Alkali-catalyzed methanolysis of polycarbonate. A study on recycling of bisphenol A and dimethyl carbonate | Health & Environmental Research Online (HERO)

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Citation
Tags

HERO ID

1184055

Reference Type

Journal Article

Title

Alkali-catalyzed methanolysis of polycarbonate. A study on recycling of bisphenol A and dimethyl carbonate

Author(s)

Hu, LC; Oku, A; Yamada, E

Year

1998

Is Peer Reviewed?

Journal

Polymer
ISSN: 0032-3861

Volume

Issue

Page Numbers

3841-3845

DOI

10.1016/S0032-3861(97)10298-1

Web of Science Id

WOS:000073915000032

Abstract

Alkali-catalyzed methanolysis of poly[2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane carbonate] (PC) in a mixed solvent of methanol (MeOH) and toluene or dioxane was studied. Treatment of PC pellets (1.27 g) in 2 mi MeOH with a catalytic amount of NaOH (8.5 mol% per one ester unit of PC) at 60 degrees C for 330 min yielded only 7% bisphenol A (BPA). However, in a mixed solvent of MeOH (1 mi) and toluene (1 mi), the analogous treatment for 70 min completely depolymerized PC to give free bisphenol A (96%) in a solid form and dimethyl carbonate (DMC) (100%) in solution. Characteristics of the catalysis are discussed together with the pseudo-first kinetic feature of the depolymerization. Reaction conditions were investigated for the purpose of recycling PC plastics in the form of bisphenol A and DMC. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. Ail rights reserved.<

Keywords

polycarbonate; chemical recycling; methanolysis