Recycled PET in Sustainable Packaging

To tackle growing resource and environmental challenges, closed-loop chemical recycling of waste PET is gaining significant attention. Methanolysis demonstrates industrial potential due to the ease separation purification its depolymerization product, dimethyl terephthalate (DMT). However, conventional methanolysis processes for typically require harsh conditions (>200 C 24 MPa), highlighting need more efficient milder methods. In this work, leveraging Hansens solubility parameter theory, a bio-based solvent gamma-valerolactone (GVL) was introduced construct binary mixed system, enabling highly PET. Through systematic optimization reaction conditions, an in-depth analysis effects various factors on efficiency kinetics conducted. The incorporation GVL markedly enhanced compatibility between PET, thereby significantly improving while effectively lowering temperature pressure. Complete can be achieved within 2 h at 150 under pressure 0.9 MPa, with DMT yield up 97.8%. This GVL/methanol system exhibits higher efficiency, substantial advantages in terms impact energy consumption... Read More

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Abstract Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) products are major contributors to plastic waste, and recycling helps mitigate the problem. This study explored how onestep melt compounding of flakes postconsumer PET bottles with an epoxytype chain extender (CE) glass fiber (GF) would impact properties resulting composite (rPET/GF/CE). Remarkably, elongation at break strength rPET/GF/CE nearly matched those PET/GF, its yield stress exceeded that PET/GF by approximately 15%. GF CE synergically improved complex viscosity rPET (400fold increase for vs. 2 3fold increases PET/CE rPET/GF, respectively.) The highly pronounced shear thinning was primary marker extensive longchain branching (LCB). LCB also altered thermal main factor responsible enhancements in mechanical rheological properties. promotion is likely due diffusion amine groups from surface sized fibers into matrix, where they act as catalysts extension reaction, giving rise LCB. demonstrates waste can be recycled used highperformance applications, example, automotive industry. Highlights Mechanical performanc... Read More

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Device and method for recycling post-consumer plastic waste to produce odorless and contaminant-free pellets for reuse in packaging applications. The process involves shredding, washing, melting, degassing, and granulating the plastic waste. Ozone is added to the melt to oxidize and remove odorants. The ozone concentration is monitored and adjusted to prevent excess ozone emissions. This targeted ozone treatment removes odor-causing compounds from the recycled plastic.

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Crystalline and easily recyclable heat shrinkable polyester film that can be recycled with PET bottles without needing separate sorting. The film has a three-layer structure with a core layer containing a nucleating agent, chain extender, and foaming agent. The nucleating agent accelerates crystallization, the chain extender crosslinks PETG, and the foaming agent expands pores that shrink after heating. This improves film melting point and crystallinity to match PET, prevents sticking and bridging during recycling, and reduces density for higher yield. The film has a surface layer with functional masterbatch to improve printability.

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A process to depolymerize waste polyester plastics like PET into their building blocks using aqueous metal salts at moderate temperatures. The depolymerized monomers and oligomers can then be polymerized again to produce new, high quality, renewable polyesters. The process uses metal salts like zinc bromide or iodide at 100-250°C to depolymerize the waste plastic. The metal salts catalyze the breakage of ester bonds in the polymer chain. The depolymerized monomers and oligomers are then polymerized using conventional techniques to make new polyesters. This allows recycling of waste plastics into like-quality new plastics without losing properties or requiring high temperatures.

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Enhanced PET hydrolyzing enzyme for recycling plastic waste. The enzyme, called IsPETase-8×Chimera, is a modified version of the naturally occurring PET hydrolyzing enzyme IsPETase. The modifications involve replacing specific amino acid sequences in IsPETase to create a variant with improved activity and thermal stability. The IsPETase-8×Chimera enzyme can hydrolyze PET at higher temperatures than native IsPETase, making it more practical for recycling applications where high temperatures are used to process the plastics.

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Eco-friendly plasticizer composition for PVC that provides performance equal to or better than phthalate-based plasticizers while being more environmentally friendly. The composition contains a specific blend of terephthalate esters derived from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and n-butanol. The key components are 2-ethylhexyl(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (HET), di(n-butyl) terephthalate (DBT), (n-butyl)(2-ethylhexyl) terephthalate (BHET), and di(2-ethylhexyl) terephthalate (DEHT). The HET content is limited to 20 wt % based on the total composition to avoid toxicity issues. The method to prepare this plasticizer involves reacting PET

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Extruder for viscosity-increasing processing of meltable polymers, such as recycled PET, that enables efficient degassing and molecular chain extension under high vacuum conditions. The extruder has multiple satellite screws rotating around the main screw at a higher speed to create turbulent flow and loosen the melt. The main screw has varying diameter core in the degassing zones, with a shallower flight upstream and a deeper flight downstream. This abrupt expansion at the core step ruptures the melt stream and increases surface area for volatile extraction. The larger free volume upstream allows sudden melt expansion. The geometry facilitates degassing and chain extension without requiring extreme vacuum levels.

