image: The figure describes a novel upcycling process that converts polyurethane waste into valuable intermediates, and these intermediated are further synthesized into functional polymers.
Credit: ©Science China Press
This study is led by Prof. Ding Ma and Prof. Meng Wang (Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, Mew Cornerstone Science Laboratory, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University). The research team developed a carefully engineered heterogeneous catalytic system for the upcycling of polyurethane waste into valuable intermediates, and these intermediates were then converted into functional polymers.
For the initial catalytic depolymerization step, the research team utilized a mixture of CO2/H2, a highly effective reaction medium for the catalytic hydrogenative depolymerization of polyurethane waste into diamines, diols, and lactones. During the process, a total product yield of 86% was obtained using an inverse ZnO-ZrO2/Cu catalysts at 200 ℃. The designed catalyst uniquely facilitated both the conversion of CO2 to methanol and the hydrogenation of plastic depolymerization reaction. In the next upcycling step, the purified diamines and lactones were utilized to synthesize polyimide and polylactone, respectively. The synthesized polyimide film exhibited excellent energy-storage capabilities, and the polylactone showed both satisfactory chemical recyclability and ductile properties.
“The developed upcycling strategy not only addresses the valorization of end-of-life polyurethane waste but also offers a sustainable route for transforming plastic waste into high-performance and valuable materials, contributing to a circular economy.” Ma says.
See the article:
Chemical transformation of polyurethane into valuable polymers
https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwae393
Journal
National Science Review