Chemical recycling of bioplastics: technical opportunities to preserve chemical functionality as path towards a circular economy

Arribas, Angel Merchan; Fischöder, Thomas; Hee, Johann; Lehnertz, Marcus S.; Osterthun, Ole; Pielsticker, Stefan; Schleier, Julia; Tiso, Till; Blank, Lars M.; Klankermayer, Jürgen; Kneer, Reinhold; Quicker, Peter; Walther, Grit; Palkovits, Regina

doi:10.1039/d2gc02244c

Cited by 36 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 164 publications

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“…Even for the third run under these conditions a high activity was detected, reaching a PLA conversion of 99 % and a product yield of 88 %. A still convenient activity was detected after the fourth run (Figure 6), classifying the recycling of C1 after solvent‐free PLA methanolysis in the same region as for the microwave assisted process presented by Enthaler and co‐workers [40] Concerning the potential use of C1 in industry, the recyclability of the catalyst is a major benefit that needs to be emphasized in the development of new catalysts for chemical recycling of bioplastics, as recently stated by Palkovits and co‐workers [11b] …”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 58%

A Multitool for Circular Economy: Fast Ring‐Opening Polymerization and Chemical Recycling of (Bio)polyesters Using a Single Aliphatic Guanidine Carboxy Zinc Catalyst

et al. 2023

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A new aliphatic hybrid guanidine N,O‐donor ligand (TMGeech) and its zinc chloride complex ([ZnCl2(TMGeech)]) are presented. This complex displays high catalytic activity for the ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of lactide in toluene, exceeding the toxic industry standard tin octanoate by a factor of 10. The high catalytic activity of [ZnCl2(TMGeech)] is further demonstrated under industrially preferred melt conditions, reaching high lactide conversions within seconds. To bridge the gap towards a sustainable circular (bio)economy, the catalytic activity of [ZnCl2(TMGeech)] for the chemical recycling of polylactide (PLA) by alcoholysis in THF is investigated. Fast production of different value‐added lactates at mild temperatures is demonstrated. Selective PLA degradation from mixtures with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and a polymer blend, catalyst recycling, and a detailed kinetic analysis are presented. For the first time, chemical recycling of post‐consumer PET producing different value‐added materials is demonstrated using a guanidine‐based zinc catalyst. Therefore, [ZnCl2(TMGeech)] is a promising, highly active multitool, not only to implement a circular (bio)plastics economy, but also to tackle today's ongoing plastics pollution.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 58%

A Multitool for Circular Economy: Fast Ring‐Opening Polymerization and Chemical Recycling of (Bio)polyesters Using a Single Aliphatic Guanidine Carboxy Zinc Catalyst

et al. 2023

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“…It was additionally claimed that Carbios’ promising technology was the closest to a system proven in an operational environment (TRL 9) . Since then, a demonstration plant has been built using this technology, and Carbios announced the deployment in France of an industrial unit that should be operational in 2025 . We can therefore legitimately consider that the rise of a circular economy around the PET through the development of such a biological catalyst has now begun.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enzymes’ Power for Plastics Degradation

Tournier¹,

Duquesne

Guillamot³

et al. 2023

Chem. Rev.

152

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Plastics are everywhere in our modern way of living, and their production keeps increasing every year, causing major environmental concerns. Nowadays, the end-of-life management involves accumulation in landfills, incineration, and recycling to a lower extent. This ecological threat to the environment is inspiring alternative bio-based solutions for plastic waste treatment and recycling toward a circular economy. Over the past decade, considerable efforts have been made to degrade commodity plastics using biocatalytic approaches. Here, we provide a comprehensive review on the recent advances in enzyme-based biocatalysis and in the design of related biocatalytic processes to recycle or upcycle commodity plastics, including polyesters, polyamides, polyurethanes, and polyolefins. We also discuss scope and limitations, challenges, and opportunities of this field of research. An important message from this review is that polymer-assimilating enzymes are very likely part of the solution to reaching a circular plastic economy.

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“…Some consumer plastics, currently produced from petroleum or natural gas, are being produced from various biomass feedstocks. For example, producing biomass-derived terephthalic acid, a monomer precursor for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT), has been attracting much research effort, but industrial scale processes are rare. − Companies such as Anellotech and Suntory have been able to produce PET from wood. , Braskem commercially produces high-density polyethylene (HDPE) from bioethanol. , Biobased versions of PET, polypropylene (PP), and HDPE have the same properties as PET, PP, and HDPE produced from petroleum and are not biodegradable. Also, many polyamides on the market are (partly) biobased.…”

Section: Definitions Of Biodegradable Plastics and Plastic Biodegrada...mentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review of Biodegradable Plastics: Chemistry, Applications, Properties, and Future Research Needs

et al. 2023

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Environmental concerns over waste plastics’ effect on the environment are leading to the creation of biodegradable plastics. Biodegradable plastics may serve as a promising approach to manage the issue of environmental accumulation of plastic waste in the ocean and soil. Biodegradable plastics are the type of polymers that can be degraded by microorganisms into small molecules (e.g., H2O, CO2, and CH4). However, there are misconceptions surrounding biodegradable plastics. For example, the term “biodegradable” on product labeling can be misconstrued by the public to imply that the product will degrade under any environmental conditions. Such misleading information leads to consumer encouragement of excessive consumption of certain goods and increased littering of products labeled as “biodegradable”. This review not only provides a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art biodegradable plastics but also clarifies the definitions and various terms associated with biodegradable plastics, including oxo-degradable plastics, enzyme-mediated plastics, and biodegradation agents. Analytical techniques and standard test methods to evaluate the biodegradability of polymeric materials in alignment with international standards are summarized. The review summarizes the properties and industrial applications of previously developed biodegradable plastics and then discusses how biomass-derived monomers can create new types of biodegradable polymers by utilizing their unique chemical properties from oxygen-containing functional groups. The terminology and methodologies covered in the paper provide a perspective on directions for the design of new biodegradable polymers that possess not only advanced performance for practical applications but also environmental benefits.

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Chemical recycling of bioplastics: technical opportunities to preserve chemical functionality as path towards a circular economy

Abstract: We herein present a detailed overview of recycling techniques for common bioplastics including a detailed evaluation by life cycle assessment.

Cited by 36 publications

References 164 publications

A Multitool for Circular Economy: Fast Ring‐Opening Polymerization and Chemical Recycling of (Bio)polyesters Using a Single Aliphatic Guanidine Carboxy Zinc Catalyst

A Multitool for Circular Economy: Fast Ring‐Opening Polymerization and Chemical Recycling of (Bio)polyesters Using a Single Aliphatic Guanidine Carboxy Zinc Catalyst

Enzymes’ Power for Plastics Degradation

A Review of Biodegradable Plastics: Chemistry, Applications, Properties, and Future Research Needs

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