Scientists Turn Plastic Bags into High-Tech Materials: Carbon Nanotubes

Plastic bags are a big source of waste in our world. They wind up in oceans and landfills where they can persist for years. Now, though, scientists have found a way to make use of these non-biodegradable plastic grocery bags. They've developed a method to turn these bags into "carbon nanotube membranes," which are high sophisticated materials with a variety of potential advanced applications.

Carbon nanotubes are tiny cylinders of carbon atoms, one nanometer in diameter. They are the strongest and stiffest materials yet discovered; in fact, they're hundreds of times stronger than steel but six times lighter. Their unique mechanical, electrical, thermal and transport properties present exciting opportunities for research and development. Already, carbon nanotubes are used in electronics, sports equipment, long-lasting batteries, sensing devices and wind turbines. They also could be used in filtration, sensing, energy storage and a range of biomedical innovations. 

"Non-biodegradable plastic bags are a serious menace to natural ecosystems and present a problem in terms of disposal, said Dusan Losic, one of the researchers, in a news release. "Transforming these waste materials through 'nanotechnological recycling' provides a potential solution for minimizing environmental pollution at the same time as producing high-added value products."

In order to convert plastic bags into carbon nanotubes, the researchers placed pieces of plastic grocery bags in a furnace. There, the bags were vaporized to produce carbon layers to line nanoporous alumina membranes. This created tiny cylinders (the carbon nanotubes).

Currently, the potential market for carbon nanotubes hinges on industry's ability to produce large quantities more cheaply and uniformly. The current methods to create these nanotubes usually involve complex processes and equipment. This means that it's currently not feasible to use these carbon nanotubes on any kind of large scale.

This new method, though, could change that. The technique is simple and is also catalyst and solvent free. This means that plastic waste can be used without generating poisonous compounds. This could be a huge boon to industry.

What's really intriguing, though, is the fact that this method could help reduce plastic bag waste. By turning bags into usable materials, industry could potentially recycle and profit at the same time.

The findings are published in the journal Carbon.