STUDY OF PLASTIC WASTE DEGRADATION USING IONIC LIQUIDS

• Main Author: Haikal, Rahmat
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/70771
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Plastic is a material that is difficult to decompose naturally. This makes the problem of plastic waste even more complicated. So far there are several methods for degrading plastic waste, such as mechanical and chemical methods. Many catalysts have been used to degrade plastic waste. However, it requires operating conditions with relatively high temperatures and pressures. There are also many plastic depolymerization efforts that experience obstacles including operating conditions, product purification processes, as well as problems of corrosion and pollution caused. Ionic liquids (ILs) are currently being considered as green solvents having unique properties that allow them to degrade plastics under more benign conditions. The research method used is literature study, especially in Scopus indexed scientific publications. From the literature study, it was found that ILs have been proven to help degrade polymers such as PET, PC, PHB, PA, PLA, PE, and TER into their monomers with conversions exceeding 90%. ILs have been studied in degrading polymers and are proven to be reusable, making them a more efficient and environmentally friendly method of degrading polymers. The use of ILs in polymer degradation has the potential to be developed as an alternative technology in solving the problem of plastic waste generation through further research.