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Chemical Recycling of Plastics to Useful Organic Compounds by Oxidative Degradation
Author(s) -
Pifer Anne,
Sen Ayusman
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1521-3773(19981217)37:23<3306::aid-anie3306>3.0.co;2-b
Subject(s) - adipic acid , polypropylene , polymer , polystyrene , polyacrylic acid , degradation (telecommunications) , benzoic acid , chemistry , organic chemistry , polyethylene , polymer chemistry , methacrylate , high density polyethylene , chemical engineering , materials science , copolymer , computer science , telecommunications , engineering
The degradation of plastic waste can be facilitated by a process in which polymers react with nitrogen oxides and dioxygen under relatively mild conditions. Polystyrene generates a mixture of benzoic and nitrobenzoic acids. Both high‐ and low‐density polyethylene produce mixtures of short‐chain α , ω ‐diacids (including adipic acid) in good yields. A mixture of acids is also formed from nylon‐6,6. Other polymers that are degraded to oligomeric materials include polypropylene, polymethyl methacrylate, and polyacrylic acid.