Plastic into biodiesel

In an effort to develop a new source of sustainable energy, researchers at Polytechnic University have bioengineered a fuel-latent plastic that can be converted into biodiesel.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the central research and development organization for the US Department of Defense, has awarded the researchers $2.34 million to advance the technology and transfer it to industry.

Professor Richard Gross, director of Polytechnic University’s National Science Foundation (NSF) Center for Biocatalysis and Bioprocessing of Macromolecules (CBBM) developed the new bioplastic using vegetable oils. He also partnered with DNA 2.0, a biotechnology company specializing in gene synthesis, to develop enzymes that can both synthesise and break the fuel-latent plastic down into biodiesel after its use.

“We showed DARPA that we could make a new plastic from plant oils that has remarkable properties, which includes being tougher and more durable than typical polyethylenes. Additionally, the bioplastic can be placed in a simple container where it is safely broken down to liquid fuel,” said Dr. Gross.