25 YEARS ANNIVERSARY 15 PETplanet Insider Vol. 25 No. 05/24 www.petpla.net Solvolysis The solvent-based solvolysis describes a chemical process based on depolymerisation which can be achieved with different solvents. This process breaks down polymers (mainly PET) into their building units (e.g. monomers, dimers, oligomers). After breakdown, the building units need to be cleaned from the other plastic components (e.g. additives, pigments, fillers, non-targeted polymers). After cleaning, the component parts are polymerised to synthesise new polymers. With only 24 companies involved, fewer solvolysis technology providers are on the market compared to pyrolysis which likewise offers smaller capacities, typically between 550-8,750 t/a. Of the identified solvolysis technology providers a majority are located in Europe (14 providers) followed by North America (seven), Japan (two), and China (one provider). In the case of nine companies, the majority of providers are mainly small enterprises. Large providers consist of seven companies, whilst five are medium scale and two are micro/start-up enterprises. Among the large enterprises are Aquafil (Arco, Trentino, Italy, Eastman Chemical Company (Kingsport, TN, USA), IFP Energies Nouvelles (IFPEN) (Rueil-Malmaison, France), International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) (Armonk, NY, USA), DuPont Teijin Films (Tokyo, Japan), and Dow (Midland, MI, USA). Dissolution Dissolution describes a solvent-based technology that is based on physical processes. Targeted polymers from mixed plastic wastes can be dissolved in a suitable solvent, leaving the chemical structure of the polymer intact. Dissolution is suitable for PET, but most suppliers primarily focus on PP/PE. However, where high PET content is desired, solutions for PET are available. Other plastic components (e.g. additives, pigments, fillers, non-targeted polymers) remain undissolved and can be cleaned from the dissolved target polymer. Afterwards an anti-solvent is added to initiate the precipitation of the target polymer. The polymer can be obtained directly, and in contrast to solvolysis, no polymerisation step is needed. Currently, the process is achieving a maximum capacity of 8,000 t/a; the majority of the nine identified technology providers is located in Europe (four providers), followed by North America (three), China (one), and the rest of the world (one provider). In the case of three of the companies, most are small enterprises followed by micro/start-up- (two companies), medium- (two companies), and a large (two companies) enterprise which is represented by Shuye Environmental Technology (Shantou, China). Enzymolysis An alternative path is represented by enzymolysis, a technology based on biochemical processes utilising different kinds of biocatalysts to depolymerise a polymer into its building units. Being in an early development phase, this technology is available only at lab-scale. Currently, only one enzymolysis technology provider was identified which is a small enterprise located in Europe. The process is suitable for PET. www.pti-usa.com • info@pti-usa.com Engineering Packaging from Concept to Commercialization®
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