Meet VolCat the recycling system created by IBM

Today I bring you a plastic recycling system that has created by the computer giant IBM, the company is betting on research to help solve environmental problems, one of its most powerful creations is the quantum computer which is developing for some years and has helped him to investigate different fields of science including how to manipulate products of the industrial era such as plastic, thanks to it have created a prototype to recycle called VolCat. Join me to learn more about this invention that promises to revolutionize the world of garbage recycling.

Volcat's main objective is to convert materials such as plastic that has already been discarded into a new material for reuse in the manufacture of different manufacturing areas in general. In theory it is a true pressure reactor that is capable of not only processing plastic, it is also possible to use other materials such as cotton and other natural fibers such as synthetic. Once the material has been processed, it can be converted into powder.

I could name other materials used like carpets, shoes, clothes in general as well as different plastic containers, the system works perfectly with plastics and fabrics based on PET manufacture, to have a simple idea of how the device can work is very similar to the operation of a pressure cooker that works at more than 200 degrees Celsius, so VolCat is able to turn dust almost any plastic material, to the system is added a chemical catalyst that helps the disintegration of the elements placed inside the device.

The destination of the new polymer is for the manufacture of new plastic containers for soft drinks, containers to serve food and everything that comes from PET technology such as carpets, or slippers which means a reduction of highly toxic component for the new manufacture of plastic. Until now the combination of pastic PET with ethylene glycol plus the chemical catalyst manages to pulverize efficiently, then subtracts the process of distillation, filtration and cooling, which changes its name from polymer to monomer a white powder.
At the moment VolCat is a prototype and is in the testing phase. It will have to investigate more about the capabilities that can offer the system with new plastics that use chemicals increasingly more pollutants and increasingly difficult to process for recycling, while VolCat can reduce the need to manufacture new plastic which translates into lower greenhouse gases.

IBM is planning to use this invention to promote the use of glass and metal as materials for the manufacture of various containers, without going very far 70 years ago the containers were not plastic, the companies selling milk had glass bottles, in addition the companies of soft drinks also had glass bottles and many of the kitchen utensils were made of aluminum, with this I do not justify the use of metals and glass that equally impacts the planet earth, much less when there are super interesting projects for the manufacture of bio plastics totally biodegradable and generous to the environment.

The reality is that more than 8 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans, and at least 300 million metric tons of plastic are produced each year, however it is essential to generate solutions such as IBM or any manufacturer that resolves the issue of plastic is a real curse that pursues us.