A research team has converted waste cooking oil (WCO) into recyclable plastics and super-sticky glue, Phys.org wrote.
In the study, researchers used a palladium catalyst to convert WCO unsaturated fatty acids into a long-chain C19-diester, which was then reduced to form a long-chain diol, the 10 December report said.
The resulting diol formed the main linear-chain structure required to mimic polyethylene (PE). Glycerol, another major component of WCO, was turned into branched 1,3-diols.
By polymerising the branched and linear building blocks, the researchers designed a series of new polyesters (P1–P7) to mimic PE properties.
Tests showed that the polyesters matched or sometimes surpassed low-density PE in both flexibility and strength, Phys.org wrote.
The polymers made from branched diols displayed strong adhesive performance on a wide range of surfaces, the report said.
The researchers noted that the findings established the potential of WCO as an alternative feedstock for plastic production.
The results of the study were published on 28 November in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS).
