MATERIALS | TECHNOLOGY
RECYCLING
Phthalate plasticisers improve electrochemical recycling of PVC
Researchers at the Univer- sity of Michigan in the USA have devised a way to recycle PVC electrochemi- cally – using phthalate plasticisers within the material to drive the reaction. “PVC is the kind of plastic that no one wants to deal with because it has its own unique set of prob- lems,” said Danielle Fagnani, co-author of a paper on the research in Nature Chemistry. “PVC usually contains a lot of plasticisers, which contami- nate everything in the recycling stream and are usually toxic. It also releases hydrochloric acid really rapidly with some heat.” When PVC is mechani-
cally recycled, the heat used in the process can cause plasticisers to leach
PVC Wastewater system uses bio-attributed PVC
Vynova has supplied ‘bio-attributed’ PVC to Nicoll – which it is using in its Hometech silent wastewater evacuation system. Nicoll says this will enable it to offer a low-carbon solution without
compromising on quality, durability or performance. Under the agreement, Vynova is supplying bio-attributed PVC – under its VynoEcoSolutions brand – to Nicoll in France. It is estimated to have a 60% lower carbon footprint than the conventional end product. “This new bio-attributed resin is a logical next step in our sustainability ambitions,” said Benoît Fabre, vice presi- dent of Aliaxis France – Nicoll’s parent company.
The bio-attributed PVC is produced from biomass feedstock that does not compete with the food chain. The VynoEcoSolutions portfolio also includes circular-attributed and renewable PVC ranges. �
www.vynova-group.com �
www.nicoll.fr
www.pipeandprofile.com January/February 2023 | PIPE & PROFILE EXTRUSION 39 IMAGE: DANIELLE FAGNANI
out of the material and into the recycling stream, say the researchers. In addition, hydrochloric acid is released – which can corrode equip- ment and threaten worker safety. To find a way to recycle
PVC that did not require heat, the researchers looked at
electrochemistry – and found that the presence of plasticis- ers helped to improve the efficiency of the process. “We found that it still
releases hydrochloric acid, but at a much slower, more controlled rate,” said Fagnani.
Using electrochemistry –
rather than heat – introduces an electron into the system, which gives it a negative charge. This breaks the carbon-chloride bond in PVC, producing a negatively charged chloride ion. Controlling the rate at which electrons are introduced into the system helps to control how quickly hydro- chloric acid is produced. The acid produced can be used by industries as a reagent for other chemical reactions. The chloride ions can also be used to chlorin- ate small molecules called arenes – which can be used in pharmaceutical and agricultural components. Fagnani says the study shows how scientists might think about chemically recycling other difficult materials. �
https://umich.edu
IMAGE: NICOLL
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