Project

Chemical recYCLing of Oxygenated Polymer materialS (CYCLOPS)

Code
179S08922
Duration
01 March 2022 → 28 February 2026
Funding
Regional and community funding: IWT/VLAIO
Research disciplines
  • Engineering and technology
    • Polymer reaction engineering
    • Recycling
    • Polymer recycling
Keywords
recycling waste polymers epoxy resins oxygenated depolymerization
 
Project description

The general objective of the CYCLOPS project is to develop an innovative, breakthrough process for the recycling of oxygenated waste polymers, and in particular polycarbonates (PC), epoxy resins (polyethers) and PET (polyesters) together with some relevant mixed streams (e.g. PC /PET, PC/ABS, PET/PE). The intended process enables to convert the oxygenated waste polymers into valuable di- and polyols which can then be used as the development of epoxy resins with increased recyclability. The innovative process is based on heterogeneously catalyzed reductive depolymerization (RD) and includes catalyst development, process and reactor optimization, characterization, separation and purification of the di/polyols and development of new epoxy resins with improved recyclability.