A novel additive-based technology for the biodegradable transformation of polyethylene terephthalate in the natural environment

一种基于添加剂的新型技术，用于聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯在自然环境中的生物降解转化

• 批准号: 104608
• 金额: $ 97.12万
• 依托单位: POLYMATERIA LIMITED
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Collaborative R&D
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2019 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=104608
• 关键词: novel; additive; based; technology; biodegradable

"Each year, 400M tonnes of plastic is produced of which 40% is single-use plastic that is either sent to landfill as waste, incinerated or enters the environment. Despite initiatives such as plastic bag taxes and proposed measures to reduce use and increase collection/recycling, more than 30% of the world's plastic still escapes collection systems and can end up in waterways, eventually damaging marine life, ecosystems and human health.Heightened awareness of this waste problem and its environmental impact is driving growth in the biodegradable polymer market. Additive-based biodegradable plastic retains the physical characteristics of conventional plastic throughout a product's usable life, after which the additive accelerates the plastic biodegradation, transforming it entirely into carbon dioxide, water and biomass, thus protecting the environment from the accumulation of plastic waste. This acts as an ""insurance policy"" when collection/recycling strategies fail.Current additives are only available for polyolefins (polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP)) as a one size fits all solution. Independent testing has proven these to be ineffective, where plastics do not fully degrade, leaving harmful fragments (microplastics) with the entire process of biodegradation requiring timescales often (far) in excess of those claimed by manufacturers. In addition, and despite the fact that polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is the third most commonly used plastic (18.83M tonnes produced p.a.), there is currently no commercially viable biodegradability converter technology for PET.To address this need, Polymateria aim to develop a portfolio of superior drop-in additives for the manufacture of biodegradable, recyclable, customisable and cost-effective plastic products. In collaboration with depolymerisation experts at the University of St Andrews, this project aims to develop the first additive-based biodegradable transforming technology for PET packaging and disposables, offering the breakthrough technology that the plastic packaging and consumer goods sector is aiming for.Both partners are well placed to exploit this opportunity; Polymateria has already commercialised bespoke additives for PP and PE, and St Andrews has expertise in the depolymerisation of PET.. Key PET packaging manufacturers have already expressed a keen interest in co-developing the solution once a viable additive formulation has been developed.With support from Innovate UK, a 3-year programme of industrial research is required to develop the formulation and test the associated biodegradation performance and safety. Success will facilitate a co-development deal with plastic/packaging manufacturers for final development and commercialisation by 2022, helping to establish Polymateria at the forefront of the biodegradable additives for plastics market poised for significant growth."

“每年生产 4 亿吨塑料，其中 40% 是一次性塑料，它们要么作为废物送往垃圾填埋场，要么被焚烧，要么进入环境。尽管采取了塑料袋税等举措，并提出了减少使用和增加收集/回收的措施，但世界上超过 30% 的塑料仍然逃脱了收集系统，最终可能流入水道，最终损害海洋生物、生态系统和人类健康。对此的认识提高 废物问题及其对环境的影响正在推动可生物降解聚合物市场的增长。基于添加剂的生物降解塑料在产品的整个使用寿命内保留了传统塑料的物理特性，之后添加剂加速了塑料的生物降解，将其完全转化为二氧化碳、水和生物质，从而保护环境免受塑料废物的积累。当收集/回收策略时，这充当“保险单” 失败。目前的添加剂仅适用于聚烯烃（聚乙烯 (PE)、聚丙烯 (PP)），是一种适合所有情况的解决方案。独立测试证明这些方法是无效的，塑料不能完全降解，留下有害碎片（微塑料），整个生物降解过程所需的时间通常（远远）超过制造商声称的时间。此外，尽管事实上 聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯 (PET) 是第三大常用塑料（每年生产 1883 万吨），但目前尚无商业上可行的 PET 生物降解转化技术。为了满足这一需求，Polymateria 旨在开发一系列优质的直接添加剂，用于制造可生物降解、可回收、可定制且具有成本效益的塑料产品。与解聚合作 圣安德鲁斯大学的专家表示，该项目旨在开发第一个用于 PET 包装和一次性用品的基于添加剂的可生物降解转化技术，为塑料包装和消费品行业提供突破性技术。双方都充分利用这一机会； Polymateria 已将 PP 和 PE 的定制添加剂商业化，而圣安德鲁斯在 PET 解聚方面拥有专业知识。 关键 PET 一旦开发出可行的添加剂配方，包装制造商就已经表达了共同开发解决方案的浓厚兴趣。在创新英国的支持下，需要一个为期三年的工业研究计划来开发配方并测试相关的生物降解性能和安全性。成功将促进与塑料/包装制造商的共同开发协议，以便在 2022 年之前实现最终开发和商业化，从而帮助 Polymateria 跻身行业前沿 塑料市场的可生物降解添加剂有望显着增长。”