What to do with carbon dioxide – make mattresses and plastics from it?
Plastic has become a major problem for our environment – about 7.25 trillion tons of plastic are present on land and in the sea. But there is also another side to it – we need plastic and it has brought one of the biggest changes in our lives in the twentieth century.
Recorded music and cinema is not possible without plastic. Modern medicines are completely dependent on plastic. They are used in blood banks, syringe tubes. From vehicles to airplanes, they are used, with the help of these, we are able to travel the world. Along with this, plastic is used extensively for computers, phones and other Internet-related technology. You are probably able to read this story only because of the plastic.
Currently, fuels are used to make plastics, their burning releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which is a greenhouse gas and contributes to climate change. But can we make plastic mattresses, foam insulation, plastic cups-plates or cans without carbon emissions?
With new technology it is possible to convert carbon dioxide into plastic, this can reduce carbon emissions. But how, let’s take a look at the science behind it.
Plastics are synthetic polymers – repeated chains of long molecules linked together. Researchers from Britain’s Center for Carbon Dioxide Utilization have discovered a way to make nylon. These are a type of polyper called polyacrylamide, and they are made from carbon dioxide.
“It sounds strange to make nylon from carbon dioxide, but we’ve done it,” says the director of the Center for Carbon Dioxide Utilization.
“Instead of using the fuel as a raw material, you can add some chemical to the carbon dioxide and use it. It will make a big difference in the whole petrochemical sector,” he says.
Most of the carbon dioxide doesn’t just come from emissions, it is also a by-product of many chemical processes. But researchers are trying to capture carbon dioxide emitted from factories.
sleeping on gas To make plastics from carbon dioxide, scientists have to use many catalysts, these accelerate chemical reactions. Germany’s Covestro Petrochemical Group has created a mattress that is 20 percent carbon.
They have created a catalyst that causes a reaction between carbon dioxide and other compounds to create a family called polyurethane – the same material used to make mattresses, and to insulate fridges.
More than 15 million tons of polyurethane are used worldwide. Therefore, making raw material using carbon dioxide can be very beneficial, it can reduce carbon emissions.
clean Air
Scientists all over the world are making different types of plastics using carbon dioxide. UK-based polyurethane maker Iconic expects to launch phone products in the market in the next two years. In addition, coatings and elastomers can be made. The isostomer is a rubber-like material.
The sales date lead teller of the company says that these new materials are similar to plastic in quality. He says, “We have found that our materials are also better in many ways, such as they do not catch fire, do not get scratched.
Econit estimates that 90 million tonnes of carbon emissions could be saved if 30 percent of the total polyols (molecules used in cross linking) were made from carbon dioxide.
future prospects
Apart from this, scientists are making such polycarbonates from carbon dioxide, from which containers and bottles can be made. It contains xylose which is extracted from coffee.
These sugar based products are safer to use than the earlier products. Apart from this, efforts are also being made to make ethylene from carbon dioxide. Half of the world’s plastic is made from ethylene and it is the most important raw material.
Professor Enrico Andrioli at the University of Sawansee in the UK is trying to make a catalyst for ethylene. Ethylene is made using water and electricity along with carbon dioxide.
It may take more than 20 years for polyethylene made from carbon dioxide to start being used on a large scale. But Professor Enrico Andrioli says that efforts should be made for this.
“After 30 to 40 years we won’t be able to make ethylene from fuel. So we have to find other ways.”
Bioplastics are the solution that will cause problems? But the plastic plan also has some disadvantages.
There has been a lot of news in recent times regarding bioplastics. It is being told that they do not get destroyed as soon as they are usually claimed. Even in terms of carbon emissions, a lot of carbon goes into the atmosphere in making them because the process of processing raw material from harvesting is longer than the plastic used now.
That is, plastics made with the help of carbon dioxide can solve many problems, but it would be wrong to say that it is the solution to all problems.
