Bioplastics for a circular economy

Nature Reviews Materials, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 7(2), P. 117 - 137

Published: Jan. 20, 2022

Language: Английский

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Toward polymer upcycling—adding value and tackling circularity

Science, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 373(6550), P. 66 - 69

Published: July 1, 2021

Plastics have revolutionized modern life, but created a global waste crisis driven by our reliance and demand for low-cost, disposable materials. New approaches are vital to address challenges related plastics heterogeneity, along with the property reductions induced mechanical recycling. Chemical recycling upcycling of polymers may enable circularity through separation strategies, chemistries that promote closed-loop inherent macromolecular design, transformative processes shift life-cycle landscape. Polymer schemes lower-energy pathways minimal environmental impacts compared traditional chemical The emergence industrial adoption is encouraging, solidifying critical role these strategies in addressing fate driving advances next-generation materials design.

Language: Английский

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Electrocatalytic upcycling of polyethylene terephthalate to commodity chemicals and H2 fuel

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 12(1)

Published: Aug. 17, 2021

Abstract Plastic wastes represent a largely untapped resource for manufacturing chemicals and fuels, particularly considering their environmental biological threats. Here we report electrocatalytic upcycling of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic to valuable commodity (potassium diformate terephthalic acid) H 2 fuel. Preliminary techno-economic analysis suggests the profitability this process when ethylene glycol (EG) component PET is selectively electrooxidized formate (>80% selectivity) at high current density (>100 mA cm −2 ). A nickel-modified cobalt phosphide (CoNi 0.25 P) electrocatalyst developed achieve 500 1.8 V in membrane-electrode assembly reactor with >80% Faradaic efficiency selectivity formate. Detailed characterizations reveal in-situ evolution CoNi P catalyst into low-crystalline metal oxy(hydroxide) as an active state during EG oxidation, which might be responsible its advantageous performances. This work demonstrates sustainable way implement waste value-added products.

Language: Английский

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Managing Plastic Waste─Sorting, Recycling, Disposal, and Product Redesign

ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 9(47), P. 15722 - 15738

Published: Nov. 12, 2021

Over the years, petrochemical industry has developed a plethora of polymers that are contributing to well-being humanity. Irresponsible disposal used plastics has, however, led buildup litter, which is fouling environment, harming wildlife, and wasting valuable resources. This paper critically reviews challenge opportunities in converting plastic waste into feedstock for industry. It discusses (a) amount, quality, sorting waste; (b) mechanical recycling extraction or dissolution/precipitation; (c) chemical monomers other chemicals; (d) by incineration, biodegradation, landfill, microplastics. will, finally, broaden circularity discussion with life-cycle analyses (LCA), design recycling, future role renewable carbon as feedstock.

Language: Английский

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Chemically recyclable thermoplastics from reversible-deactivation polymerization of cyclic acetals

Science, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 373(6556), P. 783 - 789

Published: Aug. 12, 2021

Identifying plastics capable of chemical recycling to monomer (CRM) is the foremost challenge in creating a sustainable circular plastic economy. Polyacetals are promising candidates for CRM but lack useful tensile strengths owing low molecular weights produced using current uncontrolled cationic ring-opening polymerization (CROP) methods. Here, we present reversible-deactivation CROP cyclic acetals commercial halomethyl ether initiator and an indium(III) bromide catalyst. Using this method, synthesize poly(1,3-dioxolane) (PDXL), which demonstrates strength comparable some commodity polyolefins. Depolymerization PDXL strong acid catalysts returns near-quantitative yield even proceeds from waste mixture. Our efficient method affords tough thermoplastic that can undergo selective depolymerization monomer.

