Plastic That Absorbs Carbon? Scientists Just Made It Possible

Scientists at the University of Copenhagen have turned PET plastic waste into a powerful material that captures CO2 from the air.

The new material, called BAETA, is made from decomposed plastic bottles and captures CO₂ as effectively as leading carbon capture technologies.

BAETA not only helps fight climate change but also tackles plastic pollution, two global problems with one smart solution.

Lead researcher Margarita Poderyte says this tech turns plastic waste into a climate tool without creating new problems.

The material can be reused: once full of CO2, it’s heated to release the gas, making BAETA ready to absorb more.

BAETA is effective at a wide temperature range (room temp to 150°C), making it perfect for use in hot industrial exhausts.

The process is gentler and more energy-efficient than current methods, and it works at room temperature, ideal for scaling up.

Even degraded PET from oceans, normally not recyclable, can be turned into BAETA, making ocean clean-up economically valuable.

The tech doesn't compete with recycling, it uses low-quality plastic that’s unsuitable for standard recycling methods.

Researchers now aim to scale production and are calling for investment to bring this lab breakthrough to industrial use.

Read more at Phys.org

Research published in Science Advances.