Conversion of polyethylene to polyesters
AssigneeAlliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
InventorsKatrina Marie KNAUER, Gregg Tyler BECKHAM, Kevin M. WERNKE, Chad Thomas PALUMBO, Stephen Hughes DEMPSEY
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Abstract
Polyesters are an invaluable material used today and are considered more recyclable-by-design and biodegradable than polyolefins. Disclosed herein are methods for up-cycling of polyethylene (PE) to aliphatic polyesters via a two-step oxidative approach. The first step converts PE to a polyketone via a mild oxidation with a radical initiator, solvent, O2, and cobalt catalyst. The second step converts the resulting ketone functionality to the ester via a Baeyer-Villiger oxidation.
Claims20
A method for converting polyethylene into polyester comprising a first step of oxidizing polyethylene;
- and a second step of performing a Baeyer-Villiger oxidation upon the oxidized polyethylene resulting from step 1.
A method for converting polyethylene into polyester comprising a first step of oxidizing polyethylene;
- and a second step of performing a Baeyer-Villiger oxidation upon the oxidized polyethylene resulting from step 1 wherein the first step comprises reacting polyethylene in an aromatic solvent comprising a radical initiator and a catalyst.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.