Page 45 - Plastics News August 2026
P. 45
FEATURE NEWS
arated using a magnet
for repeated reuse. This
makes the depolymeri-
sation process cleaner,
more sustainable and
cost-effective. The re-
covered building block is
subsequently converted
into a high-performance
dynamic polymer that
The team has also filed an Indian patent applica- combines mechanical
tion for the technology. strength with reprocessability and offers signifi-
cant potential for future three-dimensional (3D)
printing applications.
The technology effectively transforms discard-
ed plastic bottles from an environmental liability
into high-value engineering materials, demon-
strating a practical "waste-to-wealth" approach.
By reducing plastic waste, lowering dependence
on virgin petroleum-based raw materials and en-
abling repeated reuse instead of disposal, the in-
novation has the potential to significantly reduce
the environmental and carbon footprint associ-
ated with plastic products. It also reinforces the
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is one of the transition towards sustainable manufacturing
world's most widely used plastics, particularly and a circular economy.
in beverage bottles and food packaging, gen- A key feature of the newly developed material
erating millions of tonnes of waste annually. Al- is its ability to soften when heated, be reshaped
though PET is recyclable, conventional recycling into a desired form and permanently retain the
processes gradually degrade the quality of the new shape upon cooling. Researchers success-
material, limiting its long-term reuse and value. fully demonstrated repeated reshaping into
different objects without any significant loss in
To overcome this challenge, the researchers performance. Unlike conventional thermoset
developed a green, magnetically recoverable plastics, which cannot be reshaped or recycled
catalyst using waste eucalyptus leaves. The cat- after curing, the new material can be repaired
alyst efficiently converts discarded Polyethyl- and remoulded multiple times, substantially ex-
ene Terephthalate (PET) bottles into a valuable tending its service life and reducing waste-gen-
chemical building block and can be easily sep- eration.
August 2026 PLASTICS NEWS 49
