by organisms, changing the way we use and recycle plastics. The new polymer, developed by researchers from Colorado State University, is composed of butyrolactone (GBL), which is also found in strong adhesive cleaners.
For years, scientists believed that the chemical structure of GBL was too stable to be converted into plastic, but the team managed to develop it anyway.
According to chemist Eugene Chen, "Previous studies have shown that this GBL monomer is not suitable for making into plastic, and we suspect that some of the previous reports may be incorrect."
Today, each of us consumes about 90 kilograms (about 200 pounds) of synthetic polymers each year, most of which are not biodegradable or recyclable. Worldwide, more than 270 million tons of plastic waste is produced each year, 18 million of which ends up in the ocean.
Although many of today's plastic chips and packaging are marked "recyclable," they can only be reused to a certain extent. Humans have been able to increase the lifespan of plastic materials by processing them, but not by returning them to their original molecular state.
Biodegradable plastics on the market still face the same problem, as they can only be partially recycled and produce unwanted byproducts in the process of extending their life cycle.
Researchers are figuring out how to develop renewable, biodegradable polymers or plastics," he said. But this is only one solution, because biodegradable polymers are not necessarily recyclable from a feedstock recycling perspective."
And that's why this new bioplastic is getting so much attention. All we need to do is heat this plastic for an hour at 220 to 300 degrees Celsius to convert it to a GBL molecule. Once back in GBL form, the polymerization process can be restarted at -40 degrees Celsius and the monomer molecules will form polymer chains or 3D meshes.
In testing the new polymers, the team used a catalyst to change the shape of the molecules. Although the scientists tried to do the same thing 10 years ago, they didn't know of any other way to convert GBL into a polymer other than high pressure.
The researchers say they hope the new GBL polymer will replace traditional plastics and are looking for ways to reduce the cost of producing the new plastic. The research has been published in Nature Chemistry, and Eugene Chen has applied for a patent.
For years, scientists believed that the chemical structure of GBL was too stable to be converted into plastic, but the team managed to develop it anyway.
According to chemist Eugene Chen, "Previous studies have shown that this GBL monomer is not suitable for making into plastic, and we suspect that some of the previous reports may be incorrect."
Today, each of us consumes about 90 kilograms (about 200 pounds) of synthetic polymers each year, most of which are not biodegradable or recyclable. Worldwide, more than 270 million tons of plastic waste is produced each year, 18 million of which ends up in the ocean.
Although many of today's plastic chips and packaging are marked "recyclable," they can only be reused to a certain extent. Humans have been able to increase the lifespan of plastic materials by processing them, but not by returning them to their original molecular state.
Biodegradable plastics on the market still face the same problem, as they can only be partially recycled and produce unwanted byproducts in the process of extending their life cycle.
Researchers are figuring out how to develop renewable, biodegradable polymers or plastics," he said. But this is only one solution, because biodegradable polymers are not necessarily recyclable from a feedstock recycling perspective."
And that's why this new bioplastic is getting so much attention. All we need to do is heat this plastic for an hour at 220 to 300 degrees Celsius to convert it to a GBL molecule. Once back in GBL form, the polymerization process can be restarted at -40 degrees Celsius and the monomer molecules will form polymer chains or 3D meshes.
In testing the new polymers, the team used a catalyst to change the shape of the molecules. Although the scientists tried to do the same thing 10 years ago, they didn't know of any other way to convert GBL into a polymer other than high pressure.
The researchers say they hope the new GBL polymer will replace traditional plastics and are looking for ways to reduce the cost of producing the new plastic. The research has been published in Nature Chemistry, and Eugene Chen has applied for a patent.