The amount of plastic all around us is a rising threat to the health of all living things. According to the National Institute of Health, microplastic particles have been found to cause significant damage to the human body.
That is why it is so refreshing when researchers and engineers innovate to create plastic alternatives.
Researchers from Texas A&M University and the University of Tulsa have collaborated to create a new recyclable material called Aromatic Thermosetting Copolyester. It is an advanced carbon-fiber plastic composite that can be applied to the defense, aerospace, and automotive industries.
In a study published in Macromolecules and the Journal of Composite Materials, the researchers laid out their incredible findings.
The material can reportedly repair cracks and other deformations with the application of extreme heat. In that way, it is somewhat self-healing, like human skin. It is said to be a more sustainable version of regular plastics and can be used in everything from planes to cars, with its chemistry remaining stable over multiple reshaping cycles.
Finding alternatives to plastic is critical to preserving our environment. Plastic takes an incredible amount of time to break down. In fact, according to the World Wildlife Fund, a simple plastic straw can take 200 years to decompose.
And this is only the latest good news in the quest to find plastic alternatives.
Researchers from the University of Tokyo created a material called VPR that is stronger than regular plastic and partially biodegradable. And scientists at the plastic technology center AIMPLAS are trying to figure out how to help plastic degrade faster by injecting it with enzymes.
Of course, there are many ways for individuals to limit the amount of plastic they use. We can choose plastic-free options for everyday products, support brands that are employing plastic-free packaging, and repurpose containers and packaging for reuse.
For their part, the scientists behind the Aromatic Thermosetting Copolyester innovations were enthusiastic about the promise of the material.
“What’s really exciting is that this material isn’t just ultra-durable — it’s also adaptive,” said Mohammad Naraghi, Ph.D., director of the nanostructured materials lab and professor of aerospace engineering at Texas A&M.
In a press release, he noted, “Much like skin can stretch, heal, and return to its original shape, the material deformed, healed, and ‘remembered’ its original shape, becoming more durable than when it was originally made.”
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