American chemists from Oak Ridge National Laboratory have found a way to improve the quality of finished plastic by changing its molecules. Technology will make it possible to transform plastic waste into more valuable raw materials. The research was published in the scientific journal broadcasting Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS).
The authors of the new method compare it to CRISPR, the gene editing tool that has revolutionized the study of genomes and medicine.
The approach relies on rearranging polymer building blocks in polymer chains to tune the properties of the plastic.
“It’s similar to CRISPR, but instead of editing gene chains, we’re editing polymer chains. This isn’t a typical ‘melt it and hope for best plastic recycling’ scenario,” said Jeffrey Foster, lead author of the study.
Recycling through traditional smelting causes the plastic to deteriorate with each new cycle.
During the experiments, the team worked with a variety of soft and hard plastics that are difficult to recycle.
The researchers dissolved the polymers in dichloromethane and then modified their molecules using the processes of metathesis polymerization and cross-metathesis. Experts noted that this approach makes it possible to use the material to preserve the properties of existing building blocks.
Scientists are interested in changing the types of subunits in the polymer chain and rearranging them to see if they can create high-performance thermoset materials (epoxy resins, vulcanized rubber, polyurethane, and silicone). These substances cannot be easily melted or reshaped due to their cross-linked molecular structure.
Previous researchers was created An inexpensive way to recycle PET plastic from fabric waste.
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Source: Gazeta

Barbara Dickson is a seasoned writer for “Social Bites”. She keeps readers informed on the latest news and trends, providing in-depth coverage and analysis on a variety of topics.