Poly thermal recycling

The opponents of thermal recycling are concerned with the environment the presence of too high a proportion of poly(vinyl chloride) in the plastic waste, if the incineration is not carried out correctly, can lead to the presence of dioxins in the flue gase there is also concern that the energy used in manufacturing the polymer is not recovered. 

Torres, N., Robin, J. J. and Boutevin, B., Study of thermal and mechanical properties of virgin and recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate) before and after injection moulding, Eur. Polym. J., 36, 2075-2080 (2000). 

Because of the resemblance to the 1,4-butane diol in the above example, it is worth mentioning that polyethylene glycol) (PEG) and poly(propyleneglycol) (PPG) have attracted interest as novel solvents for catalytic processes (see Fig. 7.2 for examples). They are both relatively inexpensive and readily available materials. They are essentially non-toxic (PPG is often used as a solvent for pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations and both are approved for use in beverages) and have good biodegradability. Moreover, they are immiscible with water, non-volatile, thermally robust and can, in principle, be readily recycled after removal of the product. 

Other materials in waste that is thermally processed also were studied by pyrolytic techniques, typically with the purpose of regenerating the monomers or of obtaining other useful small molecules. For example, pyrolytic studies were performed for the evaluation of the possibilities for re-utilization of nylon carpet waste [7], the recycling of thermoset polymeric composites [8], the recovery of methyl methacrylate from poly(methyl methacrylate) waste [9], as well as for other raw material recovery from pyrolysis of plastic waste [10]. The results of incineration of various other types of waste also were studied at model scale [11, 12). These studies were applied to specific waste materials associated with the manufacturing process or to municipal solid waste [13-15)... 

The pyrolysis process for waste recycling is frequently done at larger scale than analytical pyrolysis. However, analytical pyrolysis studies are performed independently for the understanding and the optimization of such processes [10,16-19]. Also, model mixtures can be used in parallel with real samples. For example, the comparison of thermal degradation products from real municipal waste plastic and model mixed plastics can help understand the compounds generated in waste incinerators. In one such study [20], analytical pyrolysis of real municipal plastic waste obtained from Sapporo, Japan and model mixed plastics was carried out at 430 °C in atmospheric pressure by batch operation. The chlorinated hydrocarbons found in degradation liquid products of poly(ethylene)/poly(propylene)/ poly(styrene)/poly(vinyl chloride) and other polymeric mixtures were monitored. It was determined that the presence of poly(ethylene terephthalate), in addition to chlorinated plastics in the waste, facilitates... 

Polymer concretes show excellent mechanical properties and chemical resistance compared with conventional cement concretes. Polymer concretes can be cured quickly by the use of curing agents. Thus, the applications of polymer concretes are being increased. One of the popular polymers for polymer concretes is unsaturated polyester (UPE) resin. The properties of UPE resin can be modified by changing its molecular features. For the synthesis of the resin, phthalic anhydride or isophthalic acid as well as maleic anhydride can be employed to modify the mechanical properties or hydrothermal resistance. Terephthalic acid which is also used for the synthesis of poly ethylene terephthalate (PET) enhances the thermal resistance of the cured UPE resin. However, the synthesis of unsaturated polyester resin from terephthalic acid is difficult. One method to synthesize unsaturated polyester from terephthalic acid is the use of recycled PET. 

Various UPE resins based on recycled poly ethylene terephthalate(PET) were prepared and the properties of the polymer mortar made with the UPE as well as those of the cured resin itself were investigated. It was found that degree of unsaturation of the resins was the most important property affecting thermal and mechanical properties of the cured resin and PM. The cured unsaturated polyester resin or polymer mortar made from resins of higher unsaturation, i.e., less PET content or adipic acid content in the resin, showed higher glass transition temperatures,... 

In this entry, the effect of blending recyclable poly-(propylene) (PP) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) with lignin on carbon fiber production is presented. We discuss the effects of lignin structure and specific intermolecular interactions on lignin thermal properties as well as the effect of blend composition on surface morphology, mechanical properties, and the manufacturing process of lignin/recyclable plastic-based carbon fibers. 

Poly(lactic acid) (PL A) is a renewable resource-based bioplastic with many advantages, compared to other synthetic polymers. PL A is eco-friendly, because, apart from being derived from renewable resources such as corn, wheat, or rice, it is recyclable and compostable [1, 2]. PLA is biocompatible, as it has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for direct contact with biological fluids [3] and has better thermal processability compared to other biopolymers such as poly(hydroxy alkanoate)s (PHAs), poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), or poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) [4]. Moreover, PLA requires 25-55% less energy to be produced than petroleum-based polymers, and estimations show that this can be further reduced by 10% [5]. 

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