Closed-loop recycling of waste PETs through glycolysis
발표자
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초록
내용
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was depolymerized to high-purity bis(2-hydroxyethyl terephthalate) (BHET) monomer via glycolysis using Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs). In this study, Fe3O4 NPs with different shapes, sizes, and surface areas were prepared using various colloidal synthesis techniques, and their PET glycolysis performances and BHET yields were compared. Fe3O4 synthesized by the coprecipitation method exhibited excellent glycolysis performance due to its large surface area (146.6 m2g-1). The glycolysis activity was correlated with the surface area and dispersion of NPs. Commercial PET bottle waste-derived BHET monomers contain trace amounts of metal contamination due to various metal-based additives and catalysts used in PET production. Metal contaminants were successfully removed in BHET using the cation exchange resin Amberlite IRC-120. This study presents a practical and effective way to recycled PET through glycolysis of waste PET.