Language: Английский

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Current trends of unsustainable plastic production and micro(nano)plastic pollution

TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 160, P. 116984 - 116984

Published: Feb. 14, 2023

Unsustainable plastic production, use and mismanagement has resulted in increased global pollution subsequent degradation into micro(nano)plastics the environment threatening sustainability. Micro(nano)plastic is pervasive caused widespread ecological impacts globally, including greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change. Although downstream strategies curb exist, they are ineffective face of current production waste generation which still outpacing existing regulations. Thus, international community recognized a more holistic approach required reduce micro(nano)plastic pollution. This critical review highlights studies showing that unsustainable increasing all environmental compartments, yet few have documented successful prevention or removal techniques. offers constructive criticism some help advance ambitious reduction targets for transition towards sustainable plastics future.

Language: Английский

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Disulfide-Mediated Reversible Polymerization toward Intrinsically Dynamic Smart Materials

Journal of the American Chemical Society, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 144(5), P. 2022 - 2033

Published: Jan. 6, 2022

The development of a dynamic chemistry toolbox to endow materials behavior has been key the rational design future smart materials. rise supramolecular and covalent offers many approaches construction polymers that can adapt, respond, repair, recycle. Within this toolbox, building blocks based on 1,2-dithiolanes have become an important scaffold, featuring their reversible polymerization mediated by disulfide bonds, which enables unique class at intersection adaptable networks. This Perspective aims explore as versatile structural unit for summarizing state art well providing overview fundamental challenges involved in research area its potential directions.

Language: Английский

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Upcycling and catalytic degradation of plastic wastes

Cell Reports Physical Science, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 2(8), P. 100514 - 100514

Published: July 22, 2021

Various recycling technologies have been developed to deal with plastic problems, but they face considerable economic and technological challenges in practice. An attractive alternative is upcycling, which aims dig out the embedded value incentivize large-scale valorization of wastes. The degradation nonrecoverable wastes another necessity treat omnipresent pollution. This review presents an overview on conversion toward value-added products catalytic Based examination traditional products, we summarize state-of-the-art design development high-value high-performance fuels, chemicals, materials. Subsequently, highlight advances plastics environmentally benign or degradable mineralization into carbon dioxide water. We conclude our perspective ongoing challenge opportunities.

Language: Английский

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Why is Recycling of Postconsumer Plastics so Challenging?

ACS Applied Polymer Materials, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 3(9), P. 4325 - 4346

Published: Aug. 23, 2021

The ubiquitous use of plastics has been driven by their combination low cost and properties, but these attributes directly challenge waste management schemes for plastic recycling. Some postconsumer recycling programs are now nearly 50 years old, a significant fraction still finds landfills or other dumping strategies at end life. With the growing concern regarding waste, especially ocean plastics, there is need innovation alternative economic translation to valued product(s) that will promote efficient circular utilization. This review first describes technical hurdles associated with then it focuses on providing an overview emergent recover through new polymer design, processes, chemical transformations value-added products. Specific challenges discussed include sorting separations, product variability including additives, high efficiency/low in which existing petrochemical industry can produce virgin polymers, particular polyolefins. Although wide variety have demonstrated both mechanical means, commercial success different generally limited either performance, large variance key metrics, economics where products match performance materials process expensive. Successful capture likely depend incentives government regulations.

Language: Английский

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Fatty Acids and their Derivatives as Renewable Platform Molecules for the Chemical Industry

Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 60(37), P. 20144 - 20165

Published: Feb. 22, 2021

Oils and fats of vegetable animal origin remain an important renewable feedstock for the chemical industry. Their industrial use has increased during last 10 years from 31 to 51 million tonnes annually. Remarkable achievements made in field oleochemistry this timeframe are summarized herein, including reduction fatty esters ethers, selective oxidation oxidative cleavage C-C double bonds, synthesis alkyl-branched compounds, isomerizing hydroformylation alkoxycarbonylation, olefin metathesis. The oleochemicals a great variety polymeric materials tremendously, too. In addition lipases phospholipases, other enzymes have found their way into biocatalytic oleochemistry. Important also generated new oil qualities existing crop plants or by using microorganisms optimized metabolic engineering.

Language: Английский

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