Disposing of plastic bags is a serious problem being faced by countries around the world. Since they never decompose, some cities have even resorted to banning them from grocery stores and pharmacies in an effort to save local landfills. But now, a method has been developed that can convert the flimsy plastic sacks into recyclable batteries to power everything from cell phones to cars.
It was discovered that when heated to a temperature of 700 degrees Celsius in the presence of a cobalt acetate catalyst, the plastic breaks down and the carbon in the plastic forms nanotubes on the cobalt particles. The nanotubes can then be used to produce lithium-ion batteries.
As an added bonus, the process costs less than traditional methods of producing nanotubes, and it works on other types of plastic, including water bottles and plastic cups. The same procedure can also be performed without the cobalt acetate to produce carbon spheres, which can be used in printer ink.
The developers have dubbed the process “upcycling” (as opposed to “recycling”) since the finished product has a higher value than the raw materials.
For more information: www.anl.gov
Tags: Batteries, Burrus, Dan Burrus, Daniel Burrus, Environment, Landfills, Plastic Bags, Recyclable Batteries
