University of Delaware scientists find process to turn Styrofoam into polymer
Researchers from the University of Delaware and Argonne National Laboratory have developed a method to transform Styrofoam into a valuable electronic and ionic conducting polymer called PEDOT:PSS. The process involves turning polystyrene, the main component of Styrofoam, into a sulfonate. This approach allows the repurposing of plastic waste into functional electronic materials for devices like silicon-based hybrid solar cells and organic electrochemical transistors. The research seeks an optimal balance between efficiency and mildness in the sulfonation process to maintain the integrity of the polymer chain. Read more about PEDOT:PSS.
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