San Francisco, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Plastic is one of the greatest inventions of mankind in the 20th century, but ordinary plastics are difficult to degrade under natural conditions, resulting in high environmental costs. Stanford University and International Business Machines Corporation have opened up a new way of organic catalysis for low-cost and efficient manufacturing of biodegradable plastics, and related research results have been published in the new issue of the British journal Nature Chemistry.

Unlike conventional petroleum-based plastics, biodegradable plastics do little damage to the environment. Making such plastics requires catalysts to improve the conversion rate of chemical reactions, but existing catalysts have metal bases that are difficult to degrade in the natural environment, difficult to remove from the final product, or expensive to remove.

The researchers said that the new catalyst they developed is based on common organic compounds as raw materials, that is, thiourea and a metal alkoxide, the production process is relatively simple and easy to use, and the properties can be adjusted according to the needs of the product, which is suitable for the production of degradable polyester and polycarbonate. This catalyst accelerates the chemical reaction at the same time, the catalytic effect is selective, that is, it will not change the shape and characteristics of the generated plastic.

"Many catalysts are either accelerated or selective, and these (new) catalysts are both," said Robert Weymouth, a professor of chemistry at Stanford University.

The new catalysts, which are focused on reducing economic costs and environmental harm, can be used to produce polyester and polycarbonate materials, including polylactic acid, which can be accumulated and degraded. Polylactic acid (PLA) is a new type of biodegradable material that can be used in the production of everyday items such as disposable tableware and food packaging, as well as in medical applications such as absorbable sutures, internal implants and fixed stents.

Although the research took 10 years, it is still only the beginning, the relevant technology may lead to the birth of a variety of new catalysts in the future, and thus the production of a variety of new degradable plastic materials.

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