Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Chemical Recycling of Mixed Plastics in Electronic Waste Using Solvent-Based Processing

Researchers developed a solvent-based chemical recycling process capable of separating and recovering mixed plastics from electronic shredder residue, demonstrating that targeted solvent systems can selectively dissolve specific polymer types and enable higher-quality recycling of e-waste plastics.

2021 Processes 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Current Advances and Challenges in Chemical Recycling of Polymeric Materials

This review examines current advances and remaining challenges in chemical recycling of polymeric materials as an alternative to mechanical recycling, which degrades material properties with repeated cycling. The authors discuss the high efficiency and simpler preprocessing requirements of chemical recycling methods against a backdrop of approximately 150 million metric tonnes of annual global plastic waste generation.

2023 Preprints.org 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Process parameter optimization for waste polyethylene terephthalate bottle depolymerization using neutral hydrolysis

Researchers optimized process parameters for the neutral hydrolysis depolymerization of waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles as a chemical recycling strategy to address growing plastic waste accumulation in landfills. The study identified key conditions that improve depolymerization efficiency, offering a pathway to recover high-quality monomers from post-consumer PET.

2024 Research Square (Research Square) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Chemical Recyclingof Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)Driven by the Use of Protic Ionic Liquids: A Strategy to MitigateMicroplastic Pollution

Researchers developed a chemical recycling process for polyethylene terephthalate plastic using protic ionic liquids as green solvents, enabling depolymerization under milder conditions than conventional methods. The approach achieved high PET conversion rates and yielded recyclable monomers, offering a more sustainable alternative for addressing PET waste and associated microplastic pollution.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Environmental Sustainability of Solvent Extraction Method in Recycling Marine Plastic Waste

A solvent-based dissolution-reprecipitation method successfully recovered high-density polyethylene and polypropylene from real marine plastic debris with recovery rates above 87%, while a lifecycle assessment showed the process has a lower environmental footprint than conventional plastic production. This offers a promising pathway to recycle ocean plastic back into usable materials rather than downcycling or landfilling it.

2023 Sustainability 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Optimisation of Process Parameters to Maximise the Oil Yield from Pyrolysis of Mixed Waste Plastics

Researchers optimized the process parameters for thermal pyrolysis of mixed waste plastics to maximize oil yield from HDPE, polypropylene, and polystyrene. The study used response surface methodology to identify ideal conditions for converting plastic waste into pyrolytic oil, supporting chemical recycling as a strategy to reduce plastic pollution.

2024 Sustainability 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Chemical Recycling of Plastics by Microwave‐Assisted High‐Temperature Pyrolysis

Researchers developed a microwave-assisted high-temperature pyrolysis method that continuously breaks down mixed plastic waste and plant oil into useful chemicals like ethylene and propylene. This chemical recycling approach could help divert plastic waste from the environment while producing renewable building blocks for new materials.

2020 Global Challenges 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Optimization of Pressurized Alkaline Hydrolysis for Chemical Recycling of Post-Consumer PET Waste

This study optimized pressurized alkaline hydrolysis conditions for chemically recycling post-consumer PET waste into its constituent monomers, demonstrating a pathway to improve the efficiency of PET depolymerization.

2024 Materials 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Complementary roles for mechanical and solvent-based recycling in low-carbon, circular polypropylene

Researchers quantified the life-cycle greenhouse gas implications of combining mechanical and solvent-based recycling for polypropylene. The study found that mechanical recycling offers substantial emissions savings but degrades material quality over successive cycles, while solvent-assisted recycling can produce near-virgin quality output at a higher energy cost. Evidence indicates that using both methods together could boost overall recycling rates and satisfy demand for a wider range of product applications.

2023 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Polymer‐Based Recycling Strategies for Plastic Waste: A Comprehensive Review

This comprehensive review evaluates mechanical and chemical recycling strategies for plastic waste, noting that mechanical recycling is widely used but limited by polymer degradation, while chemical recycling offers higher quality recovery but at greater energy and financial cost. The study highlights emerging technologies including AI-assisted sorting, nanotechnology, and biodegradable polymer development as promising approaches for building a more circular plastics economy.

