Invention Reference Number
PET is used in many commercial products, but only a fraction is mechanically recycled, and even less is chemically recycled. Efficient chemical recycling of PET represents an attractive solution, as small molecule terephthalates are used in myriad applications from plasticizers to resin cross linkers, but PET transesterification often suffer from equilibria issues associated with transesterification reactions which necessitate vast excess of solvent.
This work demonstrates the utility of preparing a library of valuable organic molecules in high selectivity from waste PET. This methodology is facilitated by carbonates that can shunt the reaction toward a single product with high selectivity.
Contact
To learn more about this technology, email partnerships@ornl.gov or call 865-574-1051.
