March 2025 Blow Molding Blog
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March 20, 2025
Breaking Down Plastic with Air and a Simple Catalyst
Breaking Down Plastic with Air and a Simple Catalyst
Plastic waste remains a major environmental challenge, with only 5% of U.S. plastics being recycled. Addressing this issue, researchers at Northwestern University have developed an innovative, cost-effective method to break down polyethylene terephthalate (PET), one of the most commonly used plastics.
This groundbreaking approach eliminates the need for harmful solvents and extreme energy inputs. Instead, it employs an inexpensive molybdenum catalyst and activated carbon to weaken the chemical bonds in PET. The real magic happens when the broken-down plastic is exposed to ambient air. Moisture from the air triggers a reaction that converts the degraded PET into terephthalic acid (TPA), a valuable precursor for new plastics. The process also yields acetaldehyde, an industrial chemical that can be easily recovered.
Compared to conventional plastic recycling methods that rely on high temperatures, toxic chemicals, and complex separation techniques, this solvent-free approach is cleaner, safer, and more efficient. Remarkably, it works on mixed plastic waste without requiring prior sorting—a game-changer for recycling facilities. In just four hours, the process successfully recovers 94% of available TPA. Learn more about this topic here.
This groundbreaking approach eliminates the need for harmful solvents and extreme energy inputs. Instead, it employs an inexpensive molybdenum catalyst and activated carbon to weaken the chemical bonds in PET. The real magic happens when the broken-down plastic is exposed to ambient air. Moisture from the air triggers a reaction that converts the degraded PET into terephthalic acid (TPA), a valuable precursor for new plastics. The process also yields acetaldehyde, an industrial chemical that can be easily recovered.
Compared to conventional plastic recycling methods that rely on high temperatures, toxic chemicals, and complex separation techniques, this solvent-free approach is cleaner, safer, and more efficient. Remarkably, it works on mixed plastic waste without requiring prior sorting—a game-changer for recycling facilities. In just four hours, the process successfully recovers 94% of available TPA. Learn more about this topic here.
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