Fig. 6: Environmental impacts of paper plastic. | Nature Communications

Fig. 6: Environmental impacts of paper plastic.

From: Rapidly making biodegradable and recyclable paper plastic based on microwave radiation driven dynamic carbamate chemistry

Fig. 6

a Degradation process of paper plastic, and polyethylene (PE) buried in soil (Nanjing). b Physical recyclability of paper plastics. Shredded paper plastic recovered to intact paper plastic after hot pressing and cross-section SEM image of the reprocessed paper plastic. Scale bar, 200 μm. c Chemical recyclability of paper plastics. Photos show the degradation of paper plastic in 0.5 M NaOH solution and the regeneration of cellulose paper from recyclables. d Cradle-to-grave climate change potential (normalized to tensile strength) of the paper plastic compared to 14 potentially competitive benchmark plastic films and composite materials using life cycle assessment (LCA). e Comparison of the economic cost of paper plastic to commercial plastics (PE, PET, PP, PLA, and PCL) via TEA. PP polypropylene, LDPE low density polyethylene, PB polybutylene, PU polyurethane, PLA polylactic acid, PVF poly(vinyl formal), PVDC polyvinylidene chloride, PMMA poly(methyl methacrylate), PA/GF polyamide/ fiberglass, ABS/CF acrylonitrile butadiene styrene/carbon fiber, PCL polycaprolactone, PE polyethylene. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.

Back to article page