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DOE OSTI · 2248140

Polydiketoenamines for a Circular Plastics Economy

Helms, Brett A.
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Abstract

The mismanagement and leakage of plastic waste into the environment are failures of modern society. Once in the environment, plastic waste degrades into microplastics on a time scale dependent on the resin chemistry and the associated biotic or abiotic process. Here, the high surface area of microplastics results in the contamination of ecosystems through the leaching of toxic chemicals compounded with plastics during manufacturing. In addition, the small size of microplastics increases the likelihood that they will be inhaled or ingested, which has led to the bioaccumulation of microplastics with documented harm. Furthermore, microplastics are more readily aerosolized and distributed by weather systems to areas remote from locations where plastic waste has been mismanaged. Consequently, the carbon cycle must now account for plastic waste discharge, degradation, and dispersal in the environment after the end of useful life on a global scale.

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Helms, Brett A.. 2022-09-15. Polydiketoenamines for a Circular Plastics Economy. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.accounts.2c00308

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