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Eco-friendly plastics made using lemon extracts, CO2
Scientists have developed eco- friendly plastics using lemon extracts and carbon dioxide that may replace potentially cancer-causing materials widely used in everyday items like phone cases, baby bottles and DVDs.
London : Scientists have developed eco- friendly plastics using lemon extracts and carbon dioxide that may replace potentially cancer-causing materials widely used in everyday items like phone cases, baby bottles and DVDs.
Several million tonnes of polycarbonate are produced every year around the world. However, worries about the dangers of this material are increasing because of the toxicity of its precursors, especially bisphenol-A, a potential carcinogen.
Researchers led by Arjan Kleij from Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ) in Spain, developed a method to produce polycarbonates from limonene and CO2, both abundant and natural products. Besides, limonene is able to replace a dangerous building block currently used in commercial polycarbonates - bisphenol-A (also known as BPA).
Although BPA has been repeatedly classified as a safe chemical by American and European agencies, some studies point out that it is a potential endocrine-disruptor, neurotoxic, and carcinogen. Some countries like France, Denmark and Turkey have banned the use of BPA in the production of baby bottles.
The researchers not only succeeded in producing a more environment-friendly polymer, but they also managed to improve its thermal properties. This limonene-derived polymer has the highest glass transition temperature ever reported for a polycarbonate.
Having a high glass transition temperature has other implications - the new plastics require higher temperatures to melt, which make them safer for everyday use. Moreover, this new polymer can also offer a myriad of new applications for polycarbonates and block copolymers using appropriate material formulations.
