Chemists at private company Viginia Tech have found a new way to turn plastic into soap. The researchers published their work in the journal Science.
Most plastics harm the environment and harm organisms, according to experts. Therefore, microparticles are often released from them. These are pieces of plastic smaller than five millimeters. Scientific studies have shown that they can enter the human body through the mouth, nose and other body cavities associated with the outside world. When such pieces of plastic are ingested, they cause various diseases and mutations.
It is therefore important to look for ways to reuse this material. The authors used the two most common types of plastic – polyethylene and polypropylene. These substances consist of molecular chains of carbon atoms. These chains are long, but if you shorten them you can get surfactants.
Scientists have developed a special device in which the plastic is heated and then the plastic is condensed into wax with short carbon chains. After that, the researchers add oxygen to the atoms and treat the resulting mass with an alkaline solution. Finally they make soap.
ancient scientists can Create the world’s most slippery toilet bowl from a plastic mix.