Modular Molecular Editing of End-of-Life PBT for High-Performance Sustainable and 3D-Printable Platforms.

Area of Science:

• Polymer Science and Engineering
• Sustainable Materials Chemistry
• Chemical Recycling Technologies

Background:

• Engineering polyesters like poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) generate substantial waste with limited recycling options.
• Current mechanical and chemical recycling methods for PBT are inefficient, costly, and lead to performance degradation.
• There is a critical need for sustainable and economically viable PBT recycling solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel molecular editing strategy for transforming end-of-life PBT into a high-performance polymer platform.
• To create a sustainable and 3D-printable poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) material from recycled PBT.
• To demonstrate the industrial scalability and diverse applicability of the developed PBAT platform.

Main Methods:

• A modular molecular editing strategy inspired by DNA editing was employed to modify PBT's backbone and end groups.
• The process involved sequential chemical modifications to convert PBT into a PBAT platform.
• Industrial scalability was validated through 100-L pilot-scale production.

Main Results:

• A high-performance, sustainable, and 3D-printable PBAT platform was successfully created from end-of-life PBT.
• The resulting PBAT exhibited superior tensile strength and toughness compared to commercial PBATs, without additives.
• The material demonstrated programmable properties suitable for injection molding, 3D printing, films, packaging, fibers, and fabrics.

Conclusions:

• The molecular editing strategy enables direct polymer-to-polymer conversion of PBT into advanced PBAT materials.
• This approach offers closed-loop recycling, enhancing social sustainability and reducing reliance on virgin materials.
• The process is ecologically sustainable through composting and presents significant environmental and economic advantages.