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CONVERTING FACE MASKS INTO NEW MATERIALS

KAUST professor develops sustainable method for separating and reusing valuable chemicals

Among the numerous challenges that public health systems faced during the COVID-19 pandemic was the significant amount of waste caused by discarded face masks. In 2021, 129 billion face masks were thrown away worldwide, creating a new source of environmental contamination. Through innovative chemical engineering processes, KAUST Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering Gyorgy Szekely found a new way to reuse materials in face masks by using a method that has the potential to benefit a number of sectors through wider use.

Szekely’s research focused on finding ways to separate chemicals to make pure versions of the compounds by combining materials science and chemical engineering. The sustainable production of chemicals, pharmaceuticals and clean water is largely affected by the efficiency of separation processes in product supply chains, as conventional separation processes can account for as much as 80% of manufacturing costs and around 10% of global energy consumption. Szekely’s team studied the potential of advanced membrane and imprinted materials when it comes to the efficient purification and sustainable processing of fine chemicals and water.

Chemicals are typically separated through heating, but these industrial processes are energy-intensive and result in significant carbon emissions. Replacing them by utilizing more sustainable solutions, such as porous membranes, could play a major role in reducing emissions and advancing sustainable practices. By realizing that discarded face masks have useful plastics in them, Szekely designed a process to convert them into

GYORGY SZEKELY Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering

THIS SUSTAINABLE METHOD CAN BENEFIT SEVERAL INDUSTRIES – INCLUDING PHARMACEUTICALS, PAINT, AND FOOD AND BEVERAGE – IN RECOVERING SOLVENTS, AND SEPARATING PETROCHEMICALS AND HIGH-VALUE COMPOUNDS.

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ADVANCED MATERIALS

“The upcycling of polymer waste and the exploitation of renewable resources for the fabrication of advanced separation materials are highly sought-after and pave the way towards a greener economy.”

Ashutosh Tiwari, Director, International Association of Advanced Materials

pure polymer beads and membranes for use in separating petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals and other compounds. The oil refining industry in Saudi Arabia is a high-value example of where the technology could be useful.

“Sustainability is the main driver helping Saudi Aramco meet its carbon circularity and net-zero goals,” said Sustainability Lead at Saudi Aramco Dr. Ameerah Bokhari. “We expect that [Szekely’s] pioneering research will create environmentally benign ways to address our separation and upcycling challenges, and therefore directly contribute to the Saudi Green Initiative and Vision 2030.”

Joyce Cavalcante, PhD student, estimates that this upcycling process could generate a profit of $28.35 million from the sale of membranes, save $441,000 on waste management, and eliminate about 560 tons of carbon emissions, the equivalent of planting 20,000 trees. Szekely’s work won the Sustainability Award from the International Association of Advanced Materials (IAAM) during its Advanced Materials World Congress in October 2022. “The IAAM strives to utilize the sector of advanced materials to find solutions to the world’s pressing issues,” said IAAM Director Ashutosh Tiwari. “Professor Szekely has been honored with the IAAM Sustainability Award 2022 in recognition of his contribution to the development of greener polymer membranes.”