Recycling polymers by mechanical and chemical methods:Poly(Ethyleneterphetalate)

This study investigates PET recycling using both mechanical and chemical methods, with a focus onglycolysis. The findings reveal that chemical recycling, especially glycolysis, offers significantadvantages in efficiency and sustainability over mechanical recycling. Glycolysis effectively breaksdown PET into terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol without compromising quality, though itrequires high temperatures and catalysts. Sodium bicarbonate and zinc acetate catalysts show superiorperformance, with optimal yields at ۳۰۰°C. Additionally, glycolysis has a lower environmentalimpact, making it a more sustainable approach for PET recycling, emphasizing the potential ofchemical methods to enhance polymer waste management.

Keywords:

Chemical recycling , Mechanical recycling , Glycolysis , PET