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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Solid-state hydrolysis of postconsumer polyethylene terephthalate after plasma treatment

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Author(s):
Mancini, Sandro Donnini [1] ; Nogueira, Alex Rodrigues [2] ; Rangel, Elidiane Cipriano [2] ; da Cruz, Nilson Cristino [2]
Total Authors: 4
Affiliation:
[1] Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Environm Engn, Sao Paulo - Brazil
[2] Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Control & Automat Engn, UNESP, Sao Paulo - Brazil
Total Affiliations: 2
Document type: Journal article
Source: Journal of Applied Polymer Science; v. 127, n. 3, p. 1989-1996, FEB 5 2012.
Web of Science Citations: 10
Abstract

Plasma treatments were applied on the surface of postconsumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles to increase their wettability and hasten the subsequent hydrolysis process. Sixty-four treatments were tested by varying plasma composition (oxygen and air), power (25130 W), pressure (50200 mTorr), and time (1 and 5 min). The best treatment was the one applied in air plasma at 130 W and 50 mTorr for 5 min, as it provided the lowest contact angle, 9.4 degrees. Samples of PET before and after the optimized plasma condition were subjected to hydrolysis at 205 degrees C. Although the treatment changed only a thin surface layer, its influence was evident up to relatively high conversion rates, as the treated samples presented more than 40% higher conversion rates than the untreated ones after 2 h of reaction. Infrared spectroscopy showed that the terephthalic acid obtained from 99% of depolymerization was similar to the commercial product used in PET synthesis. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 127: 1989-1996, 2013 (AU)