Toward polymer upcycling—adding value and tackling circularity

Korley, LaShanda T. J.; Epps, Thomas H.; Helms, Brett A.; Ryan, Anthony J.

doi:10.1126/science.abg4503

Cited by 415 publications

(338 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…PE-CANs showed higher solvent resistance, tensile strength, and modulus compared to virgin PE due to the presence of cross-linking bonds generated during the extrusion process. Upcycling of post-consumer plastic waste by reactive extrusion is an interesting area of research which will surely receive much attention in the future; however, characteristics of CAN polymers must be acquired to define new possible manufacturing applications [115].…”

Section: Primary and Secondary Recyclingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent Advancements in Plastic Packaging Recycling: A Mini-Review

et al. 2021

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Today, the scientific community is facing crucial challenges in delivering a healthier world for future generations. Among these, the quest for circular and sustainable approaches for plastic recycling is one of the most demanding for several reasons. Indeed, the massive use of plastic materials over the last century has generated large amounts of long-lasting waste, which, for much time, has not been object of adequate recovery and disposal politics. Most of this waste is generated by packaging materials. Nevertheless, in the last decade, a new trend imposed by environmental concerns brought this topic under the magnifying glass, as testified by the increasing number of related publications. Several methods have been proposed for the recycling of polymeric plastic materials based on chemical or mechanical methods. A panorama of the most promising studies related to the recycling of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polystyrene (PS) is given within this review.

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Section: Primary and Secondary Recyclingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent Advancements in Plastic Packaging Recycling: A Mini-Review

et al. 2021

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“… 27 , 30 − 35 Furthermore, it is worth noting that a typical aim for chemical deconstruction is that the outputs are reconstituted as fuels, chemicals, lubricants, and surfactants as opposed to reintroduced into existing materials streams to directly increase plastics circularity. 22 , 36 …”

Section: Current and Burgeoning Approaches To Sustainable Plasticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Generally, two classes of bio-based materials can be established from a recycling/upcycling standpoint. 36 The first is bio-based polymers derived from monomers that are chemically indistinguishable from their petroleum-based counterparts; examples include (bio)polyisoprene 43 and (bio)polyethylene. 44 A positive aspect of these materials is their renewable origin; however, the steps necessary to obtain these compounds from their biosources, relative to their petrochemical analogues, may have substantial environmental impacts that are much greater than the effects of sourcing virgin petroleum feedstocks.…”

Section: Current and Burgeoning Approaches To Sustainable Plasticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“… 45 The second is bio-based polymers with monomeric and macromolecular structures that are chemically distinct from their petroleum-derived alternatives. 36 Here, we focus on the latter class of materials, as the former can be considered identical to the petrochemical versions from a recycling, upgrading, or upcycling point of view.…”

Section: Current and Burgeoning Approaches To Sustainable Plasticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sustainability of Synthetic Plastics: Considerations in Materials Life-Cycle Management

Epps

Korley

Yan

et al. 2021

JACS Au

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The sustainability of current and future plastic materials is a major focus of basic research, industry, government, and society at large. There is a general recognition of the positive impacts of plastics, especially packaging; however, the negative consequences around end-of-life outcomes and overall materials circularity are issues that must be addressed. In this perspective, we highlight some of the challenges associated with the many uses of plastic components and the diversity of materials needed to satisfy consumer demand, with several examples focused on plastics packaging. We also discuss the opportunities provided by conventional and advanced recycling/upgrading routes to petrochemical and bio-based materials and feedstocks, along with overviews of chemistry-related (experimental, computational, data science, and materials traceability) approaches to the valorization of polymers toward a closed-loop environment.

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“…Plastics and their composites are one of the most widely-applied synthetic materials in the world, with over one third of a billion tones of global production every year [1][2][3][4] . First appeared in early 20-th century and not commercially applied until 50s, plastic products are growing extraordinarily, especially in the packaging market 2 , electrical and electronic products 5 , buildings and constructions, textiles, transportation, and medical equipment 6 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Two-Step Heat Fusion Kinetics and Mechanical Performance of Thermoplastic Interfaces

Wang

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Thermoplastic polymers and composites are ubiquitous in the industry for their reshaping and fusing capabilities at elevated temperature. The quality of heat-fused thermoplastic interfaces is of great concern for adhesion, coating, and welding applications, especially those between dissimilar materials. Kinetic evolution of the microstructures defines the mechanical performance of heat-fusion thermoplastic interfaces, which is studied here using polyethylene and polypropylene as an example. Key factors such as the viscosity and compatibility of polymers and the time and temperature of fusion are discussed by combining molecular-level simulations and structural-level hot-compression experiments. Inter-diffusion and entanglement of polymer chains are identified as the two elementary kinetic steps of the fusion, which dominate the control on the stiffness and strength of the interfaces, respectively. Experimental data shows that the quality of fused interfaces can be improved by reducing the viscosity and the interaction parameter. Following the same set of time-scaling relations as identified in the simulations, the two-step characteristics and their effects on the stiffness and strength are experimentally validated. These findings add insights into the design of fusion processes, laying the ground for the applications of thermoplastic polymers and composites.

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Toward polymer upcycling—adding value and tackling circularity

Cited by 415 publications

References 36 publications

Recent Advancements in Plastic Packaging Recycling: A Mini-Review

Recent Advancements in Plastic Packaging Recycling: A Mini-Review

Sustainability of Synthetic Plastics: Considerations in Materials Life-Cycle Management

Two-Step Heat Fusion Kinetics and Mechanical Performance of Thermoplastic Interfaces

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