Recycling of post-consumer poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) which is a non-biodegradable polymer is of great interest for both environment and economic reasons. In this study depolymerization of recycled PET flakes using excess of ethylene glycol (EG) was investigated. The glycolysis reactions were carried out at 190 oC under atmospheric pressure using organic green catalysts, cinchona alkaloids (cinchonidine (CD), hydroquinidine 4-chlorobenzoate (HCD), and quinine (Qn)) [This the first study that used cinchona alkaloids as catalysts in this reaction] with a weight ratio of PET/EG, 1:5 and CD/PET 1:10. The monomer bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET) and oligomers were mainly glycolysis products. It has a good yield (~56-67%) of the main glycolysis product, the monomer BHET which was separated from the dimer. The products were characterized by 1H NMR, DSC, and elemental analysis. In this depolymerization process, we have used inexpensive and environment friendly catalysts that can replace the conventional process for chemical recycling.

Glycolysis of poly(ethylene terephthalate) waste using cinchona alkaloids as organic catalysts

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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