Success in synthesizing biodegradable plastic materials using sunlight and CO2

Scientists have achieved an 80% conversion yield of a biodegradable plastic material from acetone and CO2, tackling the plastic waste crisis while moving toward carbon neutrality. Scientists have successfully synthesized 3-hydroxybutyrate, a raw material for poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) — a strong, water-insoluble, biodegradable plastic used for packaging materials — from acetone and CO2. With a visible light-driven catalytic system utilizing sunlight and two biocatalysts, the researchers achieved a high conversion yield of about 80%. Mimicking natural photosynthesis, this study artificially reproduced a light reaction involving sunlight and a dark reaction fixing CO2 to synthesize the raw material for PHB. The finding is expected to contribute to solving the plastic waste problem and to reducing CO2.
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