Scientists have finally developed a new kind of plastic that can be recycled endlessly. Usually, the recycling process seriously weakens the quality of plastics. As a result, recycled plastic is typically used to make low-value products, including bins and outdoor benches.
To solve this, a team led by chemist Eugene Chen of the Colorado State University developed a new plastic, PBTL, that maintains its original qualities when recycled.
The team made PBTL by joining chemical building blocks known as bicyclic thiolactones. PBTL can be recycled by heating it at 100°C in the company of a chemical catalyst for only 24 hours. This process breaks the plastic down into its original building blocks, which can then be turned into new high-quality PBTL.
According to Chen, PBTL has excellent stability, toughness, and strength, making it a potential material for producing sports equipment, plastic packaging, construction materials, car parts, and other products.
However, PBTL would need to be separated from other plastics before getting recycled, because the only way it can be recycled infinitely is if it’s not mixed with any other kinds of plastic. The findings were published on Aug 19, 2020, in the journal Science Advances.
Last year, a team from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory also developed an endlessly-recyclable plastic. It’s encouraging to see progress like these, but the most formidable challenge will be getting manufacturers to choose these low-waste plastics over cheaper ones.
