The new manganese-based catalyst has shown high efficiency in the recycling of polyurethane (PU), paving the way for the recycling of polyurethane's plastic economy.

Image: Aarhus University researchers and the RePURpose project have developed an effective method to deconstruct polyurethane by using a catalyst based on the earth's abundant metal manganese. see more 

Polyurethane (PU) is one of the most versatile thermosetting synthetic polymers. Through careful selection of monomers and formulations, countless different forms can be seen, from rigid, flexible and molded foam to adhesives and elastomers, to name just a few A few cases. Through its many forms, PU can be used in a large number of different products, such as shoes, mattresses, and insulation materials, but it can also be used in more complex products, such as wind turbine blades and components in airplanes and automobiles. With global production estimated to exceed 22 million tons, increasing demand and production have led to an increase in the amount of PU waste, but here, the lack of good recycling methods means that most of the PU is sent to incineration for energy recovery, or is filled Buried.

A new research conducted in ChemSusChem by the RePURpose consortium led by Troels Skrydstrup and Professor Ass. Professor Steffan Kvist Kristensen now shows that commercial and end-of-life PU materials can be chemically recycled and depolymerized into monomeric structural units. The secondary PU material produced by the current PU recycling method has different characteristics from the original material, and this newly developed method may create an original polymer material with the same characteristics as the original material.

In this study, researchers from the Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center, iNANO, and the Department of Chemistry at Aarhus University reported that a catalytic system based on the earth’s abundant base metals manganese, dihydrogen and isopropanol can effectively combine different The PU material is deconstructed into polyol and amine parts that represent the original monomer composition. The authors continue to prove that even under low catalyst loading, the system can be used on a gram scale without reducing activity.

In order to reduce our plastic footprint and dependence on fossil fuels, we need to shift from the current linear model (manufacture-use-dispose) to a circular plastic economy, which requires production, use, recycling and recycling into new PU materials. On Earth The use of abundant metals, green solvents, and potential adaptability to green hydrogen can pave the way for PU's circular plastic economy.

For more information, please visit www.repurpose.nu.

Also read: Newly discovered method to recycle polyurethane, a ubiquitous but complex plastic material

Read scientific articles in ChemSusChem:

Laurynas Gausas, Bjarke Donslund, Steffan Kristensen and Troels Skrydstrup "Evaluation of manganese catalysts for the hydrolysis of commercial and end-of-life polyurethane samples." Chemistry Chemistry 2021.

The research was carried out by scientists from the Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO) and Chemistry Department of Aarhus University in collaboration with the RePURpose consortium, including. Plixxent A/S, T. Dan-Foam ApS, ECCO SKO A/S, HJ Hansen Genvindingsindustri A/S, Logstor A/S, N. Tinby A/S and the Danish Institute of Technology. Professor Troels Skrydstrup is in charge of the research team behind this research.

This work was generously supported by the Carlsberg Foundation, the Danish Innovation Fund and the Danish National Research Foundation.

For more information, please contact

Prof. Troels Skrydstrup Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO) and Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Denmark Email: ts@chem.au.dk

Evaluation of manganese catalysts for the hydrodecomposition of commercial and end-of-life polyurethane samples

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Lise Refstrup Linnebjerg Pedersen Aarhus University lrlp@inano.au.dk

Troels Skrydstrup Aarhus University, iNANO ts@chem.au.dk

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Copyright © 2021 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)