The US is studying new plastic materials that can be recycled many times

Researchers at the US National Laboratory Lawrence Berkeley have introduced a new form of plastic material that is fully recyclable and not as unsustainable and difficult to decompose as humans. We treat plastic waste at the present time.

This form of material is called polydiketoenamine PDK , which is capable of decomposing to a molecular level and can then be recycled many times in many different forms of color, texture and shape without affecting the quality of the recycled product.

According to Berkeley lab 's explanation, filler fillers and chemicals used in plastics we still use every day are often closely linked to monomers, the molecules that combine together. to create a larger molecule with a familiar polymer name. It is because of this association that recycling them becomes difficult because after decaying and recycling they may not have the properties they want. It was like trying to make a beehive sandal with recycled plastic but because of this re-used plastic after it was not fully flexible, it turned into a plastic pile.

Decomposition mechanism of PDK in acid solution.

The difference will be different from the monomer molecules of PDK, which can completely separate previous bonds by immersing them in an acid solution. According to Brett Helms, the leader of the research team is different from the constant links of ordinary plastics, the links of PDK can be reversed, returning to the original way before they are linked, from which the recycling will be a lot easier.

Researchers are continuing to complete PDK to gradually try to see if it is feasible to market it. If OK, it is also expected that plastic recycling will be more delicious because at the moment people are being submerged in their own recyclable plastic waste.