Plastic can be programmed to have a lifespan of days, months or years
12 days ago
- #polymer-research
- #sustainability
- #biodegradable-plastics
- Chemical additions mimicking natural polymers like DNA can create plastics that degrade in days to years, reducing environmental litter.
- In 2022, over 250 million tonnes of plastic were discarded globally, with only 14% recycled; the rest was burned or buried.
- Researchers at Rutgers University are developing plastics with tunable lifespans that degrade quickly in compost or nature.
- Natural polymers (e.g., DNA) degrade easily due to 'neighbouring groups' that aid in breaking polymer chains—unlike synthetic plastics.
- Artificial chemical structures mimicking these groups were added to new plastics, enabling controlled degradation.
- Potential applications include food packaging and short-lived consumer materials, but not long-term structural components.
- Challenges remain: ensuring non-toxic degradation byproducts and enabling breakdown without UV light (e.g., in buried plastics).