• The present invention describes a tribochemical method for significant degradation of PTFE in water in presence of common metals and carbohydrates producing nanoplastics in solution.

Method:

• Stirring a polymeric pellet with carbohydrates in water at a temperature range of 60 ˚C-70 ˚C in a metal vessel for 3-30 days to induce triboelectric charging of the polymer surface;
• Interaction of the charged surface with the metal ion wherein, stirring induces triboelectric charging of the polymer surface and the carbohydrates in water induces corrosion of the metal vessels bringing metal ions to the solution to generate a tribochemical reaction between the charged surfaces of the polymer with the metal ions resulting in degradation of polymers.
• Degradation of polymer polytetra fluoroethylene (PTFE) in water in presence of copper and glucose comprises; stirring about 920 mg of PTFE pellet with 1000 ppm glucose in 70 mL water at a temperature of 70 ˚C in a copper vessel; triboelectric charging of the PTFE surface during 30 stirring and interaction of the charged PTFE surface with the copper ions, wherein the said method separates of about 53 mg of solid materials consisting of PTFE fragments and copper in 15 days