From Waste to Healing & Energy: Patent-Pending Innovation

 

Method for Producing Biocompatible and Energy-Grade Polymers from Mixed Plastic Waste via Thermal and Chemical Fractionation

Plastic waste is one of the world’s greatest challenges. What if it could become the foundation for healing and energy instead of pollution?

I’ve developed a patent-pending process that converts common plastics (PET, PP, PLA) into purified chemical fractions, which are recombined into biocompatible medical polymers and energy materials. This dual pathway enables applications in artificial skin scaffolds, prosthetics, drug delivery capsules, polymer electrolytes, hydrogen carriers, and solar absorbers.

This is not just recycling—it’s regenerative medicine and renewable energy powered by waste.

How It Works

1. Sort & preprocess PET, PP, PLA waste

2. Thermal & chemical treatment to break down polymers

3. Fraction separation: isolate terephthalic acid, ethylene glycol, propylene, lactic acid

4. Purify to medical-grade standards

5. Recombine into new polymers

6. Form into medical or energy products via 3D printing, extrusion, or catalysis

Workflow Diagram

Here’s the dual pathway visualization:

Recombined into:

• Medical-grade polyester (scaffolds, artificial skin)

• Biodegradable PLA scaffolds (drug capsules, wound dressings)

• Hybrid copolymers (prosthetics, smart materials)

• Energy materials (polymer electrolytes, hydrogen carriers, solar absorbers)

Applications include:

• 🧬 Artificial skin scaffolds

• 🦾 Prosthetic composites

• 💊 Drug delivery capsules

• 🔋 Polymer electrolytes

• ⚡ Hydrogen carriers

• ☀️ Solar absorbers

Chemical Transformation

• PET → Terephthalic acid (C₈H₆O₄) + Ethylene glycol (C₂H₆O₂)

• PP → Propylene (C₃H₆)

• PLA → Lactic acid (C₃H₆O₃)

Chemical Formulas for Applications

1. Artificial Skin Scaffolds

• Medical Polyester (from PET fractions)

Formula: \([-CO-C_6H_4-CO-O-CH_2-CH_2-O-]_n\)

• Biodegradable PLA scaffolds

Formula: \([-O-CH(CH_3)-CO-]_n\)

• Hybrid copolymer (PET + PLA): alternating ester linkages combining terephthalic acid and lactic acid units.

2. Prosthetic Composites

• Polypropylene (PP)

Formula: \([-CH_2-CH(CH_3)-]_n\)

• PET/PP blend copolymer for strength + flexibility.

Formula: Mixed repeating units of PET ester linkages and PP propylene chains.

3. Drug Delivery Capsules

• PLA (Polylactic acid) – controlled degradation.

Formula: \([-O-CH(CH_3)-CO-]_n\)

• PLA + Ethylene glycol copolymer (polyethylene glycol-lactic acid copolymer, PEG-PLA).

Formula: \([-O-CH_2-CH_2-O-]_m[-O-CH(CH_3)-CO-]_n\)

• This copolymer is widely used for drug release systems.

4. Smart Wound Dressings

• Polyester-lactic acid hybrid with embedded sensor molecules.

Formula: \([-CO-C_6H_4-CO-O-CH_2-CH_2-O-]_x[-O-CH(CH_3)-CO-]_y\)

• Can be functionalized with antimicrobial groups (e.g., silver nanoparticles or quaternary ammonium salts).

5. Polymer Electrolytes (Energy Storage)

• Polyethylene oxide (PEO) derived from ethylene glycol.

Formula: \([-O-CH_2-CH_2-]_n\)

• PLA/PEO copolymer for biodegradable electrolytes.

Formula: \([-O-CH_2-CH_2-]_m[-O-CH(CH_3)-CO-]_n\)

6. Hydrogen Carriers

• Ethylene glycol (HO-CH₂-CH₂-OH) – hydrogen-rich molecule.

• Lactic acid (HO-CH(CH₃)-COOH) – can be reformed into hydrogen.

• Polyhydric alcohol polymers (polyols) from glycol fractions.

Formula: \([-CH_2-CHOH-CH_2OH-]_n\)

7. Solar Absorbers (Organic Photovoltaics)

• Poly(ethylene terephthalate-co-propylene) with aromatic rings for light absorption.

Formula: \([-CO-C_6H_4-CO-O-CH_2-CH_2-O-]_x[-CH_2-CH(CH_3)-]_y\)

• Aromatic terephthalic acid units (\(C_6H_4(CO_2H)_2\)) provide π-conjugation for solar absorption.

Benefits : 

• Addresses plastic pollution by upcycling waste into high-value products

• Reduces medical material costs by replacing virgin polymers

• Enables circular economy in healthcare & energy

• Opens new frontiers in sustainable biotech and renewable energy

Independent Claim 1: Core Process

1. A method for producing functional polymers from mixed plastic waste comprising:

• (a) collecting and sorting plastic waste comprising polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), and polylactic acid (PLA);

• (b) subjecting said waste to thermal and chemical treatment to depolymerize the plastics;

• (c) separating chemical fractions including terephthalic acid, ethylene glycol, propylene, and lactic acid;

• (d) purifying said fractions to medical-grade or energy-grade standards;

• (e) recombining said fractions into hybrid polymers;

• (f) forming said polymers into products selected from the group consisting of medical scaffolds, drug delivery capsules, prosthetic composites, polymer electrolytes, hydrogen carriers, and solar absorbers.

2 - Chemical Formulas for medical devices and renewable energy sources 

Dependent Claims: Specific Variants

1. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermal treatment comprises cryo-grinding followed by controlled pyrolysis.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the chemical separation includes solvent-based filtration and catalytic depolymerization.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the recombined polymer comprises a copolyester of terephthalic acid and lactic acid.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the final product is a biodegradable wound dressing with embedded biosensors.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the final product is a polymer electrolyte suitable for lithium-ion or sodium-ion batteries.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the final product is a solar-absorbing polymer with aromatic ring structures derived from terephthalic acid.

Open for Licensing & Collaboration

This innovation is shared under CC BY-NC for public knowledge.

➡️ Commercial use requires licensing.

I invite investors, hospitals, recyclers, biotech firms, and energy innovators to collaborate or license this process. Together, we can transform waste into healing and power.

📩 DM me to discuss partnerships, pilot projects, or funding opportunities.

@leylaacaroglu @kenwebsterce @ashokkhosla @alikadem @drshalinisharma @rameshraliya @sujatakhandekar @anilkakodkar @undpindia @aimniti @biotechconsortium @iiscbangalore @tatatrusts

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