Chemistry
An estimated 6.3 billion metric tons of post-consumer polymer waste has been produced,
with the majority (79%) in landfills or the environment. Recycling methods that utilize these
waste polymers could attenuate their environmental impact. For many polymers, recycling via
mechanical processes is not feasible and these materials are destined for landfills or incineration.
One salient example is the superabsorbent material used in diapers and feminine
hygiene products, which contain crosslinked sodium polyacrylates. Here we report an openloop
recycling method for these materials that involves (i) decrosslinking via hydrolysis, (ii)
an optional chain-shortening via sonication, and (iii) functionalizing via Fischer esterification.
The resulting materials exhibit low-to-medium storage and loss moduli, and as such, are
applicable as general-purpose adhesives. A life cycle assessment demonstrates that the
adhesives synthesized via this approach outcompete the same materials derived from petroleum
feedstocks on nearly every metric, including carbon dioxide emissions and cumulative
energy demand.Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-24488-9
Courtesy: https://www.nature.com
Copyright: doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-24488-9 © The Author(s) 2021
