Shutterstock
A brand-new type of plastic that is endlessly recyclable has just been revealed by scientists in what could potentially be a breakthrough for ending a major pollution and landfill problem.
The majority of plastics today were not designed to be recyclable but were formulated to meet specific needs, whether it be lightness or strength.
However, in what could help save the planet from plastic pollution, scientists at a Berkeley lab have found what promises to be a breakthrough in creating a variety of plastics to meet every need that is all 100% recyclable.
The new type of plastic polymer was designed by researchers at the US Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Most plastics today or never created to be recycled, but the new plastic can be broken down and built up repeatedly. The new material is known as poly(diketoenamine) or PDK.
What makes this new material different from traditional plastics is that the polymers they are composed of can easily be separated and re-processed.
In layman’s terms, the best way to describe this new type of plastic material is to liken it to a Lego. The compounds in the plastics form bonds that allow them to “click” together. Thus, they can be disassembled and reassembled endlessly.
Unlike current plastics, these compounds can be broken down and remanufactured into the same or different polymer formulations and properties, with no loss of performance or value.
Plastic is a byproduct of petroleum and derived from organic substances. It is made up of molecules known as polymers, which are composed of carbon-containing compounds known as monomers. From there, chemicals are added to the plastic. Monomers bind with the chemicals and become difficult to be separated and recycling processing.
From there, these molecules can be mixed with a wide variety of chemicals, which in turn, leads to the diverse properties we find in various and differing plastics, comprising everything from shopping bags, two straws, to dishes, to furniture.
Within this variety of current plastics, some are recyclable and some are not. Plastic beverage bottles are designed for recycling, while harder and tougher plastics are not.
