Danish researchers have found a surprising way to turn an environmental problem into a climate solution. Discarded plastic could soon play an active role in the fight against CO2.
As oceans are saturated with plastics and CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere continue to rise, the need for innovation becomes urgent. The team from the University of Copenhagen proposes an original approach that combines waste recovery and carbon capture, offering a new perspective on two major challenges.
The BAETA material is a recycled material made from PET plastic through a chemical process.
Photo: Max Emil Madsen, University of Copenhagen. From plastic to CO2-capturing materials
The starting point of this innovation is PET plastic, widely used in bottles and food packaging. Once discarded, it degrades into polluting microplastics that disperse into soil, water, and air. Researchers have developed a chemical process that transforms PET into an active material capable of absorbing CO2.
This transformation relies on chemical upcycling: the plastic is broken down into monomers, then enriched with ethylenediamine, a molecule known for its ability to bind CO2. The final product, named BAETA, has a chemically optimized surface that enables efficient capture of carbon molecules.
A key characteristic of BAETA is its thermal flexibility. The material remains effective from room temperature up to approximately 150°C (302°F), making it suitable for exhaust ducts in industrial facilities. It can then release the accumulated CO2 through heating, allowing for storage or reuse.
Promises for industry and the environment
The practical application of BAETA would initially target industrial sites, filtering emissions directly from smokestacks. The technology is designed to be gentle and adaptable, operating at room temperature, unlike some more energy-intensive carbon capture systems.
Researchers emphasize the environmental advantage: the plastic used is primarily that which can no longer be effectively recycled. Thus, this method doesn't compete with conventional recycling but complements it, while giving plastic waste a second life.
Beyond industry, the team identifies an abundant and problematic resource: degraded PET in oceans. Using these floating plastic materials would reduce marine pollution while producing BAETA, creating a double benefit for the environment.
One of the scientists' goals is to turn this process into an economically viable activity. The next step will be to produce BAETA in large quantities and attract investments to make the technology accessible on a large scale and operational in real facilities.
Science Advances publishes the chemical details of this process, showing the relative simplicity of the method and its potential for industrial integration. Researchers highlight the material's sustainability and flexibility to meet real industrial constraints.
Article author: Cédric DEPOND