Microsoft uses recycled ocean-bound plastics in Surface dock

Waste plastic can also be coverted to green hydrogen and graphene, researchers find

Microsoft has taken a step towards sustainability by using recycled ocean plastic in the production of a power supply and dock for its Surface laptop.

The Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock features enclosures made from polycarbonate derived from advanced recycled ocean-bound plastic (OBP), accounting for 20% of the material.

"Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock and power supply unit enclosures (excluding the AC cable) are attributed to 20% ocean-bound plastic and features lighter materials than our previous docks," Microsoft says.

"Single-use plastics have been removed from Surface Thunderbolt™ 4 Dock packaging, making it about 99% recyclable in OECD countries."

OBP is categorised as plastic waste at high risk of ending up in the ocean. This type of plastic accounts for a staggering 80% of plastic marine litter, which poses a severe threat to marine life and ecosystems.

It primarily consists of non-commercially recyclable plastic waste but also includes a small fraction of commercially recyclable plastics.

By utilising OBP in its accessories, Microsoft is demonstrating the feasibility of converting this harmful waste into high-performance materials suitable for use in consumer electronics.

The Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock is not the first product in Microsoft's sustainability-focused line-up.

In 2021, the company introduced the "Ocean Plastic Mouse," a wireless mouse designed with 20% recycled ocean plastic.

The Ocean Plastic Mouse can connect via Bluetooth and features a shell made from recycled ocean plastic.

"The shell of this eco-friendly mouse is made with 20% recycled ocean plastic, a breakthrough in materials technology that begins with the removal of plastic waste from oceans and waterways," Microsoft says.

The company described the product as a "small step forward" in its sustainability journey.

Turning waste plastics into hydrogen and graphene

In a similar development, researchers at Rice University in Houston, Texas recently announced a promising breakthrough in the quest for sustainable hydrogen production, offering a green alternative by harvesting hydrogen from plastic waste.

This method, which also yields valuable graphene as a by-product, promises to transform the hydrogen industry while simultaneously addressing the global plastic waste crisis.

Hydrogen has long been hailed as a clean energy source with enormous potential, but the environmental benefits largely depend on how it is produced.

Conventionally, hydrogen is obtained by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity, which can be sustainable when powered by renewable energy sources.

However, this process is known for its high costs, and today, most hydrogen is produced by reacting methane from fossil fuels with steam, resulting in substantial CO2 emissions as a by-product.

The researchers, led by Kevin Wyss, a Rice doctoral alumnus, unveiled their ground-breaking approach in a study published in Advanced Materials.

Wyss explained, "In this work, we converted waste plastics ⎯ including mixed waste plastics that don't have to be sorted by type or washed ⎯ into high-yield hydrogen gas and high-value graphene."

"If the produced graphene is sold at only 5% of current market value ⎯ a 95% off sale! ⎯ clean hydrogen could be produced for free."

The low-emissions process relies on a technique called flash joule heating, which involves grinding plastic waste, mixing it with a conductive material, and passing a high voltage through it.

The process involves heating the mixture to approximately 5,000 °C in just 4 seconds, causing the carbon atoms in the plastic to fuse into graphene while releasing hydrogen and other volatile gases.

While the transition to industrial-scale implementation presents challenges, researchers are optimistic that smaller-scale deployment could happen within five years, with large-scale adoption following within a decade.