壓克力可重生

英國University of Bath研究團隊近日開發出一項突破性技術，可透過化學方式回收壓克力（PMMA），在降低能源消耗的同時維持材料品質，為塑膠循環經濟提供關鍵進展。

Researchers at the University of Bath have developed a breakthrough chemical recycling method for acrylic (PMMA), enabling repeated recycling without loss of material quality while significantly reducing energy consumption.

壓克力（市售品牌如Perspex與Plexiglas）為全球廣泛使用的透明熱塑性材料，每年用量約達300萬公噸，應用涵蓋汽車零件、顯示面板及建築材料等領域。然而，現行回收方式仍面臨效率與品質雙重限制。

Acrylic, commonly sold under brand names such as Perspex and Plexiglas, is a widely used transparent thermoplastic, with global demand reaching approximately 3 million metric tons annually across applications including automotive components, display screens, and construction materials. However, existing recycling methods remain constrained by efficiency and quality limitations.

研究指出，傳統機械回收雖為主流，但會造成材料變色與性能下降，使再生材料難以應用於高透明度產品。另一方面，近年興起的熱裂解（pyrolysis）技術雖可回收高品質單體，但需在350至400°C高溫下進行，導致能耗過高且易受其他塑膠污染。

Mechanical recycling, the most common approach, often results in discoloration and material degradation, limiting its reuse in high-value applications. Meanwhile, pyrolysis-based recycling can restore virgin-quality monomers but requires high temperatures of 350–400°C, leading to substantial energy consumption and contamination risks.

此次研究由Dr. Jon Husband與Dr. Simon Freakley領導，成果發表於Nature Communications。團隊採用紫外光（UV）在無氧環境下分解PMMA，成功將塑膠「解鏈」回原始單體。該技術運作溫度僅120至180°C，大幅低於傳統方法，顯著降低能源需求。

在效率方面，該方法可達超過95%的轉化率，並回收逾70%的單體，經純化後可重新聚合為接近全新品質的材料，實現真正的「閉環回收」（closed-loop recycling）。

The new method, led by Dr. Jon Husband and Dr. Simon Freakley and published in Nature Communications, uses ultraviolet (UV) light under oxygen-free conditions to depolymerize PMMA into its original monomer building blocks. Crucially, the process operates at much lower temperatures of 120–180°C, significantly reducing energy input.

研究團隊強調，此技術不僅改善回收品質問題，也提升經濟可行性，有助於解決塑膠回收長期面臨的「高成本、低價值」困境。

The system achieves over 95% conversion and yields more than 70% recoverable monomer, which can be purified and repolymerized into materials comparable to virgin plastic - enabling true closed-loop recycling.

此外，相較於ETH Zurich近期採用含氯溶劑的類似研究，Bath團隊的技術使用更具永續性的溶劑系統，降低環境與操作風險，提升產業應用潛力。

Compared with a parallel approach developed by ETH Zurich that relies on chlorinated solvents, the Bath process uses more sustainable solvents, improving environmental performance and industrial feasibility.

目前該技術仍處於實驗室階段，僅能處理少量塑膠廢料，但研究人員正持續優化效率與放大製程。未來若能成功商業化，將有望重塑壓克力回收產業，並為高品質塑膠材料建立真正循環利用的解決方案。

Although currently limited to small-scale laboratory applications, the research team is working to improve efficiency and scale up the process. If successfully commercialized, the technology could transform acrylic recycling and provide a viable pathway toward high-quality circular plastics.

整體而言，此技術反映化學回收正從高能耗模式轉向低碳、高效率路徑，亦顯示材料科學創新在推動塑膠循環經濟與減碳轉型中的關鍵角色。

Overall, the development highlights a broader transition in chemical recycling - from energy-intensive processes to lower-carbon, high-efficiency solutions - underscoring the critical role of materials innovation in advancing circular economy and decarbonization goals.