Selective degradation separates polyurethane from mixed plastic waste in one step (IMAGE)
Caption
Mixed plastic waste often contains polyurethane tangled together with polyester and nylon, and these materials normally have to be separated before recycling can happen. Using a new catalyst and hydrogen gas, researchers selectively broke down the polyurethane into small, reusable molecules, which were then easily separated from the intact polyester and nylon by simple filtration. The process achieves separation and chemical recycling in a single step, opening new possibilities for waste long considered too complex to handle.
Credit
Takanori Iwasaki / Kyushu University
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