Chemical recycling of polymer to monomer is a useful strategy in dealing with plastic pollution, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is among the most used plastic in modern society. In this context, we herein describe a facile and efficient method for depolymerizing PET into terephthalic acid (TPA) monomer. Using post-consumer PET bottles, the depolymerization was performed via both basic and acidic hydrolysis under microwave irradiation. The TPA monomer recovery was obtained in sufficiently high yield in a significantly shorter time. The result illustrates the importance of the microwave-assisted technique as a promising recycling method for plastic bottles made from PET. This method of depolymerization of PET can be accomplished in a typical lab period in an undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory and it is particularly fitting when related to the ester hydrolysis topic in the organic lecture.

Chemical recycling of post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles

Where thousands of chemistry professionals meet to share ideas and advance scientific and technical knowledge. Spring 2023 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch at the end of March.

ACS Spring 2023

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.