A new strategy to chemically transform waste PET plastic into aerogel with high fire resistance and mechanical strength

It is still a great challenge and tough task to recycle of waste PET plastic into high valuable products. This work highlights a new method to synthesize high–performance PET aerogel (PET–A) with outstanding fire resistance and great compressive strength by waste PET beverage bottles. The prepared PET–A can endure high temperatures up to ∼1300 °C, does not burn and even release any smoke. The maximum compressive strength and Young's modulus of PET–A are 29.1 and 40.3 MPa, respectively. The improvement in thermal stability of PET–A can be attributed to the construction of poly aluminum phosphate networks (Al–O–P–O–Al) with the introduction of Al(H2PO4)3 (AHP). Moreover, the formation of polys–associated hydrogen bonds are responsible for the promotion in mechanical strength. This work provided a new method for recycling of waste PET plastic in the preparation of high value aerogel products.