Light-based upcycling: crosslinked polymers produced from biomass Society today would not be able to exist without plastics, from low-cost mass-produced items to specialized high-tech materials. However, the use of plastics has its disadvantages. These include the consumption of fossil fuels and th
The team’s vanillin derivative can be degraded upon command. This instruction would be sent with a certain wavelength of light.Society today would not be able to exist without plastics, from low-cost mass-produced items to specialized high-tech materials. However, the use of plastics has its disadvantages. These include the consumption of fossil fuels and the rising amounts of trash.
The vanillin derivative developed by the team absorbs light at 300 nm and enters into an excited state. This leads to a chemical reaction that triggers the degradation of the polymer. Because this wavelength is not contained in the spectrum of sunlight that reaches the earth, unplanned degradation is avoided. The researchers were able to recover 60% of the monomers, which could be polymerized again with no loss of quality.
Photodegradable, recyclable, and renewable crosslinked polymers made of biomass resources are a highly promising approach for producing more sustainable plastics. Light-triggered degradation is environmentally friendly and offers the advantage of spatial and temporal control.Reference: “Towards Upcycling Biomass-Derived Crosslinked Polymers with Light” by Dr. Ravichandranath Singathi, Dr. Ramya Raghunathan, Dr. Retheesh Krishnan, Dr. Saravana Kumar Rajendran, Sruthy Baburaj, Professor Mukund. P.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
New York lawmakers to vote on new gun rules following ruling - New York Amsterdam NewsNew York lawmakers plan to vote Thursday on legislation seeking to limit the proliferation of firearms in public after the Supreme Court gutted the state’s century-old handgun licensing law. The state is overhauling its rules for carrying guns [...]
Read more »
Seeking efficiency, Alaska breaks its health agency into two new departments - Alaska Public MediaThe state Department of Health and Social Services is now two separate agencies: the Department of Health and the Department of Family and Community Services. Here's what that means for Alaska. (via AlaskaBeacon)
Read more »
A New Method Causes Plastics To Break Down When Exposed to UV LightResearchers from the University of Bath discovered that adding sugar units to polymers increases their degradability when exposed to UV radiation Many plastics that bear the biodegradable label can only be composted in industrial settings, but researchers at the University of Bath have now discov
Read more »
New Anti-Hangover Pill Claims to Rapidly Break Down Alcohol, But Does It Work?A new anti-hangover supplement has just gone on sale in the UK. It is marketed by Swedish firm Myrkl as 'the pre-drinking pill that works'.
Read more »
New York to apply tougher energy efficiency standards with new climate lawsNew York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill into law Tuesday that will bolster the state’s building code when it comes to greenhouse-gas emissions and place tighter energy efficiency standards on new household appliances.
Read more »