Researchers Develop Breakthrough Method to Recycle Rubber into High-Value Materials
A UNC-Chapel Hill study introduces a sustainable chemical process that transforms rubber waste into precursors for epoxy resins, addressing a major environmental challenge.
- The new method uses C–H amination and backbone rearrangement to break down rubber into soluble materials for epoxy resin production.
- Unlike traditional recycling methods, the process operates under mild conditions, reducing environmental impact and costs.
- The method achieves complete rubber breakdown within six hours and produces materials with properties comparable to commercial epoxy resins.
- Researchers are working to optimize the process by exploring greener solvents and reducing waste generation for improved sustainability.
- This innovation offers a sustainable alternative to landfilling rubber waste, which poses significant environmental hazards such as chemical leaching and spontaneous combustion.
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