DUKE UNIVERSITY: NEW AWARD, IGNITTE - CONTROL #: 3224-1530 PROJECT TITLE: UPGRADING PLASTIC WASTE INTO LOW-COST POROUS ADSORBENTS FOR DIRECT AIR CAPTURE THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO USE AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO ADDRESS THE CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGE POSED BY PLASTIC WASTE AND THE URGENT NEED FOR SCALABLE DIRECT AIR CAPTURE TECHNOLOGIES. DUKE'S RESEARCH FOCUSES ON THE CHEMICAL UPCYCLING OF POLYMERS, TRANSFORMING DISCARDED PLASTICS INTO HIGH-VALUE ADSORBENTS FOR COST-EFFECTIVE CARBON CAPTURE. OUR TECHNICAL APPROACH LEVERAGES THE INHERENT PROPERTIES OF PLASTICS - DURABILITY AND RESISTANCE TO DEGRADATION - REPURPOSING THEM INTO POROUS ADSORBENTS THROUGH A SERIES OF STRATEGIC MODIFICATIONS. THE CORE LIES IN DECONSTRUCTING POLYMERS INTO FUNCTIONALIZED INTERMEDIATES AND RECONSTRUCTING THEM UNDER MILD CONDITIONS.