Researchers Transform Plastic Bottle Waste Into Ultralight Super-Materials That Can Be Used in Many Applications

Plastic bottles are usually polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the most recycled plastic in the world. PET aerogels developed by the NUS-led research team and using plastic bottle waste – a world first – are flexible, flexible, durable, extremely lightweight and easy to handle. They also demonstrate superior thermal insulation and strong absorption capacity. These properties make them attractive for a wide range of applications, such as thermal and sound insulation in buildings, cleaning up oil spills, as well as as a lightweight coating for firefighters' coats and masks. Absorption of carbon dioxide that can be used during rescue and fire fighting operations.

This pioneering work was carried out by a research team led by Associate Professor Hai Minh Duong and Professor Nhan Phan-Thien from the Mechanical Engineering Department of the NUS Faculty of Engineering. The technology for producing PET aerogels was developed in collaboration with Mr. Xiwen Zhang of the Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technologies (SIMTech), under the Agency for Science, Technology. and research (A * STAR).

Recycling waste plastic bottles

Plastic waste is toxic and non-biodegradable. This waste often ends up in oceans and landfills, affecting marine life and causing problems such as groundwater contamination and soil scarcity. Globally, the annual consumption of plastic bottles is steadily increasing and is expected to exceed 500 billion tons by 2021.

"Plastic bottle wastes are one of the most common types of plastic bottles. most common plastic waste and have adverse effects on Our team has developed a simple, economical and environmentally friendly method to convert waste plastic bottles into PET aerogels for many exciting uses.A plastic bottle can be Recycled to produce an A4 size PET airgel, easily scalable for mbad production, we can help reduce the environmental damage caused by plastic waste, "said Professor Assoc Duong.

PET Multi-Purpose Aerogels

The research team took two years (from August 2016 to August 2018) to develop the technology to manufacture PET aerogels. This work was published in the scientific journal Colloids and Surfaces A in August 2018.

"Our PET aerogels are very versatile, we can give them different surface treatments to personalize them according to their For example, when they are incorporated into various methyl groups, PET aerogels can absorb very large amounts of oil very quickly.According to our experiments, they are up to seven times more efficient than existing commercial sorbents and are ideal for cleaning up oil spills, "added Professor Nhan.

Lighter and Safer Fire Coats

Another innovative application is to exploit the thermal insulation property of PET aerogels for fire safety applications.

Existing firefighter coats are bulky and are often used with other breathing and safety equipment. Firefighters could suffer, especially during long operations.

When it is coated with flame retardant chemicals, the new lightweight PET aerogel offers superior thermal resistance and stability. It can withstand temperatures of up to 620 degrees Celsius – it's seven times more than the thermal coating used in conventional firefighters, but weighs only about 10% of the weight of thermal coatings clbadics. The soft and flexible nature of PET airgel also offers greater comfort.

Professor Nhan explains: "By adopting flame retardant PET aerogels as a coating material, firefighters' coats can be much lighter, safer and cheaper. low-cost, heat-resistant vests for personal use. "

2-in-1 mask absorbing harmful particles of carbon dioxide and dust

When covered from an amine group, PET airgel can quickly absorb carbon dioxide from the environment. Its absorption capacity is comparable to that of materials used in gas masks, expensive and bulky. To illustrate this application, the team has incorporated a thin layer of PET airgel in a commercial fine particle mask to create a prototype mask that can effectively absorb dust particles and dioxide. of carbon.

Professor Nhan said: "In highly urbanized countries like Singapore, carbon dioxide absorption masks and heat-resistant ducts made from PET aerogels can be placed alongside fire extinguishers in the air. high-rise buildings to better protect civilians when they escape fire. "

" Amine reinforced fiber-reinforced masks PET aerogels can also benefit people in countries such as China, where pollution air and carbon emissions are major concerns, such masks can be easily produced and potentially reused, "said Professor Assong Duong.

is also investigating the possibility of simply modifying the surface of PET aerogels to absorb toxic gases such as carbon monoxide, which is the deadliest component of smoke.

In their previous work, the research team had successfully converted paper and fashion waste into cellulose and cotton aerogels, respectively. Associated with this latest innovation involving the recycling of plastic bottle waste into aerogels, the NUS team has recently been awarded first place in the "Sustainable Technologies" category of the "Create the Future Design" 2018 competition. , organized by Tech Briefs.

Explore Further:
Researchers turn fashion waste into a multifunctional material

More information:
Steven Salomo et al. Manufacture and Advanced Properties of Hybrid Aerogels Polyethylene Tetraphalate Fiber – Silica from Plastic Bottle Scrap, Colloids and Surfaces A: Physico-Chemical and Technical Aspects (2018). DOI: 10.1016 / j.colsurfa.2018.08.015