Waste PVC upcycling: Transferring unmanageable Cl species into value-added Cl-containing chemicals

Transforming PVC plastic waste to benzene via hydrothermal treatment in a multi-phase system

“…23 In addition, there is a consensus that acid catalysts promote PVC pyrolysis. 24,25 Therefore, the reaction was done with the addition of THF and ZSM-5. As expected, the yield of benzene increased to 7.8% over ZSM-5 and further increased to 11.4% when using both ZSM-5 and THF.…”

Precise activation of C–C bonds for recycling and upcycling of plastics

“…127 (2) The Cl-transfer strategy involves converting the chlorine element in PVC into Cl-containing organic and inorganic salts. 128,129,132,133 The dechlorinated polyethylene (PE)-like polymer can then be further cleaved into value-added short-chain alkanes. The main distinguishing factor between PVC and PP/PE is the presence of polar chlorine atoms (Fig.…”

Recent advances in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) recycling

“…112,205,206 These reactions break down the polymer chains into smaller units, typically monomers like vinyl chloride, which can then be used as building blocks for the synthesis of new polymers or other chemical products. 112,204,206 The aim is to convert PVC waste into materials with properties comparable to virgin PVC, ensuring their usability in diverse industries. Unlike mechanical recycling, which often leads to a downgraded material quality due to contamination and degradation, chemical upcycling allows for the production of recycled PVC with properties equivalent to or even better than virgin F I G U R E 1 0 Process of recycling plastic waste for the production of 3D Printing filament.…”

“…By employing chemical reactions, PVC waste can be broken down into valuable chemical feedstocks or monomers, enabling the production of high‐quality materials for various applications (see Figure 11). 112,204 Chemical upcycling involves the controlled degradation of PVC polymers through chemical processes, such as hydrolysis, glycolysis, or methanolysis 112,205,206 . These reactions break down the polymer chains into smaller units, typically monomers like vinyl chloride, which can then be used as building blocks for the synthesis of new polymers or other chemical products 112,204,206 .…”

“… 112,204 Chemical upcycling involves the controlled degradation of PVC polymers through chemical processes, such as hydrolysis, glycolysis, or methanolysis 112,205,206 . These reactions break down the polymer chains into smaller units, typically monomers like vinyl chloride, which can then be used as building blocks for the synthesis of new polymers or other chemical products 112,204,206 . The aim is to convert PVC waste into materials with properties comparable to virgin PVC, ensuring their usability in diverse industries.…”