Researchers at the University of St Andrews have unveiled two breakthrough techniques for chemically recycling and upcycling nitrile‑rubber products, such as disposable gloves, seals, and industrial parts, into new materials that are also capable of capturing carbon dioxide.

The development of sustainable methods for the upcycling of plastic waste is one of the most important challenges in achieving a circular economy and can play a significant role in tackling the climate crisis.

Among various plastics that need to be recycled, nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) has received comparatively little attention, despite a large market of 36 million tons or $2.5 billion globally per year. NBR has wide applications ranging from disposable gloves to hoses, seals, and circular seals used to prevent leaks.

NBR is challenging to recycle due to its thermoset nature, with less than 2% currently recycled, often through low-value downcycling.

However, in a paper published in Angewandte Chemie, researchers from the School of Chemistry at St Andrews introduce two new ways to chemically recycle NBR and turn it into useful new materials.