Scientists Find Way To Dissolve One Of The Toughest Plastics And Reuse Its Fibers

Austin, Texas – Researchers from The University of Texas at Austin and Sandia National Laboratories have developed a method to break down durable plastics that currently have no practical recycling method, using less energy and producing less waste than incineration.

The technique targets poly(dicyclopentadiene), or pDCPD, a lightweight and durable plastic used in vehicle bumpers, construction equipment and chemical storage tanks. Such products are often incinerated because the material is extremely difficult to recycle, requiring substantial energy and producing harmful byproducts while degrading reinforcement fibers.