Membrane-based nanopurification for plastic recycling.

ABSTRACT: Purification technologies that remove contaminants from waste plastics are critical to increasing plastic recyclability. Mechanical recycling cannot remove embedded additives, dissolution methods are limited by additive-polymer compatibility and chemical recycling requires strict control of contamination to prevent undesired reactions. This work introduces a membrane-based size-exclusion process that exploits a key property of plastics: polymer molecules typically have a molecular weight significantly higher than that of common additives. A case study using ceramic tubular ultrafiltration membranes demonstrates removal of over 90% of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) from both virgin and post-consumer polystyrene, while also eliminating polymer tailings originating from degraded polymer chains

SUBMITTER: Laviolette JP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12578951 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature