SHOCKING DISCOVERY: Table salt unlocks the secret to ending plastic pollution!

Researchers at Michigan State University have unveiled an innovative breakthrough: common table salt surpasses more costly catalysts in its potential to revolutionize the chemical recycling of polyolefin polymers, which constitute a significant portion of plastic waste, amounting to 60%.

Published in the reputable journal Advanced Sustainable Systems, this research showcases how sodium chloride (table salt) holds promise as a secure, cost-effective, and reusable solution to bolster the recyclability of plastics.

The study also explores how table salt and other catalysts could open doors to the recycling of metallized plastic films, such as those used in packaging for potato chips, a category of materials currently deemed unrecyclable.

Muhammad Rabnawaz, an associate professor at Michigan State University's renowned School of Packaging and a recent inductee into the National Academy of Inventors, has always championed simplicity as the ultimate brilliance.

This philosophy shines through in his team's latest publication in Advanced Sustainable Systems.

Rabnawaz and his fellow researchers have demonstrated that sodium chloride, commonly known as table salt, outperforms significantly more expensive materials currently under scrutiny for their potential in enhancing plastic recycling.

"This is truly remarkable," Rabnawaz remarked. "Addressing a major issue like plastic recycling necessitates straightforward, cost-effective solutions."

Despite plastic materials being marketed as recyclable historically, the truth remains that nearly 90% of plastic waste in the United States ends up in landfills, incinerators, or as environmental pollution.

One key factor contributing to the disposability of plastics is the limited value of the materials obtained through recycling, rendering the investment of resources and capital unfeasible.

According to the research team's estimates, table salt could potentially reshape the economic landscape, substantially reducing costs associated with a recycling process known as pyrolysis, which relies on a combination of heat and chemical reactions.

While Rabnawaz anticipated the positive impact of salt, primarily due to its exceptional heat conductivity, he was pleasantly surprised by its outstanding performance. Table salt outperformed expensive catalysts designed to accelerate reactions, and he believes that the full potential of this humble substance has yet to be tapped.

Moreover, industry leaders have already started to take notice of this research, indicating its potential for real-world application.

Notably, Conagra Brands, a prominent consumer packaged goods company, partially supported this research. Financial contributions were also received from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and MSU AgBioResearch.

A Catalyst of Remarkable Value

Pyrolysis is a process that breaks down plastics into simpler carbon-based compounds, producing gas, liquid oil, and solid wax as its byproducts.

Rabnawaz noted that the wax component is often undesirable but can constitute over half of the products generated by current pyrolysis methods, even when catalyzed. However, conventional catalysts can be toxic or prohibitively expensive for managing plastic waste.

For instance, platinum, renowned for its exceptional catalytic properties, is extensively used in catalytic converters to reduce emissions from vehicles. Nevertheless, its high cost has led to thefts of catalytic converters.

While thieves are unlikely to pilfer platinum-based materials from a scorching pyrolysis reactor, the recycling of plastics using such catalysts would still demand substantial investments, often reaching millions or even hundreds of millions of dollars, as Rabnawaz pointed out. Current catalysts fail to deliver the required efficiency to justify such expenses.

In earlier research, Rabnawaz and his team demonstrated that copper oxide, in conjunction with table salt, acted as catalysts for breaking down polystyrene, a type of plastic. Now, they have shown that table salt alone can eliminate the unwanted wax byproduct during the pyrolysis of polyolefins, which make up 60% of plastic waste.

"The initial study was significant, but my excitement peaked when we worked with polyolefins," Rabnawaz enthused. "Polyolefins are ubiquitous, and we've demonstrated the superiority of table salt over costly catalysts."

Collaborating with Rabnawaz on this project were Christopher Saffron, an associate professor in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, visiting scholar Mohamed Shaker, and MSU doctoral student Vikash Kumar.

When used as a catalyst for pyrolyzing polyolefins, table salt primarily yielded liquid oil containing hydrocarbon molecules akin to those found in diesel fuel, Rabnawaz stated. Additionally, the salt catalyst can be easily reclaimed by washing the obtained oil with water, as the researchers demonstrated.

The research also revealed that table salt facilitated the pyrolysis of metallized plastic films, commonly employed in food packaging such as potato chip bags, which are currently excluded from recycling.

While pure table salt didn't outperform a platinum-alumina catalyst tested alongside metallized films, the results were comparable, and table salt is significantly more cost-effective.

Nevertheless, Rabnawaz emphasized that metallized films, though valuable, pose inherent challenges. He envisions a future where such films are replaced with more sustainable materials, and his team is actively working towards that goal.

The team's ongoing pyrolysis project will continue to refine its methods. For example, the team has yet to fully characterize the gaseous products of pyrolysis when using table salt. Rabnawaz believes that further enhancements can be made to ensure that the liquid products contain chemicals with higher-value applications than mere fuel combustion.

In summary, the preliminary economic analysis suggests that incorporating table salt into a commercial pyrolysis reactor could potentially triple its profits, offering a promising outlook for the adoption of this innovative approach.