Capture or reuse CO2 as a chemical source for the production of sustainable plastics
Capture or reuse CO2 as a chemical source for the production of ... Science Daily
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A New Technique for Producing Easily Recyclable Plastics Using CO2
A scientific team has developed a new polyurethane production technique using CO2 to create new types of easily recyclable plastics. The study, published in the Journal of the American Chemistry Society (J.A.C.S.), could provide a solution for the development of truly sustainable plastics.
The Importance of Sustainable Plastics
Commodity plastics have transformed global industry. Whether in construction, clothing, vehicles, or food packaging, these plastics are everywhere in our daily lives, so much so that their global use has been estimated at around 460 million tons in 2019. This number is staggering, but not surprising, because plastics, also known as synthetic polymers, have met a large success thanks to their irreplaceable characteristics: they are light, cheap, and incredibly versatile,” explains Christophe Detrembleur, a chemist at the University of Liège. However, the fact that they are difficult to recycle, or even impossible to recycle in the case of thermosets, has serious consequences.” This impossibility of recycling not only leads to the depletion of the fossil resources used to manufacture them but also to their very long-term accumulation in nature and the oceans. It is therefore imperative for our society to quickly design and manufacture plastics that can be easily recycled at the end of their life.
The New Technique for Producing Recyclable Polyurethane Plastics
In this context, a study led by researchers at the University of Liège and carried out in collaboration with the University of Mons and the University of the Basque Country, reports on a new technique for producing easily recyclable polyurethane plastics. The special feature of this approach is the use of carbon dioxide (CO2) — a major emblematic waste of our society — as a raw material for the production of the building blocks, or monomers, needed to manufacture these new products,” explains Thomas Habets, PhD student at ULiège and first author of the article. The structure of the monomers can be easily modified, making it possible to produce plastics with a wide range of properties, from highly malleable elastomers such as silicones to more rigid materials such as polystyrene.” These plastics have a chemical structure that resembles a three-dimensional network rather than long linear chains. This structure, which is generally associated with thermosets that are very difficult to recycle, makes them more resistant than plastics made from long molecular chains. The polyurethanes created here have new ‘dynamic’ chemical bonds, which means that despite their thermoset structure, they can be reshaped by exchanges of chemical bonds under relatively mild reaction conditions.
Advantages and Applications
The greatest advantage of this new technology lies in its ability to vary the range of properties accessible while offering multiple ways of recycling materials at their end-of-life. “These new plastics can be recycled in multiple ways, either by simply reshaping them by heating them, or by mixing different types of plastic to create hybrid materials with new properties, or by breaking them down into their constituent monomers, which is ideal for eliminating additives such as dyes or recycling composites,” continues Thomas Habets.
With a view to the future industrialization of CO2 valorization, this study demonstrates that waste CO2 can be directly used as a chemical resource. “This is the first initial study using our new building blocks and plastics,” enthuses Christophe Detrembleur, “but it is quite remarkable to see that our materials can already reach properties similar to those of some conventional petro-sourced plastics.” This new technology is emerging as a potential solution for the development of sustainable plastics with a wide range of properties that can easily meet the needs of most of our everyday applications.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse | Indicator 12.5.1: National recycling rate, tons of material recycled |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning | Indicator 13.3.1: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning measures into primary, secondary, and tertiary curricula |
| SDG 14: Life Below Water | Target 14.1: By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution | Indicator 14.1.1: Index of coastal eutrophication and floating plastic debris density |
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
The article discusses the need for easily recyclable plastics to address the issue of plastic waste accumulation in nature and the oceans. This aligns with SDG 12, which aims to promote sustainable consumption and production patterns.
SDG 13: Climate Action
The article highlights the use of carbon dioxide (CO2) as a raw material for the production of polyurethane plastics. This demonstrates an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change, which is a key focus of SDG 13.
SDG 14: Life Below Water
The article mentions the long-term accumulation of plastics in nature and the oceans, emphasizing the need for plastics that can be easily recycled. This relates to SDG 14, which aims to prevent and reduce marine pollution, including marine debris.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse
The article discusses the development of easily recyclable polyurethane plastics, which aligns with the target of reducing waste generation through recycling. The new technique mentioned in the article offers multiple ways of recycling materials at their end-of-life.
Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning
While not explicitly mentioned in the article, the use of CO2 as a raw material for plastics production contributes to climate change mitigation efforts by reducing reliance on petrochemicals. This aligns with the target of improving education and awareness on climate change mitigation.
Target 14.1: By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution
The article emphasizes the need for plastics that can be easily recycled to prevent the accumulation of plastic waste in nature and the oceans. This aligns with the target of reducing marine pollution, including marine debris.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
Indicator 12.5.1: National recycling rate, tons of material recycled
The article mentions the development of easily recyclable plastics, which implies an increase in the recycling rate and the amount of material recycled. This indicator can be used to measure progress towards Target 12.5.
Indicator 13.3.1: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning measures into primary, secondary, and tertiary curricula
While not explicitly mentioned in the article, the use of CO2 as a raw material for plastics production contributes to climate change mitigation efforts. This indicator can be used to measure progress towards Target 13.3.
Indicator 14.1.1: Index of coastal eutrophication and floating plastic debris density
The article highlights the issue of plastic waste accumulation in nature and the oceans. Monitoring the index of coastal eutrophication and floating plastic debris density can help measure progress towards Target 14.1.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse | Indicator 12.5.1: National recycling rate, tons of material recycled |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning | Indicator 13.3.1: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning measures into primary, secondary, and tertiary curricula |
| SDG 14: Life Below Water | Target 14.1: By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution | Indicator 14.1.1: Index of coastal eutrophication and floating plastic debris density |
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Source: sciencedaily.com
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