Some amazing stuff is being designed in Singapore.

By Khai Trung Le

A significant step in handling escalating global plastic waste may have been reached, as a team from the National University of Singapore has found a way to convert waste plastic bottles into a PET aerogel.

The aerogel is said to be soft, flexible, durable, and light and easy to handle. They also have thermal insulation and absorption capacity, making them suitable for a wide array of uses.

Associate Professor Hai Minh Duong, who led the research team, said, ‘Plastic bottle waste is one of the most common types of plastic waste and has detrimental effects on the environment. Our team has developed a simple, cost-effective and green method to convert plastic bottle waste into PET aerogels for many uses. One plastic bottle can be recycled to produce an A4-sized PET areogel sheet.

‘The fabrication technology is also easily scalable for mass production. In this way, we can help cut down the harmful environmental damage caused by plastic waste.’