Disclosed are methods and apparatus for recovering fibers from fiber reinforced polymers wherein the fiber reinforced polymer is contacted with a Lewis base for a time sufficient to allow at least partial depolymerization of the polymer.

Crumb rubber obtained from recycled tires is subjected to an interlinked substitution process. The process utilizes a reactive component that interferes with sulfur bonds. The resulting treated rubber exhibits properties similar to those of the virgin composite rubber structure prior to being granulated, and is suitable for use in fabricating new tires, engineered rubber articles, and asphalt rubber for use in waterproofing and paving applications.

A method is provided for recovering pulp fibers having little damage from a used absorbent article which includes a water permeable front sheet, a water impermeable back sheet and an absorbent body that contains pulp fibers and a superabsorbent polymer. At least one opening with a circle equivalent diameter of 5-45 mm, or 10-45 mm cut, is made in the front sheet and/or the back sheet of the used absorbent article, which is then agitated in an organic acid aqueous solution with a pH of less than or equal to 2.5, and the superabsorbent polymer is deactivated and the pulp fibers and superabsorbent polymer are discharged from the used absorbent article through the opening or cut.

A method is provided which, by a simple process, separates and recovers pulp fibers from a used absorbent article that contains pulp fibers and a superabsorbent polymer. A used absorbent article is treated with an aqueous solution that contains greater than or equal to 0.05 mass % of at least one kind of terpene selected from the group comprising terpene hydrocarbons, terpene aldehydes, and terpene ketones and that contains a deactivating agent that can deactivate the superabsorbent polymer; the superabsorbent polymer is deactivated, the adhesive that bonds together the constituent materials of the absorbent article is dissolved with the terpene to decompose the absorbent article, the pulp fibers are discharged to outside of the absorbent article, and the pulp fibers are separated from the absorbent article and recovered.

A method is provided which, by a simple process, separates and recovers pulp fibers from a used absorbent article that contains pulp fibers and a superabsorbent polymer. A used absorbent article is treated with an aqueous solution that contains greater than or equal to 0.05 mass % of at least one kind of terpene selected from the group comprising terpene hydrocarbons, terpene aldehydes, and terpene ketones and that contains a deactivating agent that can deactivate the superabsorbent polymer; the superabsorbent polymer is deactivated, the adhesive that bonds together the constituent materials of the absorbent article is dissolved with the terpene to decompose the absorbent article, the pulp fibers are discharged to outside of the absorbent article, and the pulp fibers are separated from the absorbent article and recovered.

A process for chemically recycling polyethylene terephthalate (PET) which utilizes a microwave absorber to optimize glycolytic depolymerization of PET via microwave irradiation. The method of chemically degrading PET to its reactive intermediate, bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET), is carried out by: (a) combining PET with ethylene glycol and a catalytic system comprising a catalyst and a microwave absorber to produce a heterogeneous reaction mixture; and then (b) heating by microwave irradiating the reaction mixture to a temperature sufficient to produce a reaction product comprising BHET. The BHET monomer then can be purified and re-polymerized to form new, virgin PET.

A process for chemically recycling polyethylene terephthalate (PET) which utilizes a microwave absorber to optimize glycolytic depolymerization of PET via microwave irradiation. The method of chemically degrading PET to its reactive intermediate, bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET), is carried out by: (a) combining PET with ethylene glycol and a catalytic system comprising a catalyst and a microwave absorber to produce a heterogeneous reaction mixture; and then (b) heating by microwave irradiating the reaction mixture to a temperature sufficient to produce a reaction product comprising BHET. The BHET monomer then can be purified and re-polymerized to form new, virgin PET.

Crumb rubber obtained from recycled tires is subjected to an interlinked substitution process. The process utilizes a reactive component that interferes with sulfur bonds. The resulting treated rubber exhibits properties similar to those of the virgin composite rubber structure prior to being granulated, and is suitable for use in fabricating new tires, engineered rubber articles, and asphalt rubber for use in waterproofing and paving applications.

Crumb rubber obtained from recycled tires is subjected to an interlinked substitution process. The process utilizes a reactive component that interferes with sulfur bonds. The resulting treated rubber exhibits properties similar to those of the virgin composite rubber structure prior to being granulated, and is suitable for use in fabricating new tires, engineered rubber articles, and asphalt rubber for use in waterproofing and paving applications.

Rigid porous polymeric carbon sorbents, including particularly polymeric carbon sorbents for CO.sub.2 capture for flue gas from power plants and for gases from other post combustion CO.sub.2 emission outlets, and methods of making and using same. The porous carbon material can be prepared by heating plastic with an additive. The additive can be selected from metal hydroxide, metal oxalate, metal acetate, metal acetylacetonoate or mixtures thereof. By controlling the preparation, such as the temperature of preparation, the porous carbon sorbent can be controlled to be rigid.