ABQ Times

Scientists at Sandia National Laboratories are working on a new technology aimed at improving plastic recycling. The project explores the possibility of plastics that can self-destruct when they reach the end of their useful life.

"Many researchers are trying to discover better ways to break down and recycle plastics. It’s a very busy area of research right now," said Brad Jones, an organic materials scientist at Sandia. "We at Sandia were thinking about how we could contribute to this area."

Jones and his colleagues Oleg Davydovich, Samuel Leguizamon, Koushik Ghosh, and former postdoctoral researcher Matthew Warner have developed a concept they hope will be groundbreaking in addressing the challenges posed by plastic waste.

Plastics do not naturally biodegrade, with some taking up to 1,000 years to decompose according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Current recycling methods involve reforming plastic into new objects without altering its chemical structure. This team aims to change that by breaking down plastics from the inside out using microencapsulation.

"What if we could use those same compounds and somehow build them into the plastic product?" Jones proposed. "Rather than having to stick them in a reactor and treat them afterward, maybe we could somehow activate the compounds when ready and break down the plastic from the inside out."

The team is working on incorporating compounds within plastics through microencapsulation. These encapsulated compounds remain inactive until triggered by specific conditions such as heat or light.

"We are doing something called microencapsulation," Jones explained. "We are building plastics that contain the compounds that will eventually break them down."

Testing began with polybutadiene rubber—a common synthetic rubber used in car tires—using Grubbs’ catalyst known for breaking it down effectively. Despite its effectiveness, large amounts of expensive catalyst and solvent were previously needed for this process.

"We suspect it’s because you need fairly large amounts of the expensive catalyst and a significant amount of solvent to infuse the catalyst into rubber," Jones noted. By microencapsulating the catalyst within rubber, they reduced both catalyst usage and eliminated solvents while allowing breakdown on demand.

Their tests demonstrated success in breaking down rubber at various temperatures and easily recycling it into new material—an improvement over traditional processes.

Looking ahead, further development includes seeking partnerships with plastic manufacturers. Team members expressed optimism about their findings so far.

"What I love about this project is that it’s a way to apply a lot of different chemistries to a problem," Leguizamon stated. Davydovich added: "Making degradable polymers is work we can apply to real-world plastics... We can solve problems that are more tangible to everyday people."