Intelligent non-persistent polyethylene-like materials (INPEW)

Plastics fulfil irreplaceable functions in practically every modern technology. This raises the question of how they can be prevented from persisting for decades and entering organisms, for example in the form of microplastics. The research project aims to answer the question of whether and how degradable materials are possible. To this end, it is pursuing the concept of intelligent materials with embedded microphases that promote colonisation by natural microorganisms in freshwaters or the sea, thereby triggering their complete degradation. The aim is to develop a concept for smart materials that are crystalline and mechanically resistant, but degrade in the environment, especially in the sea and freshwaters.