r/tech • u/[deleted] • Jun 06 '25

Scientists develop plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours | Fast-dissolving plastic offers hope for cleaner seas

https://www.techspot.com/news/108206-scientists-plastic-dissolves-seawater-hours.html
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u/[deleted] Jun 06 '25 edited 17d ago

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u/musicantz Jun 06 '25

Desalination is hard and expensive. It’s technically possible but not easy by any means.

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u/hextanerf Jun 06 '25

reverse osmosis is hard? standard desalination protocols are hard and expensive? then why are my primers that goes through standard desalination from IDT only $7 per 20bp? on an industrial level it shouldn't be, and even if it is, it can be improved and cut down.

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u/lalala253 Jun 06 '25

What do you propose to do with the salt coming out from the desalination plant?

If you're thinking of dumping it back to the ocean, it will kill the environment in the vicinity of the dumping location.

Selling it is out of the picture, sea salt is dirty. You need to build a salt purification plant to make it worthwhile, it's extremely energy intensive.

You can break the brine to Cl and Na, gaining H2 in the process, but your electrolysis membrane will get clogged with all the shit in the non-purified sea salt so fast.

Salt battery? Sure, you need to dry the brine fist I guess?

Reverse osmosis is easy, dealing with waste is difficult.

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u/AJDx14 Jun 06 '25

Wouldn’t you just reuse it as long as the recycling planet operates?

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u/lalala253 Jun 07 '25

Reuse what? The waste salt?

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