New technology converts CO2 into sustainable and recyclable plastic

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🗞️ Driving the news: Researchers at Colorado State University have developed a process that uses CO₂ and bicycloalkanes to produce high-performance synthetic polymers
• The resulting materials are designed to combine strength, elasticity and heat and chemical resistance with improved recyclability

🔭 The context: Led by Professor Eugene Chen and postdoctoral researcher Min Zhu, the research involved scientists from Colorado State and Northwestern universities and was funded by the National Science Foundation and the BOTTLE Consortium
• The approach builds on decades of research into using CO₂ as a feedstock for polymer production, while targeting polymers whose chemical building blocks can be recovered and reused

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Using CO₂ as a carbon feedstock could reduce reliance on conventional fossil-based inputs for some plastics, while designing polymers for chemical recovery could support a more circular plastics economy
• However, the environmental benefit depends on factors such as the source of the CO₂, energy required for production and whether the materials can be recycled at commercial scales

⏭️ What’s next: The research team aims to develop polymers with different performance characteristics, ranging from highly durable materials to softer, rubber-like alternatives
Further development and scale-up will be needed before assessing the technology's commercial and environmental impact

💬 One quote: “Our approach unlocks the potential for carbon dioxide as a renewable and inexpensive resource to produce recyclable polyesters.” - Eugene Chen, Colorado State University

📈 One stat: Since the 1960s, CO₂ has been investigated as a feedstock for polymer synthesis, according to Eugene Chen

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