| Aug 13, 2024 |
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(Nanowerk News) James Cook University researchers have achieved a significant breakthrough that allows them to convert microplastics to a highly valuable material. They published their findings in Small Science (“Instant Upcycling of Microplastics into Graphene and Its Environmental Application”).
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JCU Professor Mohan Jacob said some plastic waste degrades into smaller fragments, often reaching micron sizes.
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“These microplastics are notorious for their non-degradable and insoluble nature in water and are an evolving threat to fish and animals and humans,” said Professor Jacob.
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JCU’s Dr Adeel Zafar said microplastics’ characteristics enable them to absorb organic pollutants.
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“Once they are in water they are ultimately integrated into both marine and human food chains. Disturbingly, microplastics disrupt marine life and coral reproduction,” said Dr Zafar.
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He said the recycling of microplastics faces significant challenges due to labour-intensive separation processes and high costs, resulting in very low resource recovery globally.
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“Upcycling, which involves transforming plastic waste into higher-value materials rather than simply breaking it down, has a high demand,” said Dr Zafar.
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The team ground up plastic bottles into microplastics and then used the new Atmospheric Pressure Microwave Plasma synthesis technique to convert the debris to graphene – a one atom thick carbon material that is harder than diamond, 200 times stronger than steel and five times lighter than aluminum – the use of which is burgeoning in several industries.
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“Approximately 30 mg of microplastics produced nearly 5 mg of graphene in 1 minute. This production rate is remarkably higher than achieved previously, and offers a simpler, more environmentally friendly alternative to current techniques,” said Dr Zafar.
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He said the research marks a significant milestone in the field. The graphene produced could be used for several applications including the manufacturing of various sensors and water purification, including the absorption of PFAS.
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“The research not only pioneers a novel approach to graphene synthesis but also contributes to the broader goal of mitigating the adverse effects of microplastic pollution on our ecosystems,” said Professor Jacob.
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