Depolymerization of Technical-Grade Polyamide 66 and Polyurethane Materials through Hydrogenation

Wei Zhou; Paul Neumann; Mona Al Batal; Frank Rominger; A Stephen K Hashmi; Thomas Schaub

doi:10.1002/cssc.202002465

Depolymerization of Technical-Grade Polyamide 66 and Polyurethane Materials through Hydrogenation

ChemSusChem. 2021 Oct 5;14(19):4176-4180. doi: 10.1002/cssc.202002465. Epub 2020 Nov 26.

Authors

Wei Zhou¹, Paul Neumann², Mona Al Batal², Frank Rominger³, A Stephen K Hashmi^{1

3}, Thomas Schaub^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Catalysis Research Laboratory (CaRLa), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 584, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
² BASF SE, Carl-Bosch-Straße 38, 67056, Ludwigshafen, Germany.
³ Organisch-Chemisches Institut, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 270, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.

PMID: 33174664
DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202002465

Abstract

Chemical recycling provides a promising solution to utilize plastic waste. Here, a catalytic hydrogenative depolymerization of polyamide 66 (PA 66) and polyurethane (PU) was developed. The system employed Ru pincer complexes at high temperature (200 °C) in THF solution, and even technical-grade polymers could be hydrogenated with satisfactory yields under these conditions. A comparison of the system with some known heterogeneous catalysts as well as catalyst poisoning tests supported the homogeneity of the system. These results demonstrate the potential of chemical recycling to regain building blocks for polymers and will be interesting for the further development of polymer hydrogenation.

Keywords: Ru pincer complexes; depolymerization; hydrogenation; polyamide 66; polyurethane.

Abstract

Grants and funding