The authors of the work stated that when plastic waste is heated with potassium acetate, particles are formed
These particles can be used to remove CO2 from smoke streams:
Point sources of CO2 emissions, e.g.exhaust pipes of power plants can be equipped with this material to remove huge amounts of CO2. This is a great way to solve two problems at once - plastic waste and CO2 emissions.
James Tour, chemist and one of the study's co-authors
Today, when plastic is pyrolyzed, or chemically processed, it produces oils, gases and waxes, but the carbon byproduct is essentially useless, Tour said.
But during the pyrolysis of plastic with potassium acetateporous particles are formed that can hold up to 18% CO2 of their own weight. The laboratory estimates that the cost of capturing carbon dioxide will be $21 per tonne. It is much cheaper than similar processes. For comparison, they cost $80-160 per ton.
To get material, waste plasticpulverized, mixed with potassium acetate and heated at 600 °C for 45 minutes. The process also produces a wax by-product that can be processed into detergents or lubricants, the researchers said. Like amine-based materials, the sorbent can be reused.
Read more:
There is another “planet” inside the Earth: how it saved nascent life
Found the most pleasant smell that everyone likes
Glass is the new plastic: it can be recycled indefinitely without loss of properties