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Purpose This research proposes the application of computational techniques to design a novel biocomposite from material two wastes: recycled PET and Colombian biomass. Design/methodology/approach To select biomass, review crops with higher production environmental impact was done. Subsequently, carried out by homogenization software using first-order Mori-Tanaka method. During design, matrix , different morphologies were proposed for natural fiber reinforcements, taking into account nature biomass: fibers, particles granules. The reinforced continuous pineapple peel fibers presented best characteristics due morphology reinforcement mainly. Findings results designing biomass/PET biomaterials, variations based on biomass types methods. Longitudinal stiffness (E1) significantly increases in PET/pineapple composites compared other attributed tensile strength stress distribution leaf fibers. After enzymatic degumming, show cellulose content crystallinity, enhancing stiffness. In contrast, PET/cocoa PET/avocado exhibit lower stiffness, suitable flexible applications. method shows improves ... Read More

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Abstract This paper focuses on the green recycling technology of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), which, as most widely consumed textile fiber globally, has become a key area in waste research. While traditional acidcatalyzed methods have demonstrated value PET depolymerization, harsh acidic reaction conditions pose significant technical challenges, including catalyst deactivation and severe equipment corrosion. Based principles chemistry engineering, this study innovatively develops temperaturesensitive heteropolyacid catalyst, (HOCH 2 CH N(CH 3 ) x H 3 PW 12 O 40 (Ch , = 1, 2, 3), synthesized by ion exchange between choline chloride phosphotungstic acid. Under optimized (200 C, 7 h, solidliquid ratio 1:10, 0.2 g catalyst), achieves 99% conversion rate 96% recovery terephthalic acid (rTPA), with product purity reaching 99.7%. Kinetic studies based firstorder mechanisms reveal an apparent activation energy E 86.72 kJ/mol for hydrolysis reaction. Notably, through temperature regulation crystallization techniques, used Ch 3x can be easily recovered from product, ma... Read More

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The global plastic waste crisis, particularly from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), demands sustainable recycling solutions. PET methanolysis offers a promising route to recover highpurity dimethyl (DMT), but achieving scalable, costeffective, and environmentally friendly processes under mild conditions remains challenging. This study introduces biobased catalytic system using guaiacol potassium bicarbonate (KHCO3) (120C, 0.6 MPa), 94% DMT 98% ethylene glycol (EG) yields within 2 hours. Unlike conventional acidcatalyzed or cosolventassisted methods, the phenolic hydroxyl group of critically stabilizes tetrahedral intermediate, significantly enhancing efficiency. demonstrates broad versatility across various polyesters realworld streams, including mixed textiles colored plastics, while enabling selective depolymerization. Life cycle assessment (LCA) technoeconomic analysis (TEA) confirm its low carbon footprint, energy efficiency, industrial viability. costeffective scalable strategy solution for recycling, addressing both environmental economic challenge... Read More

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The global plastic waste crisis, particularly from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), demands sustainable recycling solutions. PET methanolysis offers a promising route to recover highpurity dimethyl (DMT), but achieving scalable, costeffective, and environmentally friendly processes under mild conditions remains challenging. This study introduces biobased catalytic system using guaiacol potassium bicarbonate (KHCO3) (120C, 0.6 MPa), 94% DMT 98% ethylene glycol (EG) yields within 2 hours. Unlike conventional acidcatalyzed or cosolventassisted methods, the phenolic hydroxyl group of critically stabilizes tetrahedral intermediate, significantly enhancing efficiency. demonstrates broad versatility across various polyesters realworld streams, including mixed textiles colored plastics, while enabling selective depolymerization. Life cycle assessment (LCA) technoeconomic analysis (TEA) confirm its low carbon footprint, energy efficiency, industrial viability. costeffective scalable strategy solution for recycling, addressing both environmental economic challenge... Read More

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Eco-labels play a crucial role in environmental policy and transformation by promoting sustainable production consumption practices. By integrating packaging-related criteria award for eco-labels the use of more packaging materials designs can be promoted, contributing to reducing greenhouse gas emissions waste. A horizontal integration as minimum standard enhance consistency between different product groups. The feasibility horizontally eco-label has been assessed focusing on German Type I Blue Angel requirement areas recyclability recycled content. For these areas, study indicated that it is possible establish requirements appear largely feasible integrated. In this regard, current upcoming legislation well respective market situation have considered.

