Scientists from the University of Florida (UF) have developed a revolutionary method. This approach turns otherwise difficult-to-recycle plastics back into useful, highly porous materials. Chiefly orchestrated by Professor Brent Sumerlin and his research group, these results were recently described in the ACS Central Science journal. The publication describes an innovative method that bonds elements from Plexiglass and Styrofoam, two very different plastics that normally don’t mix well at all.
The paper, DOI 10.1021/acscentsci.5c01313, shows us how the team led by Sumerlin brilliantly harnessed temperature sensitivity of many plastics. Equipped with these insights, they then imaginatively produced new materials. These were the maximum decomposition temperatures found for Plexiglass and Styrofoam products tested. They then came up with a way to systematically play on these differences.
The method starts with heating Plexiglass-like parts to certain temperatures, causing them to evaporate and deposit polystyrene in their place. A fascinating process which self-assembles billions upon trillions of minuscule bubbles throughout the organic material. These gaps are tinier than even a virus! The result is a spectacular feat of scientific creativity. Beyond that, it holds real-world promise in other areas such as microelectronics and battery production and even wastewater treatment.
Sumerlin describes the artistry of their approach, likening it to sculpture.
“It’s like what a sculptor might do with stone, where you gradually subtract more and more until you have what you want,” – Brent Sumerlin, Ph.D.
The team’s truly novel technique is known as depolymerization etching of polymerization-induced microphase separations. Their interest lies in the porosity of the materials. Their aim is to mimic the natural processes that filter and clean water, similar to what very fine mesh screen would do.
This has been the focus of previous research by Sumerlin, particularly in developing an improved approach to recycling plastics by breaking them down. This latest technique builds on years of prior research. It illustrates the powerful potential of basic discoveries to produce groundbreaking innovations with far-reaching applications beyond their initial intent.
“This just shows how basic research in one area can inform new applications in a completely different area,” – Brent Sumerlin, Ph.D.
Sumerlin’s team’s work represents a significant and transformative discovery that expands our knowledge of material properties. This discovery opens up new avenues for sustainability in material science. Advanced materials promise the most exciting breakthroughs, material sciences can improve electronics and clear global disaster. This further underscores the importance of interdisciplinary research as an essential driver of innovation.