che_october-2023 - 9

Piloting a chemical-recycling process for
polycarbonate plastics
C
ovestro AG (Leverkusen,
Germany; www.covestro.
com) has developed a chemolysis
process for recycling
polycarbonate back into monomers.
In laboratory trials, the process
has been shown to recycle waste
streams with more than 50% polycarbonate
content into monomers,
closing the loop to a direct polycarbonate
precursor. The technical implementation
of chemical recycling
is now beginning on a pilot scale at
Leverkusen, where the process will
be further optimized and will undergo
further development. The pilot plant
(kilogram scale), to be located in
Leverkusen, will operate in a semicontinuous
manner, with startup
planned for 2025-2026. The company
is investing " millions of euros "
over the next few years.
Mechanical recycling of polycarbonate
is already an important component
of Covestro's recycling strategy,
which aims to be fully circular
by 2050.
The mechanical recycling
process is used whenever waste
streams are sufficiently pure and the
recycled polycarbonate meets the
requirements profile of the future application.
The new chemical-recycling
process complements mechanical
recycling, converting the plastic back
into monomers, which can be separated
and serve as raw materials for
future plastic. Chemical recycling can
therefore make larger waste streams
that are unsuitable for mechanical
processes accessible for recycling.
The company is investigation three
alternative recycling routes, including
enzymatic depolymerization and
" smart depolymerization, " a specialized
and energetically optimized pyrolysis
process, the company says.
Unlike conventional pyrolysis, which
breaks plastic waste down to smaller
molecules, the smart pyrolysis targets
high-value molecules that can
be directly used in the production of
new polymer.
MCR process uses approximately 30% less
natural gas as compared to conventional
reformer methods (for more on methane reforming,
see Newsfront on pp. 13-17).
ETHANOL-TO-SAF
Last month, Lummus Technology LLC
(Houston; www.lummustechnology.com)
announced the commercial availability of
its ethanol-to-SAF (sustainable aviation fuel)
process technology. The technology provides
operators with a large-scale, commercially
demonstrated solution to reduce the aviation
industry's greenhouse gas emissions.
Lummus' ethanol-to-SAF technology integrates
ethanol-to-ethylene (EtE),
olefin
oligomerization and hydrogenation technologies
in a process configuration that
maximizes the final yield to SAF while minimizing
capital and operating costs, and carbon
emissions, the company says. Central
to this process is Lummus and Braskem's
technology partnership for producing green
ethylene, which accelerates the use of bioethanol
and supports the industry's efforts
towards a carbon-neutral economy. Since
2010, Braskem has been operating an
ethanol dehydration unit in Brazil. Using EtE
EverGreen technology, the unit provides a
proven and reliable foundation for produc(Continues
on p. 10)
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9
http://www.covestro.com http://www.covestro.com http://www.lummustechnology.com http://adlinks.chemengonline.com/84652-04 http://WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
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