Using energy from light equivalent to sunlight the artificial photosynthesis system uses enzymes and a rhodium driver to produce a naturally degradable plastic precursor. A research team led by Professor Yutaka Amao from Osaka Metropolitan University has actually successfully demonstrated the synthesis of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate, a naturally degradable plastic, from waste acetone and low concentrations of CO2 using synthetic photosynthesis. Acetone is a fairly harmless and reasonably economical chemical used in numerous different laboratory settings, either for responses or as a cleaning representative, which produces waste acetone.
This new research study aimed to reuse waste acetone from permanent marker ink and low concentrations of CO2– equivalent to tire gas from power plants, chemical plants, or steel factories. Acetone is a fairly harmless and relatively affordable chemical used in several lab settings, either for responses or as a cleaning agent, which produces waste acetone. The acetone and CO2 functioned as basic materials to manufacture 3-hydroxybutyrate utilizing synthetic photosynthesis, powered by light equivalent to sunlight.
” We focused our attention on the importance of using CO2 developed by exhaust gas from thermal power plants and other sources to demonstrate the useful application of artificial photosynthesis,” explained Professor Amao.
After 24 hours, more than 60% of acetone had actually been successfully transformed to 3-hydroxybutyrate. Their findings were released on March 1, 2023, in the journal Green Chemistry.
” In the future, we aim to establish artificial photosynthesis technology further, so that it can use acetone from liquid waste and as well as exhaust gas from the lab as raw products,” stated Professor Amao.
Recommendation: “Visible-light-driven 3-hydroxybutyrate production from acetone and low concentrations of CO2 with a system of hybridized photocatalytic NADH regeneration and multi-biocatalysts” by Yu Kitaa and Yutaka Amao, 1 March 2023, Green Chemistry.DOI: 10.1039/ D3GC00247K.
Financing: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
Using energy from light equivalent to sunshine the synthetic photosynthesis system utilizes enzymes and a rhodium catalyst to produce an eco-friendly plastic precursor. Now for the very first time, the process works utilizing low concentrations of CO2, comparable to tire gas, and waste acetone as basic materials. Credit: Yutaka Amao, OMU
Low concentration CO2 can be reused in biodegradable plastic precursor utilizing synthetic photosynthesis.
A research team led by Professor Yutaka Amao from Osaka Metropolitan University has successfully shown the synthesis of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate, an eco-friendly plastic, from waste acetone and low concentrations of CO2 using artificial photosynthesis. The groups findings, released in Green Chemistry, highlight the practical application of synthetic photosynthesis and their plans to additional establish the innovation for more efficient usage of waste materials.
Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate– an eco-friendly plastic– is a strong water-resistant polyester frequently utilized in packaging products, made from 3-hydroxybutyrate as a precursor. In previous studies, a research team led by Professor Yutaka Amao from the Research Center for Artificial Photosynthesis at Osaka Metropolitan University, found that 3-hydroxybutyrate can be manufactured from CO2 and acetone with high efficiency, but just demonstrated this at higher concentrations of CO2 or sodium bicarbonate.