An international research team led by Waterloo Engineering has found a way to turn plastic waste into the main ingredient in vinegar using sunlight.
Their discovery could help reduce plastic pollution, especially in water, while also producing acetic acid, a chemical widely used in food production, chemical manufacturing and energy applications.
“Our goal was to solve the plastic pollution challenge by converting microplastic waste into high-value products using sunlight,” said Dr. Yimin Wu, a professor of mechanical and mechatronics engineering and a member of the Water Institute at the University of Waterloo.
The multidisciplinary research team developed a bio-inspired cascade photocatalysis using iron atoms embedded in carbon nitride. When exposed to sunlight, the material drives a series of chemical reactions that transform plastic polymers into acetic acid.
“This method allows abundant and free solar energy to break down plastic pollution without adding extra carbon dioxide to the atmosphere,” Wu said.
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