{
  "id": 970939,
  "title": "Meet Kevin Sun, 17, who built a dissolvable wireless tag to sort plastic",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/15/meet-kevin-sun-17-who-built-a-dissolvable-wireless-tag-to-sort-plastic",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-15T05:31:24.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Times of India",
    "slug": "times-of-india",
    "url": "https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/education/news/meet-kevin-sun-the-17-year-old-massachusetts-student-who-built-a-dissolvable-wireless-tag-to-help-recycling-plants-sort-plastic/articleshow/133256628.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Seventeen-year-old Kevin Sun from Andover, Massachusetts, has created an innovative solution to one of the most significant hurdles in plastic recycling – accurately sorting different types of plastic. The Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) recognized Sun's work with the prestigious 2026 Craig R. Barrett Award for Innovation and a $10,000 prize.\n\nSun's groundbreaking invention is a dissolvable radio-frequency tag that functions as a wireless barcode, enabling plastic materials to be identified during the recycling process. This technology offers a promising alternative to conventional sorting methods, which are often inaccurate due to factors like color and labeling.\n\nThe key to Sun's creation is a tag composed of MXene, a conductive material that can transmit radio-frequency signals, printed directly onto plastic materials. A protective coating is then applied to ensure the tag dissolves in alkaline water, a common cleaning process in recycling facilities. This dissolvable feature ensures that the tag disappears during the recycling process and does not contaminate the recycled product.\n\nTests demonstrated that the tags remained readable for at least six weeks, providing sufficient time for accurate sorting before entering the recycling process. The tag's durability is crucial, as it must retain its identifying information long enough to be effective while simultaneously dissolving during recycling.\n\nSun's work earned him widespread recognition at the 2026 Regeneron ISEF, attended by nearly 1,700 students from over 65 countries. His innovative dissolvable tagging system addresses a real-world recycling problem, demonstrating the potential of combining materials science and wireless technology to improve environmental sustainability. While further development is needed for widespread adoption, Sun's project highlights the importance of knowing the exact type of plastic for efficient recycling.",
  "summary": "In an inspiring breakthrough, a young innovator has developed dissolvable radio-frequency tags designed for identifying plastics. These innovative wireless barcodes enhance the sorting process during recycling, ensuring accurate classification of different plastic types. They dissolve effortlessly during the hot washing cycle, thus eliminating any risk of contaminating the recycled materials.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}