New catalyst cleanly breaks down hard-to-degrade plastics

Plastic pollution is ubiquitous, invading our lands and oceans, causing havoc and even resulting in pesky microplastics that can be found nearly everywhere including our own bodies. One particularly durable and hard-to-degrade plastic is Nylon 6 found in seatbelts, nets, carpets and clothing. A quick and clean process Removing this type of plastic from our planet would be a huge win for environmental conservation and now Northwestern University chemists to do this.

The researchers have created a novel catalyst that cleanly and fully degrades Nylon-6 in a matter of minutes without the traditional production of harmful byproducts usually associated with such processes. The new method is easy to replicate and suitable for everyday use as it forgoes toxic chemicals and harsh extreme production environments. It also offers the option of upcycling discarded plastic into higher-value products.

“The whole world is aware of the plastic problem,” said Northwestern’s Tobin Marks, the senior author behind the new research. He argues that because we use so much of the material in our current societies, what we proceed to do with it once we are done with it becomes a notorious problem. He advises against burning it or putting it into landfills instead suggesting it can be effectively recycled.

“We’re developing catalysts that deconstruct these polymers, returning them to their original form, so they can be reused,” he explained. Nylon 6 is a great candidate for this type of degradation as the most popular current method for disposing of it is to bury it in landfills where it often contaminates its environment. There are even worse consequences when the material is burned as it emits hazardous pollutants such as nitrogen oxides or carbon dioxide, substances that have both been associated with health issues and environmental corruption.

Past experiments Past experiments by other laboratories have used alternative catalysts to degrade Nylon-6 but those processes notoriously require extreme conditions that have been found to be expensive and inefficient in terms of energy. Others have employed toxic solvents linked to worsening pollution. “You can dissolve plastics in acid, but then you are left with dirty water,” Marks said.

“What do you do with that? The goal is always to use a green solvent. And what type of solvent is greener than no solvent at all?” Marks’s process is not only clean and eco-friendly; it also allows for the recovery of 99 percent of the original monomers in the plastics’ polymers that can be upcycled into higher-value products. These products are currently in extremely high demand among eco-conscious consumers.

“Recycled nylon is actually worth more money than regular nylon,” Marks said. “Many high-end fashion brands use recycled nylon in clothes. ” Marks has already registered a patent for the innovative procedure and now hopes that the new catalyst can be used across the globe to help tackle the global plastic crisis.

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