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Towards a Better Understanding of Delamination of Multilayer Flexible Packaging Films by Carboxylic Acids
Author(s) -
Ügdüler Sibel,
De Somer Tobias,
Van Geem Kevin M.,
Roosen Martijn,
Kulawig Andreas,
Leineweber Ralf,
De Meester Steven
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
chemsuschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.412
H-Index - 157
eISSN - 1864-564X
pISSN - 1864-5631
DOI - 10.1002/cssc.202002877
Subject(s) - delamination (geology) , formic acid , materials science , adhesive , dissolution , diffusion , composite material , carboxylic acid , kinetics , polymer , chemical engineering , chemistry , polymer chemistry , thermodynamics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , paleontology , tectonics , physics , layer (electronics) , subduction , biology , engineering
Recycling multilayer plastic packaging is challenging due to its intrinsic compositional heterogeneity. A promising route to increase recycling rates for these materials is delamination, which allows recycling the polymers separately. Yet, this process is not well understood on a fundamental level. This study aimed to obtain first principles‐based insights of the delamination mechanism of multilayer flexible packaging film (MFPF) with carboxylic acids. Delamination of MFPFs was described through a model based on Fick's first law of diffusion and first‐order dissolution kinetics of polyurethane adhesives. The model was experimentally tested on 5 different MFPFs at different temperatures (50–75 °C), formic acid concentrations (50–100 vol %), and solid/liquid (S/L) ratios (0.005, 0.025, and 0.12 g mL −1 ). Under the studied conditions the model proved to successfully estimate the delamination time of MFPF with the average Theil's Inequality Coefficient (TIC) value of 0.14. Essential for scaling‐up delamination processes is the possibility to use high S/L ratios as the solubility of the adhesive is rarely limiting.