Vents and micro-structures of rubber molds may become clogged with rubber that is difficult to remove. These vents and micro-structures can be cleaned of rubber, even if heat aged, by subjecting the mold to high temperatures in the presence of a solvent to devulcanize any rubber present. If the rubber used with the mold being cleaned includes carbon black, a solvent may be used to dissolve the devulcanized polymer, leaving the carbon black which can be removed by water jets or other cleaning means.

Methods for upcycling crosslinked sodium polyacrylate to pressure sensitive adhesives via (a) mechanochemical chain-shortening and esterification or (b) esterifying with high conversion with a Fischer esterification process are disclosed. Also disclosed is a pressure sensitive adhesive prepared by the disclosed methods and articles comprising the pressure sensitive adhesive, including, but not limited to, pressure sensitive tape, a bandage, a label, note pads, a decal, a stamp, an envelope, a sticker, packaging, automobile trim, and a film.

A method for processing polyester-cotton blend textile waste includes adding polyester-cotton blend textile waste to a rotating drum of a rotary hydrolysis reactor. Water and a base are added to the rotary hydrolysis reactor and heated. The polyester-cotton blend textile waste is agitated with a plurality of ribs by rotating the inner drum relative to a housing of the rotary hydrolysis reactor to enable the hydrolysis of PET into a TPA and ethylene glycol solution with solid reclaimed cotton free of PET. The TPA and ethylene glycol solution is separated from the solid reclaimed cotton and directed to a hydrolysate recovery vessel. In the hydrolysate recovery vessel the TPA is precipitated and separated from the remaining liquid and the ethylene glycol is then recovered.

A method for processing polyester-cotton blend textile waste includes adding polyester-cotton blend textile waste to a rotating drum of a rotary hydrolysis reactor. Water and a base are added to the rotary hydrolysis reactor and heated. The polyester-cotton blend textile waste is agitated with a plurality of ribs by rotating the inner drum relative to a housing of the rotary hydrolysis reactor to enable the hydrolysis of PET into a TPA and ethylene glycol solution with solid reclaimed cotton free of PET. The TPA and ethylene glycol solution is separated from the solid reclaimed cotton and directed to a hydrolysate recovery vessel. In the hydrolysate recovery vessel the TPA is precipitated and separated from the remaining liquid and the ethylene glycol is then recovered.

Method of obtaining terephthalic acid from waste polyethylene terephthalate by depolymerization with microwave heating of the reaction mixture, and its subsequent purification, wherein, after depolymerization, the mixture of products of the depolymerization reaction is mixed with water, a solid phase is separated from the formed mixture, the obtained solution is extracted with water-immiscible organic solvent and, after separation of phases, dissolved impurities are removed from the aqueous phase by its contact with a sorbent that is then separated, wherein, after separation of the sorbent, terephthalic acid is precipitated from the solution by its acidification and subsequently separated from the formed suspension.

Systems and methods are provided that involve a subcritical water reaction to recycle the cellulose and polyester components of waste cotton and cotton/polyester blend textiles that would otherwise be discarded or disposed of. Specifically, the disclosed methods provide for treatment of the waste textiles to produce advanced materials including cellulose and terephthalic acid (TPA) with a low environmental impact. The cellulose and TPA that are produced are of a high quality allowing for production of regenerated cellulose and regenerated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) suitable for fiber spinning and textile applications.

Systems and methods are provided that involve a subcritical water reaction to recycle the cellulose and polyester components of waste cotton and cotton/polyester blend textiles that would otherwise be discarded or disposed of. Specifically, the disclosed methods provide for treatment of the waste textiles to produce advanced materials including cellulose and terephthalic acid (TPA) with a low environmental impact. The cellulose and TPA that are produced are of a high quality allowing for production of regenerated cellulose and regenerated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) suitable for fiber spinning and textile applications.

The present invention relates to processes for degrading plastic products and the uses thereof. The processes of the invention particularly comprise a step of amorphizing a plastic product prior to a step of depolymerization. The processes of the invention are particularly useful for degrading a plastic product comprising polyethylene terephthalate and/or polylactic acid. The invention also relates to a method of producing monomers and/or oligomers from a plastic product comprising at least one polyester, particularly polyethylene terephthalate and/or polylactic acid, comprising submitting the plastic product both to an amorphization step and to a depolymerization step.

The present invention relates to processes for degrading plastic products and the uses thereof. The processes of the invention particularly comprise a step of amorphizing a plastic product prior to a step of depolymerization. The processes of the invention are particularly useful for degrading a plastic product comprising polyethylene terephthalate and/or polylactic acid. The invention also relates to a method of producing monomers and/or oligomers from a plastic product comprising at least one polyester, particularly polyethylene terephthalate and/or polylactic acid, comprising submitting the plastic product both to an amorphization step and to a depolymerization step.

A method for reclaiming polyester can include: providing a feed of recycled polyester 420; providing a feed of polyester precursors 422; depolymerizing the recycled polyester 420 to obtain depolymerized polyester monomers 421; polymerizing the depolymerized polyester monomers 421 with the polyester precursors 422 to form a reclaimed polyester 423; and providing the reclaimed polyester 423 as output 102.