Method turns plastic bottle waste into lightweight ‘supermaterial’
November 28th, 2018 Posted by National University of Singapore
National University of Singapore
Researchers have created a way to convert plastic bottle waste into aerogels for a variety of useful applications.
Plastic bottles are commonly made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is the most recycled plastic in the world.
The researchers found a way to turn plastic bottle waste into ultralight polyethylene terephthalate aerogels that are soft, flexible, durable, extremely light, 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, including heat and sound insulation in buildings, oil spill cleaning, and also as a lightweight lining for firefighter coats and carbon dioxide absorption masks for fire rescue operations and fire escape.
https://www.futurity.org/plastic-bottle-waste-material-1918892/
