A researcher at Virginia Tech, Guoliang Liu, has discovered a method to transform polyethylene, a commonly used plastic, into a soap-like compound. This compound, known as a surfactant, can be used to repurpose polyethylene plastics into valuable products such as soap and detergents. Liu had the idea to divide the long polyethylene chains into shorter fatty acid chains that could be used to make soap. With the help of two Ph.D. chemistry students, Liu built a laboratory oven and successfully created the world's first soap derived from plastics. The research demonstrates a new route for plastic upcycling without using novel catalysts or complex procedures.

The post Virginia Tech Researcher Has Eureka Moment And Can Now Turn Plastic Waste Into Soap appeared first on Balanced News Summary.