BERKELEY – Scientists in California say they’ve designed a new type of recyclable plastic that unlike polyester can be used over and over again without a loss in performance or quality and which can be moulded in to different shapes, textures, and even colours.
The team of researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) claim a new recyclable plastic called poly(diketoenamine), or PDK, can be disassembled into its constituent parts at the molecular level, reassembled, and then ultimately used to make a diverse range of goods such as textiles, 3D printing and foams.
In addition, they are looking to expand the formulations by incorporating plant-based materials and other sustainable sources that can be plugged into circular production systems.
