Innovative Method Harnesses Air Moisture to Recycle 94% of Plastic in 4 Hours.

Researchers have developed a new method to recycle plastic by harnessing moisture from air to break down polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into valuable monomers, offering a sustainable solution to the plastic problem. 

The process involves an inexpensive catalyst and activated carbon to break down PET, which is then exposed to air to transform into terephthalic acid (TPA). 

This method is faster, more efficient, and environmentally friendly compared to existing recycling methods, recovering 94% of TPA within four hours and eliminating the need for harsh solvents. 

The headline for this document could be "Innovative Method Harnesses Air Moisture to Recycle 94% of Plastic in 4 Hours."

Key Highlights:

- Scientists have developed a new method to recycle plastic using air moisture, offering a sustainable solution to the plastic problem.

- The process involves breaking down PET plastics using an inexpensive catalyst and activated carbon, then exposing the fragmented material to air to transform it into valuable precursors for polyesters.

- This new technique is safer, cheaper, and more sustainable than current plastic recycling methods, eliminating the need for extreme conditions, toxic byproducts, and expensive catalysts.

- The process is fast and efficient, recovering 94% of the possible TPA within just four hours, and is designed to work with mixed plastics without the need for pre-sorting.

- The researchers aim to scale up the process for industrial applications to efficiently manage large volumes of plastic waste.

Click for Details: https://interestingengineering.com/science/air-moisture-plastic-recycling