'Curious Conversations' podcast: Guoliang 'Greg' Liu talks about turning old plastic into soap

Guoliang “Greg” Liu joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about his journey in sustainability, focusing on the innovative process of converting plastic waste into soap. He shared insights on the challenges of controlling the chemical processes involved, the types of plastics used, and the potential for creating both liquid and solid soap products. He emphasized the importance of sustainability in the detergent industry and expressed hope for future commercialization of his work.

About Liu

Liu is a professor of chemistry in the College of Science as well as an affiliated faculty member of the nanoscience program in the Academy of Integrated Science, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering in the College of Engineering, the Macromolecules Innovation Institute, and the Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology. His research focuses on novel ways to integrate materials in order to solve energy and environmental problems.

Takeaways

• Liu’s inspiration for this project came from observing the combustion of firewood during the holiday season.
• Soap can be made from polyethylene – a common plastic used in clear food wrappers, grocery bags, detergent bottles, etc. - by truncating its long molecule chains.
• The soap produced can be either liquid or solid, depending on chain length.

Learn more

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About the podcast

"Curious Conversations" is a series of free-flowing conversations with Virginia Tech researchers that take place at the intersection of world-class research and everyday life. Produced and hosted by Travis Williams, assistant director of marketing and communications for the Office of Research and Innovation, university researchers share their expertise and motivations as well as the practical applications of their work in a format that more closely resembles chats at a cookout than classroom lectures. New episodes are shared each Tuesday.