Turn plastic waste into a racing car

After being used, pieces of plastic waste can be recycled to become materials for racing production, US scientists claim.

Environmental protection organizations oppose the use of plastic bags, because their decomposition time in the natural environment can last for thousands of years. Some governments have banned the use of plastic bags or taxed those who use them. Recycling facilities are ready to receive plastic bottles, but do not like plastic bags. Many supermarkets and shops have programs to recover and recycle plastic bags that consumers use, but the final destination of most plastic bags is still a landfill.

New Scientist said recently that Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists in Tennessee have found a way to turn polyethylene , an organic compound in plastic bags and other plastic waste into carbon fiber. with many different shapes and sizes. They mix polyethylene with polyactic acid - a compound extracted from corn or sugarcane - and then put the mixture into a high temperature environment.

Then, they mixed into fibers with a diameter of 0.5 to 20 micrometers. Each fiber bundle is dipped into an acid tank. Reaction between fibers with acid creates a black heat-resistant fiber (not melted when exposed to extremely high temperatures).

By changing each stage in the process of creating a black yarn, the team can create ultra-durable fibers in many different shapes. Because it is super light and super durable, the fibers can become materials for making shells and many parts of racing cars. Their presence will reduce the vehicle's weight, thus saving fuel and increasing the vehicle's maximum speed.