In the article "Duo turn plastic waste into a concrete idea", Goy (2016) stated that scientists have found an eco-friendly way to recycle plastic waste with the use of carbon nanotubes as an accompaniment to cement, reducing the use of cement. It processes plastic into gases, following which the product can be formed from these gases. Carbon nanotubes are lighter yet stronger. Technology company BlueRen uses a different material which inflict less harm on the environment. However, technology takes time to be implemented and research of the long-term effects of the nanotubes such as maintenance should be looked into. Carbon nanotubes technology helps contribute to a greener environment while with sufficient research and prototyping, the technology has a bright future.
Goy (2016) mentioned that over the past few years, a very small percentage of plastic waste was recycled. This means majority of the plastic waste are being dumped upon wastelands, taking up unnecessary space of land. In the article "When the Mermaids Cry: The Great Plastic Tide", Lytle stated that the top three items found in 2008 were plastic bags, food containers and cigarette waste. These products are imperishable and takes a long time to degrade, hence becoming debris that lasts for a long time if no proper clearing system is implemented. In addition, most of these plastic waste floats on water which means they are able to travel further and spread, endangering wildlife animals and destroy natural habitats in the process.
With this in mind, BlueRen's technology processes plastic waste into gases, following which they are then further processed through a number of chambers in which the gases will form into carbon nanotubes. The way plastic waste can be used to form carbon nanotubes can significantly increase the percentage of plastic waste being recycled. This provides recycling companies more opportunities in terms of their output. Companies like BlueRen can utilize their technology in helping to contribute to a greener environment with reduced amount of plastic waste. In the past, recycling of plastic waste is proved to be ineffective because the process of forming carbon nanotubes is expensive and the operation releases harmful gases into the environment. However, to add on to a healthier and cleaner environment, Goy (2016) claimed that BlueRen uses a different stimulus material, which is a greener choice. These factors help reduce the amount of plastic waste not being recycled as well as utilizing an environmentally friendly method to churn plastic waste into something useful.
Based on the research article "Potential of Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Cement Composites as Concrete Repair Material", Manzur (2016) pointed that carbon nanotubes are a good additive to cement because of its immensely excellent attributes. Carbon nanotubes have high strength and flexibility which helps in integrating them perfectly into solid composite materials such as cement. Its attributes also aid in reducing crack size and ensuring smooth transmission of load. Based on the research, Manzur mentioned that cement with carbon nanotubes expresses a much higher compression and flexion strength with comparison to regular simple cement paste. With the use of carbon nanotubes as an additive, cement usage can be significantly reduced.
In conclusion, recycling plastic waste to form carbon nanotubes is a positive and favorable research technology which can contribute to a greener and cleaner environment.
References:
Potential of Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Cement Composites as Concrete Repair Material
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