2026 Environmental Quality Management
Article Tier 2

Chemical recycling of post-consumer polyester wastes using a tertiary amine organocatalyst

Researchers developed a metal-free chemical recycling method using a common amine catalyst to break down PET and other polyesters from post-consumer plastic waste — including textiles and multilayer packaging — into reusable monomers with 100% yield. This technique offers a simpler, more efficient path to closing the plastic recycling loop.

2024 Cell Reports Physical Science 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Crucial role of pre-treatment in plastic photoreforming for precision upcycling

Researchers reviewed how pre-treating plastic waste before photoreforming — a process that uses sunlight to convert plastic into useful chemicals — dramatically affects what products are made and how efficiently. Understanding how polymer structure and preparation influence the reaction is key to turning plastic waste into valuable resources sustainably.

2025 npj Materials Sustainability 6 citations
Article Tier 2

On technological solutions for recycling of recycling of polymer waste: A review

This paper is not directly about microplastics; it reviews technological approaches to recycling polymer waste — mechanical, chemical, and energy-based methods — and analyzes their economic and environmental trade-offs. Better plastic recycling technology is relevant to microplastic prevention insofar as it reduces the amount of plastic that degrades into environmental microplastic particles.

2024 E3S Web of Conferences 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Expanding plastics recycling technologies: chemical aspects, technology status and challenges

This review examined the full life cycle of plastics and evaluated options for managing plastic waste, with a focus on chemical recycling technologies. The study suggests that overcoming barriers to industrial chemical recycling could open new opportunities for reducing plastic pollution.

2022 Green Chemistry 511 citations
Article Tier 2

Mechanochemical and Mechanobiological Recycling of Postconsumer Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) Plastics under Microwave irradiation: A comparative study.

Researchers developed a rapid mechanical pretreatment using microwave irradiation to improve PET plastic recycling under mild, environmentally friendly conditions. More efficient PET recycling reduces the amount that ends up in landfills or the environment, where it breaks down into microplastics.

2023
Article Tier 2

Reciclagem química conduzida pelo uso de líquidos iônicos, como estratégia para mitigar a poluição por microplásticos

This study used low-toxicity ionic liquids to chemically recycle PET microplastics under mild temperature and pressure conditions. Ionic liquids offer a greener alternative to the harsh solvents typically needed for chemical recycling. The approach could help address microplastic pollution by providing a more environmentally friendly way to break down and recover value from tiny plastic particles that are difficult to collect and recycle by conventional means.

2024 LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas)
Article Tier 2

Catalytic Amounts of an Antibacterial Monomer Enable the Upcycling of Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) Waste

Scientists developed a new method to recycle PET plastic waste (commonly used in bottles) into high-value antibacterial material using only small amounts of a special monomer. This approach addresses both plastic pollution and the need for antimicrobial materials, while avoiding the biotoxicity problems of traditional metal-based antibacterial agents. The technique represents a promising way to upcycle plastic waste rather than simply discarding it.

2023 Advanced Materials 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Pretreatment of Plastic Waste: Removal of Colorants from HDPE Using Biosolvents

Researchers demonstrated that biosolvents derived from renewable sources can effectively remove colorant additives from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic waste prior to recycling, improving the quality of recycled material and enabling its use in higher-value applications.

2021 Molecules 46 citations
Article Tier 2

New Technologies are Needed to Improve the Recycling and Upcycling of Waste Plastics

This editorial review highlighted urgent needs and emerging chemical technologies for improving the recycling and upcycling of waste plastics, covering challenges related to end-of-life plastic valorization.

2021 ChemSusChem 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Chemical recycling of polyolefins: a closed-loop cycle of waste to olefins

This review examines chemical recycling methods that can convert polyolefin plastic waste back into olefins, creating a true closed-loop cycle. Researchers describe how pyrolysis, including thermal, catalytic, and solvent-based approaches, breaks down plastic waste into reusable chemical building blocks. The study suggests that chemical recycling holds significant potential for addressing plastic pollution by turning waste into valuable raw materials rather than sending it to landfills.

2023 National Science Review 88 citations