Turning Plastic Waste into Carbon Capture Material

Climate change and plastic pollution are two of the most pressing environmental challenges facing humanity. A research team at the University of Copenhagen has developed a breakthrough material, BAETA, that addresses both issues simultaneously by converting discarded PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastics into efficient carbon dioxide adsorbents.

BAETA is produced from low-quality or degraded PET plastics that are difficult to recycle. By chemically modifying the plastic with ethylenediamine, researchers created a material with a unique structure capable of capturing CO₂ effectively across a temperature range from room level to 150°C, making it particularly suitable for industrial emissions treatment. Once saturated, the material can be heated to release concentrated CO₂ for storage or reuse.

This innovation offers a dual solution: it provides a high-value use for unrecyclable plastics while reducing the cost of carbon capture materials. Importantly, the technology complements rather than competes with existing recycling systems by focusing on plastics that cannot enter conventional recycling streams.

The team is now working to scale up production and evaluate the commercial potential of BAETA. The findings, published in Science Advances, are seen as an important step toward advancing the circular economy and achieving global carbon neutrality goals.