Polymer recycling by selective dissolution

A method for separating polymers from a physically commingled solid mixture containing at least three polymers, which includes at least two different polymers which are members of the PE family, by selective dissolution, comprising:

• dissolving at least one first polymer of the mixture in a selected solvent at a first temperature to form a first solution and a first remaining solid component which contains at least two polymers of the mixture which are insoluble in the selected solvent at the first temperature but soluble in the selected solvent at higher temperatures;
• separating the first solution from the first remaining solid component;
• separating the at least one first polymer from the selected solvent of the first solution;
• dissolving at least one second polymer from the first remaining solid component in the selected solvent at a second temperature to form a second solution and a second remaining solid component which contains at least one third polymer of the mixture which is insoluble in the selected solvent at the second temperature but soluble in the selected solvent at a third higher temperature;
• separating the second solution from the second remaining solid component;
• separating the at least one second polymer from the selected solvent of the second solution;
• dissolving at least one third polymer from the second remaining solid component in the selected solvent at the third higher temperature to form a third solution;
• and
• separating the at least one third polymer from the selected solvent of the third solution;
• each of the first, second and third solutions initially containing a solid concentration of polymer of from 5% to about 20% by weight and at least two of the first, second and third polymers being two different members of the PE family.