Researchers are expected to solve the problem of recycling biodegradable polyester waste chemical fiber

In the field of textiles, fibrous materials made of polyolefins are widely used, the most representative of which are polypropylene fibers (commonly known as "polypropylene") and polyethylene fibers.

Polypropylene can be purely spun or blended with other fibers to make various fabrics. It can also be used for concrete reinforcements, industrial fabrics, non-woven fabrics, etc., such as carpets, industrial filter cloths , oil absorbing blankets and decorative fabrics. Polyethylene fibers are mainly used in the production of fishing nets and ropes, or as short flakes for use as flakes, as well as industrial acid and alkali resistant fabrics.

China is a big country in the production and application of chemical fiber, and the annual production of polyolefin products is far ahead. However, as the industry develops rapidly, the problem of the disposal of used products is becoming more and more difficult. It may take centuries for waste chemical fiber to degrade, and it can only be used as landfill or simple incineration. These practices not only seriously pollute the environment, but also cause huge waste of resources.

Now researchers at Virginia Tech use a new type of catalyst and polyester polymer to synthesize a biodegradable polyolefin substitute. This breakthrough study will eventually replace the olefin polymer with the new polymer, which has far-reaching implications and implications for sustainable development.

One of the biggest challenges in polymer chemistry is to control the tacticity or stereochemistry of the polymer. When grafting the secondary units in the monomer to the macromolecular chain, it is difficult for scientists to synthesize a high molecular polymer that is aligned with the side chain functional groups that are cut off from the polymer backbone. These side chain functionalities can greatly affect the physical and chemical properties of the polymer, and conventional stereochemical structures can impart better properties to the material.

The team has now found a way to synthesize materials with regular stereochemical structures from polyester. The reaction is a polymerization initiated by a household bulb using a novel Ni / Ir as a photocatalyst and a stereoselective Zn catalyst to initiate ring-opening polymerization of OCA (O-carboxyanhydride) monomers to synthesize these improvements. Polyester.

OCA is a natural organic compound composed of amino acids, so polyester synthesized from OCA will degrade, which is different from the currently widely used non-degradable polyolefin. In addition, OCA can introduce different functional groups to the polyester, thereby diversifying the application of the polymer.

The research team has published the latest results in the journal Nature Communications. Although the technology has only been verified on the scale of academic laboratories, it is now a major advancement in materials research and hopes to produce in the future. Biodegradable green polyester material replaces the polyolefin fiber that is widely used today, solves its recycling and recycling problems, and achieves human sustainable development goals.