Chemistry graduate
student Aanindeeta Banerjee and Assistant Professor Matthew Kanan
have developed a
novel way to make renewable plastic from carbon dioxide and ordinary plants
(March 10, 2016) The
new technology could provide a green alternative to petroleum-based plastic
bottles and other polyester products.
Stanford scientists have discovered a novel way to make
plastic from carbon dioxide (CO2) and inedible plant material, such as
agricultural waste and grasses.
Researchers say the new technology could provide a low-carbon
alternative to plastic bottles and other items currently made from petroleum.
"Our goal is to replace petroleum-derived products with
plastic made from CO2," said Matthew Kanan, an assistant professor of
chemistry at Stanford. "If you could do that without using a lot of
non-renewable energy, you could dramatically lower the carbon footprint of the
plastics industry."
Kanan and his Stanford colleagues described their results in
the March 9 online edition of the journal Nature.
Changing the plastic formula
Many plastic products today are made from a polymer called
polyethylene terephthalate (PET), also known as polyester. Worldwide, about 50
million tons of PET are produced each year for items such as fabrics,
electronics, recyclable beverage containers and personal-care products.
PET is made from two components, terephthalic acid and
ethylene glycol, which are derived from refined petroleum and natural gas.
Manufacturing PET produces significant amounts of CO2, a greenhouse gas that
contributes to global warming.
"The use of fossil-fuel feedstocks, combined with the
energy required to manufacture PET, generates more than four tons of CO2 for
every ton of PET that's produced," Kanan said.
For the Nature study, he and his collaborators focused on a
promising alternative to PET called polyethylene furandicarboxylate (PEF). PEF
is made from ethylene glycol and a compound called 2-5-Furandicarboxylic acid
(FDCA).