據氣體世界網2022年7月6日報道，英國知名研究公司IDTechEx最近披露的一項研究報告顯示，由于越來越多的行業開始利用碳捕獲技術，通過將捕獲的二氧化碳轉化為低碳、可降解的聚合物，這種技術可以幫助減少碳排放和塑料垃圾。

IDTechEx的這份題為《2022-2042：二氧化碳利用技術、市場預測和參與者》的報告探討了與二氧化碳聚合物技術相關的機遇和挑戰。

2019年，全球塑料產量達到4.6億噸，盡管近幾年來使用了更多基于回收的技術，但經合組織的一項研究顯示，全球塑料消費仍將會增加。

為了促進循環碳經濟，捕獲的碳可以利用電化學、生物轉化和熱催化來制造各種聚合物。 

熱催化被認為是最成熟的二氧化碳利用技術，它可以直接產生生物可降解的線性鏈聚碳酸酯（LPCs），或者通過使用甲醇和乙醇等化學物質進行聚合反應來間接利用。 

諸如聚氨酯（PUR）那樣的LPCs通常用于電子、地膜、泡沫和生物醫藥/保健等行業。聚氨酯的主要成分之一是多元醇，它可以組成高達50%（在重量上）的二氧化碳。 

為了制造這些多元醇，二氧化碳先與環醚（一種環狀分子，稱為環氧化合物，含氧）結合，然后再與異氰酸酯組成合成PUR。 

雖然不是完全無碳的，但在通過熱化學法制造塑料時，以化石為基礎的過程是由廢棄的二氧化碳來支持的，以節省原材料成本。  

電化學和微生物合成等不太成熟的技術還在開發中。 

微生物合成等生物過程被認為比電化學過程更成熟，已經達到早期的商業化階段，美國加州的Newlight公司已經開發出一種利用特定微生物將捕獲的二氧化碳、空氣和甲烷轉化為可降解聚合物的方法。

根據這份報告，目前其他成功的商業操作包括日本旭化成公司從二氧化碳中生產芳香族聚碳酸酯的努力。總部位于美國的朗澤技術公司還與聯合利華（Unilever）、歐萊雅（L’oreal）、安恩（On）和達能（Danone）等主要品牌合作，從工業過程中捕獲的碳排放中生產聚合物前驅體。

盡管這是一項明顯的“雙贏”技術，但人們仍然擔心它是否真的會導致大量碳排放，以及潛在的經濟障礙，可能會減緩商業化。 

IDTechEx表示：“由于世界對塑料的渴求似乎沒有減弱，循環碳經濟通過培育一個將廢棄的二氧化碳視為可行原料的石化行業可能有助于維持人們的生活方式?！?/p>

李峻 編譯自 氣體世界網

原文如下：

Turning CO2 into plastics

As more industries begin to utilise carbon capture, technologies could help reduce both emissions and plastic waste by turning captured CO2 into low-carbon, degradable polymers, according to a recent study by IDTechEx.

The report, titled ‘Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Utilisation 2022-2042: Technologies, Market Forecasts, and Players’ explored both opportunities and challenges associated with CO2-based polymer technology. 

In 2019, global plastic production rates hit 460m tonnes and - although more recycling-based technologies have been deployed in recent years - an OECD study revealed that plastic consumption is set to increase. 

To advance a circular carbon economy, captured carbon could be utilised to created various polymers with electrochemistry, biological conversion, and thermocatalysis. 

Considered more developed than electrochemical processes, biological processes such as microbial synthesis have reached the early-commercialisation stage, with companies such as California-based Newlight having developed a method to turn captured CO2, air, and methane into degradable polymer using a specific microbe. 

According to the report, other successful commercial operations currently include Asah Kasei’s efforts to make aromatic polycarbonates from CO2. 

US-based LanzaTech has also worked with major brands such as Unilever, L’Oreal, On, and Danone to make polymer precursors from carbon emissions captured from industrial processes. 

Despite it being an apparent ‘win-win’ technology, there are still concerns over whether it will actually lead to significant emissions, in addition to potential financial barriers that may slow down commercialisation. 

“As the world’s thirst for plastics does not seem to fade, a circular carbon economy may help maintain people’s lifestyles by fostering a petrochemical industry that sees waste CO2 as a viable feedstock,” stated IDTechEx.

Considered more developed than electrochemical processes, biological processes such as microbial synthesis have reached the early-commercialisation stage, with companies such as California-based Newlight having developed a method to turn captured CO2, air, and methane into degradable polymer using a specific microbe. 

According to the report, other successful commercial operations currently include Asah Kasei’s efforts to make aromatic polycarbonates from CO2. 

US-based LanzaTech has also worked with major brands such as Unilever, L’Oreal, On, and Danone to make polymer precursors from carbon emissions captured from industrial processes. 

Despite it being an apparent ‘win-win’ technology, there are still concerns over whether it will actually lead to significant emissions, in addition to potential financial barriers that may slow down commercialisation. 

“As the world’s thirst for plastics does not seem to fade, a circular carbon economy may help maintain people’s lifestyles by fostering a petrochemical industry that sees waste CO2 as a viable feedstock,” stated IDTechEx.