We all know how much plastic is a problem for the environment, but an interesting solution could be coming soon. Researchers at Boise State University, Allison Christy e Scott Phillips, have developed a new type of fully recyclable plastic made with the same raw material as Super Glue. It could help a lot to solve the global waste crisis.
It really takes a lot
The data is disconcerting: of the almost 6 billion tons of plastic waste produced globally, less than 10% is recycled. We need an alternative, and quickly too.
In the first tests of this material, the polyethylene cyanoacrylate PECA has been shown to have similar properties to conventional polymers and to remain stable even in hot and humid environments. The researchers demonstrated how the long polymer chains of PECA can be thermally “broken” at 210°C, resulting in monomers that can be distilled and transformed into a clean product for reuse.
Result? PECA can be recycled up to 93%: this is why researchers hope that, if produced on a large scale, it can replace traditional plastics. And other "competitors in the race" hope so too.
The global race for a recyclable plastic
Aside from polyethylene cyanoacrylate, several laboratories around the world are working on developing new types of biodegradable and possibly 100% recyclable plastic. Possible materials include polyethylene furanoate (PEF), polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG), polylactic acid (PLA), polybutylene succinate (PBS) and others.
All promising solutions, but their adoption in industry is still limited by profitability and scalability issues. Research and development in this sector, however, will make these recyclable and biodegradable plastics more accessible in the near future.
The production of PECA is not yet on an industrial scale and there is still a lot of work to be done, but the potential benefits of this new material by Christy and Phillips presented in Science Advances (here is the link) is a significant step in the right direction.
