Recycling of waste poly(ethylene terephthalate) with castor oil using microwave heating

摘要: Abstract The chemical recycling of waste poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) using castor oil (CO) as a reagent is reported. CO presents renewable alternative to petrochemical based reagents, e.g. glycols, and enables also substantial modification final physico-chemical properties received product. Advantageously, microwave irradiation was used accelerate the depolymerization PET. A composition obtained product strongly influenced by reaction temperature. When decomposition PET performed at temperature higher than 240 °C, then significant extent side products on oligomers transesterified observed due dehydration hydrolysis CO. Contrary that, took place slow rate below 230 °C optimal lies in relatively narrow interval from 240 °C. prepared range did not contain any high molecular weight oligomers. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry enabled identify structures included polyol maximum number six repeating monomeric unit found product, which confirmed practically complete chain good reactivity acylester hydroxyl groups