KAUST and two Chinese companies operating in the plastics sector, Shandong Lianxin Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. and Hangzhou Hecai Technology Co., Ltd, have joined forces to develop environmentally friendly “green plastics” known as aliphatic polycarbonates (PCs). These high molar mass plastics aim to cater to the biomedical products and food packaging sectors by prioritizing biodegradability, low toxicity, and excellent biocompatibility characteristics.
Researchers at KAUST, led by Ibn Al-Aytham Distinguished Professor of Chemistry Yves Gnanou and Dr. Xiaoshuang Feng, have devised an innovative method for creating these polycarbonates without the use of toxic metals typically found in similar plastics production. What sets their polycarbonates apart is that they are made using carbon dioxide (CO2) and sustainable raw materials.
The projected timeline for full commercialization is two years, with the first year dedicated to facility construction and production of one ton of the material.
Dr. Feng explains that regular polycarbonates produced with metal catalysts are unsuitable for food or medical applications due to their metal content. However, their PC is metal-free and exhibits excellent barrier properties against oxygen and moisture, making it ideal for packaging products that require protection from oxidation and suitable for high-end applications.
Moreover, their products contain up to 45% CO2, making them environmentally friendly by helping to reduce the carbon footprint during the manufacturing process.
In early 2023, Shandong Lianxin Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. and Hangzhou Hecai Technology Co., Ltd. expressed interest in gradually introducing KAUST’s polycarbonates to the market. The initial phase will involve Hangzhou Hecai Technology Co., Ltd. providing facilities for scaling up the synthesis of polycarbonates to 10kg using KAUST’s proprietary protocol. In the next phase, Shandong Lianxin Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. will leverage its industrial capabilities to pilot the production of high molar mass polycarbonates, aiming for a 1-ton output before proceeding to full-scale industrialization.
Professor Gnanou emphasizes that this collaboration represents the first comprehensive plan for industrializing high molar mass aliphatic polycarbonates, based on KAUST’s groundbreaking chemistry that enables the synthesis of such materials.
Green Plastics has been a concept for nearly two decades, with some manufacturers already adopting green chemistry principles to develop recyclable plastics. However, the industrial adoption of bio-based or biodegradable plastics has been limited. Professor Gnanou remarks, “Several years ago, I began contemplating biodegradable plastics, and I’m pleased to say that we have now developed a material that can be entirely converted into water and CO2 through enzymatic degradation at the end of its life cycle. Our product will not contribute to environmental challenges.”
For more information, please visit www.kaust.edu.sa.