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Waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles represent 12% of global plastic waste; however, only 9% are recycled. Hydrothermal processing presents the opportunity to upcycle waste PET into its monomers, particularly, terephthalic acid (TPA). In this study, post-consumer sparkling water were neutrally hydrolysed via a hydrothermal process operating within temperature range 220270 C, residence time 3090 min, and autogenous pressure 2590 bar. Under these conditions, TPA yield varied between 7.34 81.05%, maximum was obtained at 250 90 40 The had more profound impact on conversion than time. values environmental factor (EF) found be 0.0170.106, which comparable those bulk chemicals (EF < 1). With chosen energy (EEI) production estimated 5.29 104 C min. findings demonstrate that neutral hydrolysis is feasible approach for converting polymers monomers under mild conditions. addition, GCMS analysis aqueous-phase product revealed notable increase in secondary degradation products TPA, such as benzoic acid, rising from 66.4% 75.7% increased 220 270 C. mechanisms deca... Read More

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A process for recycling waste plastic into high quality PET resin with recycled content. The process involves depolymerizing waste PET in a methanolysis reaction to form recycled ethylene glycol (r-EG) and recycled dimethyl terephthalate (r-DMT). These recycled monomers are then reacted to form recycled PET polymer. The recycled PET is pelletized and crystallized to produce high quality recycled PET particles. This allows efficiently recycling mixed plastic waste into PET with recycled content and reduces the need for virgin PET.

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Chemical recycling device for converting used PET bottles into new PET bottles with less energy compared to traditional recycling methods. The device has two tanks - a depolymerization tank to break down the PET into a depolymerized product, and a polymerization tank to synthesize the depolymerized product into new PET. This allows recycling the PET without melting and cooling steps, reducing energy waste. The new PET is then supplied to a molding machine to make new bottles.

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Recycling waste polyester back into a polyester resin with equivalent quality to virgin resin. The key is using recycled bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET) with specific impurity levels. The BHET should have a peak area fraction of bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate of 96% or more and a peak area fraction of 2-hydroxyethyl[2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethyl] terephthalate of 2.5% or less. This adjustment reduces impurities like diethylene glycol esters. The BHET is then used in polyester resin preparation along with adjusted glycol/acid ratios to maintain quality.

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A low-carbon, high-yield, economically viable, environmentally friendly, and high-throughput method for depolymerizing post-consumer polyester waste like PET into usable monomers. The method involves hot-melt extrusion of the waste with a depolymerization agent and inorganic salts. The salts plasticize the waste during extrusion, allowing better access of the depolymerization agent to the polyester chains. This enhances depolymerization efficiency compared to solvent-based methods. The salts also act as porogens, forming pores in the waste. After extrusion, the waste is separated and the monomers are further purified. The waste residue can be further depolymerized enzymatically.

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ABSTRACT The food packaging industry is evolving to meet demands for circularity, costeffectiveness, lower carbon footprint and higher production efficiency with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) emerging as a preferred material packaging. Despite its advantages, PET faces two main challenges in flexible barrier applications, such flow packs or formfillseal pouches. First, films often lack adequate moisture oxygen barriers, limiting their range of applications. Second, the high melting temperature around 250C complicates sealing process, causing deformation poorquality seals. Traditional solutions involve multilayer films, which laminated superior permeationbarrier layer meltingtemperature heatsealing layer. This results nonrecyclable packaging, posing sustainability issues. In present work, PETbased heat sealable were developed address these Specifically, waterbased organicinorganic hybrid nanocomposite solgel coating was applied one side 23m thick film, followed by drying curing. thickness subsequent coatings approximately 2.3 m. solgel's... Read More

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Durable hollow particles that resist deformation like rupture or denting during processing and use. The hollow particles are manufactured by expanding heat-expandable microspheres. The microspheres have a thermoplastic resin shell containing a thermally gasifiable blowing agent. They also contain an organic silicon compound that exists below or on the shell surface. The organic silicon compound helps resist deformation when the microspheres expand into hollow particles.

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