Method of cracking polymeric materials catalyzed by copper
AssigneeOhio University
InventorJared A. Butcher, Jr.
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Abstract
The present invention is a method for depolymerizing or "cracking" polymeric materials. The method of the present invention may be used in the disposal and/or recycling of such materials. Products of the degradation of polymeric materials using the present method may be recycled or more easily treated for disposal. The present invention is a process for degrading, depolymerizing or "cracking" a polymeric material, otherwise amenable to cracking by alkali fusion, comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a molten reaction mixture comprising: (i) a basic material; (ii) a source of copper; and (iii) said polymeric material; and (b) maintaining said molten mixture at a temperature sufficient to reflux said molten mixture for sufficient time to depolymerize said polymeric material.
Claims4
A method of depolymerizing a polymeric material, said method comprising the steps:
- (a) preparing a molten mixture comprising:
- (i) a basic material selected from the group consisting of NaOH, KOH, Na.sub.2 B.sub.4 O.sub.7.10H.sub.2 O, Na.sub.3 BO.sub.3, Na.sub.2 SiO.sub.3, K.sub.2 SiO.sub.3, and mixtures thereof;
- (ii) a source of copper selected from the group consisting of copper metal, univalent copper, divalent copper, and mixtures thereof;
- and
- (iii) a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, and polypropylene;
- and
- (b) maintaining said molten mixture under an unpressurized air atmosphere and at a temperature sufficient to reflux said molten mixture at a temperature below about 250.degree. C. for sufficient time to depolymerize said polymeric material.
A method of depolymerizing a polyethylene, said method comprising the steps:
- (c) preparing a molten mixture comprising:
- (i) a basic material selected from the group consisting of NaOH, KOH and Na.sub.2 B.sub.4 O.sub.7.10H.sub.2 O, Na.sub.3 BO.sub.3, Na.sub.2 SiO.sub.3, K.sub.2 SiO.sub.3, and mixtures thereof;
- (ii) a source of copper selected from the group consisting of copper metal, univalent copper, divalent copper, and mixtures thereof;
- and
- (iii) a material comprising polyethylene;
- and
- (d) maintaining said molten mixture under air at atmospheric pressure and at a temperature sufficient to reflux said molten mixture so as to form a vapor and at a temperature, as measured from said vapor, below about 250.degree. C. for sufficient time to depolymerize said material comprising polyethylene.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.