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Upcycling end-of-life vehicle waste plastic into flash graphene

Engineering and Technology

Upcycling end-of-life vehicle waste plastic into flash graphene

K. M. Wyss, R. D. D. Kleine, et al.

Discover an innovative method to transform end-of-life vehicle plastic waste into flash graphene using flash Joule heating, developed by a team of experts including Kevin M. Wyss and James M. Tour. This groundbreaking research not only avoids the need for plastic sorting or solvents but also enhances automotive foam composites, paving the way for sustainable automotive materials.

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Playback language: English
Abstract
This paper reports a method for upcycling depolluted, dismantled, and shredded end-of-life vehicle waste plastic into flash graphene using flash Joule heating. The process requires no plastic separation or sorting and uses no solvents or water. The resulting graphene is used as a reinforcing agent in automotive polyurethane foam composites, improving tensile strength and low-frequency noise absorption. The study demonstrates process continuity by upcycling the foam composite back into flash graphene. A prospective life cycle assessment suggests that this method may offer lower cumulative energy demand, water use, and global warming potential compared to traditional graphene synthesis.
Publisher
Communications Engineering
Published On
May 26, 2022
Authors
Kevin M. Wyss, Robert D. De Kleine, Rachel L. Couvreur, Alper Kiziltas, Deborah F. Mielewski, James M. Tour
Tags
upcycling
flash graphene
end-of-life vehicles
automotive composites
tensile strength
environmental sustainability
life cycle assessment
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