The present invention generally relates to a method of reducing contamination from plastics. The resulting purer plastic can be used in demanding applications.

A process for treating a recycled polyolefin with an emulsion comprising aqueous and organic phases, as well as the use of said process and/or emulsion for the at least partial removal of volatile organic compounds.

The present invention relates to methods of producing polymer fibers and polymer fiber products and materials recovery from these processes. It is an object of this invention to produce polymer fibers and products that include these fibers using selective dissolution of multicomponent fiber and to recover the dissolved polymer and solvent for subsequent use.

An advanced manufacturing plant and process to efficiently deconstruct and recycle post-consumer carpet primarily in an aqueous environment. The water-based technology substantially eliminates airborne particulate emissions into the workplace and the environment. It also significantly increases the quality and quantity of the resources recovered from the carpet. In addition to recycling residential carpet, it also reclaims and recycles material from commercial broadloom carpet.

An advanced manufacturing plant and process to efficiently deconstruct and recycle post-consumer carpet primarily in an aqueous environment. The water-based technology substantially eliminates airborne particulate emissions into the workplace and the environment. It also significantly increases the quality and quantity of the resources recovered from the carpet. In addition to recycling residential carpet, it also reclaims and recycles material from commercial broadloom carpet.

The present invention relates to methods of producing polymer fibers and polymer fiber products and materials recovery from these processes. It is an object of this invention to produce polymer fibers and products that include these fibers using selective dissolution of multicomponent fiber and to recover the dissolved polymer and solvent for subsequent use.

A method of recovering nitrile rubber from water-containing crumbs includes crumb-like nitrile rubber using an extruder in which a screw is disposed inside a barrel so as to be capable of being rotationally driven. The barrel is formed with at least a washing zone. The method includes supplying washing water to the washing zone at a water pressure of 0.2 MPa or higher while mixing the crumb-like nitrile rubber and the supplied washing water in the washing zone, thereby washing the crumb-like nitrile rubber.

The invention relates to a mechanochemical process for decontaminating and/or for eliminating problematic, synthetic, biogenic and biological materials A; for breaking down phosphates B; for immobilising metals and the compounds C thereof; for separating carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide D into elements; and for recovering valuable products E. The process comprises: —providing a material F to be milled containing —at least one material A, B, C and/or D and —at least one type of carbon or carbon-yielding material G, or alternatively providing the components of F and G separately from one another; —filling the material F to be milled into a mechanical mill (1), or alternatively —filling the components of the material F to be milled into a mechanical mill (1) and —milling by means of milling elements (1.2) moved by agitation means (1.4) or by means of rollers (1.4.6); after which —the resulting product I is separated from the milling elements (1.2) or the rollers (1.4.6) and is discharged from the milling chamber (1.1) and worked up. The invention also relates to the use of the products I as valuable materials E, the use of a self-cooling electric motor (4) for driving a mechanochemical mill (1), and mechanochemical mills (1) having new agitation means (1.4).

Systems for manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament from polymer, where the systems are configured for: (1) melting polymer (e.g., derived from post-consumer PET bottles) to create a first single stream of polymer melt; (2) separating the first single stream of polymer melt into multiple streams of polymer melt; (3) exposing the multiple streams of polymer melt to a pressure of between about 0 millibars and about 5 millibars; (4) allowing the multiple streams of polymer melt to fall into a receiving section of a melt processing unit; (5) recombining the multiple streams of polymer melt into a second single stream of polymer melt; and (6) providing the second single stream of polymer melt to one or more spinning machines that are configured to form the second single stream of polymer melt into bulked continuous carpet filament.

Materials such as poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and lithium cobalt (III) oxide (LCO) are recovered and recycled from cathode films isolated from end-of-life batteries, including lithium-ion batteries. Cathode films are immersed in solution including N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidine (NMP), a tetrahydrofuran (THF):NMP mixture, or a THF:DMF mixture. The solution is able to dissolve PVDF, which can then be separated from LCO and a conductive substrate component of the cathode films via alumina column separation. A PVDF product can be precipitated and recovered, while the LCO and conductive substrate can be recovered directly from the alumina column separator. Both the PVDF and LCO are of suitable quality for use in new cathode films. Such recovery is shown to be achievable even at low solid to liquid ratio during the dissolution process. Thus, economically feasible solvent-based recycling of battery cathodes is enabled to prolong the service life of cathode materials and reduce polymeric waste.