ALCOHOLYSIS - A PROCESS FOR CHEMICALLY RECYCLING PUR AND MIXED PLASTICS WASTES

Polymeric materials with saponifiable groups can be converted by alcoholysis into potential raw materials for production of polyurethanes, because of their hydroxyl functions. A mixture of the polyurethane, polyester, and polyamide wastes created in automobile manufacture was converted continuously into a mixture of polyols by such an alcoholysis procedure. With the object of producing one of the components used in making rigid PUR foam materials, the reaction parameters were optimized with regard to proper process sequence and polyol properties.