A process for the recovery of a perfluorosulphonic acid ionomer from a component comprising a perfluorosulphonic acid ionomer is disclosed, the process comprising immersing the component comprising the perfluorosulphonic acid ionomer in a solvent comprising an aliphatic diol and heating. Also disclosed is the use of the recovered perfluorosulphonic acid ionomer, for example in to prepared a proton conducting membrane or a catalyst ink.

Blends of recycled plastic materials and plastic products made therefrom are provided. The blends combine a high fraction of recycled medical waste with mixed recycled plastics, such as polyolefins or carpet waste. Also provided are methods for processing a heterogeneous waste stream such as medical waste to yield a homogenous material capable of blending with other materials and extrusion to form useful plastic products such as structural materials and consumer articles.

A polyester film and a method for manufacturing the polyester film are provided. The method for manufacturing a polyester film by using a recycled plastic material includes the following steps. A part of the recycled plastic material is physically reproduced to obtain a physically regenerated polyester resin. Another part of the recycled plastic material is chemically reproduced to obtain a chemically regenerated polyester resin. A polyester composition including the physically regenerated polyester resin and the chemically regenerated polyester resin is prepared. Based on a total weight of the polyester composition being 100 wt %, a weight of the chemically regenerated polyester resin is larger than or equal to 5 wt %. The polyester film is manufactured by using the polyester composition. Based on a total weight of the polyester film being 100 wt %, a total amount of the physically regenerated polyester resin and the chemically regenerated polyester resin is from 10 wt % to 100 wt %.

A method of making a lightweight foamed recycled leather is described. The method includes pulverizing the collagen fiber waste generated in a controlling a thickness of the leather during a leather process; neutralizing the resultant of step (a) by a soda ash with a water; (c) dyeing and fat-liquoring process treating the resultant of the step (c); (d) mixing a latex, a dispersant, a coagulant, and a thermally expandable microspheres with the resultant of step (c); (e) coagulating a collagen fiber powder and the latex by adding a coagulant into the resultant of step (d); (f) dehydrating and drying the resultant of step (e); and (g) heat treating the resultant of step (f) to foam thermally expandable microspheres, thereby to impart functionality to the recycled leather.

A method for preparing a fiber-containing molding compound includes the acts of a) providing a composite material which includes a first resin and fibers impregnated with the first resin, and b) mixing the composite material with a treatment medium which includes a diluent to form a mixture. The fiber-containing molding compound thus prepared has an adjustable fiber content.

A dynamic process for upcycling polymers. Polymers from a diverse post-consumer waste stream are gathered in a mixture. The mixture is extruded and combined with a liquid additive containing a particular PE wax at the verge of polymerization. The liquid additive is repolymerized into LDPE to form pellets. The pellets are delivered into a reactor and submerged in a suitable solvent to dissolve the LDPE. Causing a gradual and orderly separation of the remaining polymers from one another, resulting in a layered substrate. The suitable solvent, enzymes or depolymerizing compatible chemical is delivered into the reactor through independent pipes attached to tanks containing the suitable depolymerizing agent. The process repeats depolymerizing the layered substrate layer by layer with additional suitable solvents/enzymes or depolymerizing agents for each of the polymers resulting in the dissolving of the remaining polymers in an orderly manner producing a layered wax-like material for upcycling.

A polyethylene terephthalate aerogel. There is provided a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) aerogel comprising a porous network of cross-linked recycled PET fibers, wherein the PET aerogel has a thermal conductivity of 0.030-0.050 W/m K. There is also provided a method of forming the PET aerogel.

A lightweight particle composition includes a plurality of lightweight particles that are one of enclosed or loose. The plurality of lightweight particles include one of an inorganic or organic composition including a bulk density within a range from about 0.001 g/cc to about 1.5 g/cc, and a particle size within a range from about 0.01 microns to about 90 millimeters (mm). An interstitial void space between the plurality of lightweight particles includes a total of less than about 70% of a volume of the plurality of lightweight particles.

A method for reclaiming bio-based plastic material is disclosed, including providing a bio-based plastic article, the article including an identifier, determining article content information from or via the identifier, and recycling the article based on article content information. Further, a system for reclaiming bio-based plastic material is disclosed, including an apparatus or device configured to obtain or determine a bio-based material content associated with a plastic article, and an apparatus or device configured to sort the plastic article based upon the bio-based material content of the plastic article. A bio-based plastic article comprising recycled bio-based material is also disclosed.

A functional material has, as a first component, a thermoset plastic material, as a second component, a binding material for binding the thermoset plastic material, and, as a third component, at least one additive, which is configured to improve a burning behavior, wherein the burning behavior corresponds at least to a fire reaction class C as given by DIN EN 113501-1 [German/European norm 113501-1]. A method is intended for producing such a functional material and an element is produced from such a functional material.