Sunlight-Powered Process Turns Plastic Waste Into Acetic Acid without Added Emissions

Waterloo researchers turn plastic waste into vinegar ingredient

Acetic acid is widely used in food production, chemical manufacturing and energy applications

Sunlight-powered process turns plastic waste into acetic acid without added emissions

Researchers at the University of Waterloo have discovered a way to turn plastic waste into acetic acid, the main ingredient of vinegar, using sunlight. The breakthrough offers a promising new approach to reducing plastic pollution through photocatalysis, while simultaneously creating a useful, value-added chemical product through a process inspired by nature.

University of Waterloo - Waterloo researchers turning plastic waste into vinegar

Researchers at the University of Waterloo have discovered a way to turn plastic waste into acetic acid, the main ingredient of vinegar, using sunlight. The breakthrough offers a promising. . .

How does sunlight convert plastic into acetic acid?

Sunlight driven upcycling turns plastics into a chemical feedstock Researchers have demonstrated a process that uses sunlight to break down plastic waste into acetic acid, the main component of vinegar and a widely used industrial chemical. The method relies on photochemical reactions that…

Waterloo Scientists Transform Plastic Waste into Vinegar

In a groundbreaking advance spearheaded by researchers at the University of Waterloo, a revolutionary method has been developed to transform plastic waste into acetic acid, the primary component of vinegar, harnessing the power of sunlight. This innovation leverages photocatalysis, a process inspired by natural mechanisms, to address the escalating global crisis of plastic pollution while generating valuable chemical products. The technique prom…