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Related Concept Videos

Microbial Bioremediation of Plastics01:28

Microbial Bioremediation of Plastics

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a synthetic polymer widely utilized in the packaging industry, particularly for bottles and containers. Due to its chemical stability and durability, PET accumulates in the environment, contributing significantly to plastic pollution. It comprises repeating units of terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol, resulting in a semi-crystalline structure that is resistant to natural degradation processes.A notable breakthrough in plastic biodegradation came with the...
Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters01:20

Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters

The introduction of polyesters has brought major development to the textile industry. The wrinkle-free behavior of polyester blends has eliminated the need for starching and ironing clothes.
Polyesters are commonly prepared from terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol; the crude product is known as poly(ethylene terephthalate) or PET. However, polyesters are synthesized industrially by transesterification of dimethyl terephthalate with ethylene glycol at 150 °C. The two reactants and the polymer...
Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism01:09

Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

The radical chain-growth polymerization mechanism consists of three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination of polymerization. The polymerization initiates when a free radical generated from the radical initiator adds to the unsaturated bond in the monomer. The unpaired electron of the free radical and one π electron in the unsaturated bond creates a σ bond between the free radical and the monomer. As a result, the other π electron in the unsaturated bond converts this species into the...
Polymer Classification: Crystallinity01:21

Polymer Classification: Crystallinity

Unlike ionic or small covalent molecules, polymers do not form crystalline solids due to the diffusion limitations of their long-chain structures. However, polymers contain microscopic crystalline domains separated by amorphous domains.
Crystalline domains are the regions where polymer chains are aligned in an orderly manner and held together in proximity by intermolecular forces. For example, chains in the crystalline domains of polyethylene and nylon are bound together by van der Waals...
Free-Radical Chain Reaction and Polymerization of Alkenes02:35

Free-Radical Chain Reaction and Polymerization of Alkenes

The conversion of alkenes to macromolecules called polymers is a reaction of high commercial importance. The structure of the polymer is defined by a repeating unit, while the terminal groups are considered insignificant. The average degree of polymerization represents the number of repeating units in the polymer molecule and is denoted by the subscript n.
Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Acyclic Diene Metathesis (ADMET)00:53

Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Acyclic Diene Metathesis (ADMET)

Acyclic diene metathesis polymerization or ADMET polymerization involves cross-metathesis of terminal dienes, such as 1,8-nonadiene, to give linear unsaturated polymer and ethylene. As ADMET is a reversible process, the formed ethylene gas must be removed from the reaction mixture to complete the polymerization process.
Similar to cross-metathesis, ADMET also involves the formation of metallacyclobutane intermediate by [2+2] cycloaddition of one of the double bonds of a terminal diene with...

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Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Synthesis of Programmable Main-chain Liquid-crystalline Elastomers Using a Two-stage Thiol-acrylate Reaction
11:17

Synthesis of Programmable Main-chain Liquid-crystalline Elastomers Using a Two-stage Thiol-acrylate Reaction

Published on: January 19, 2016

Inactivation of PETase at Interfaces Inhibits PET Plastic Depolymerization.

Alecia Robinson1, Hannah Lippincott1, Chris E MacFarlane2

  • 1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056, United States.

ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering
|June 5, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Enzymatic recycling of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is hindered by enzyme instability at air-water and solid-liquid interfaces. PEGylation of PETase improves stability and PET degradation, offering a strategy for industrial application.

Keywords:
PETPETaseair−liquid interfacebiocatalysisenzyme stabilityinterfacial inactivationplastics recycling

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Designed for Molecular Recycling: A Lignin-Derived Semi-aromatic Biobased Polymer
10:22

Designed for Molecular Recycling: A Lignin-Derived Semi-aromatic Biobased Polymer

Published on: November 30, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Biotechnology
  • Polymer Science
  • Chemical Engineering

Background:

  • Enzymatic depolymerization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) offers a sustainable recycling alternative.
  • Existing thermostable PETase variants face challenges in achieving high yields under industrial conditions.
  • Low PET conversion is attributed to factors beyond thermostability and crystallinity, suggesting other limiting phenomena.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of mixing, specifically air-water and solid-liquid interfaces, on PETase stability and activity.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms behind reduced PETase performance in industrially relevant settings.
  • To identify strategies for enhancing PETase stability and degradation efficiency.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic exploration of mixing effects on PETase stability.
  • Analysis of enzyme behavior at air-water and solid-liquid interfaces.
  • Evaluation of blocking agents and PEGylation as stabilization strategies.

Main Results:

  • Increased mixing with an air-water interface led to PET degradation plateauing and loss of soluble PETase activity.
  • Enzyme adsorption to the air-water interface, denaturation, aggregation, and precipitation were hypothesized.
  • Hydrophobic PET film negatively impacted enzyme stability, with inactivation rates proportional to PET surface area.
  • Blocking agents preserved enzyme activity but reduced degradation rates.
  • PEGylation of PETase improved enzyme stability and enhanced PET degradation during mixing.

Conclusions:

  • Enzyme adsorption to interfaces and interaction with PET surfaces significantly limit PETase performance.
  • PEGylation presents a robust strategy for enhancing PETase stability and efficiency in industrial recycling processes.
  • Findings explain previous conversion discrepancies and provide a pathway for optimizing enzymatic PET recycling.