Person
Marcus Lehnertz
M. Sc.Address
Building: Sammelbau Chemie
Room: 38B 320
Worringerweg 1
52074 Aachen
Contact
- WorkPhone
- Phone: +49 241 80 26577
Research
Upcycling of Polyesters
Plastic has changed the world. Since the 1950s, mankind is consuming plastic in tremendous amounts, leading to a cumulative production of 8.300 Mt until now. This demand is based on the unique material properties, as the high stability to density ratio, a wide range of tunable properties and a relatively low price. These advantages make it the perfect material to be implemented in a wide field of applications, from plastic bottles for the daily usage up to long‑lasting parts such as prostheses or crucial engine components. Whereas many resources went into the invention of new and highly durable polymers, the disposal was postponed to future generations. Out of the 8300 Mt of plastic, only 600 Mt have been recycled. Currently, the monomers of the well-established polymers are produced in high amounts out of crude oil and therefore, the recycled monomers are economically not competitive. In this regard, upcycling is particularly interesting. Hence, the polymer waste is used as raw material for worthy chemical products. If research is successful in establishing suitable ways of upcycling to the industrial relevant polymers, we can contribute to solve the global challenges of oil‑consumption, CO2-emmision and environmental pollution.