Solvent effect in the polyethylene recovery from multilayer postconsumer aseptic packaging.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Recycling Technology

Background:

• Multilayer aseptic packaging, common in food and beverage industries, presents recycling challenges due to its composite structure.
• Effective separation of polyethylene (PE) from aluminum (Al) is crucial for valorizing postconsumer waste.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate a solvent-based method for separating and recovering polyethylene films from polyethylene-aluminum (PE-Al) composites.
• To evaluate the thermal properties of the recovered polyethylene and compare them to virgin material.

Main Methods:

• Dissolution of PE-Al composites in organic solvents under varying time and temperature conditions.
• Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) to assess thermal stability.

Main Results:

• Optimized conditions yielded a 56% recovery rate of polyethylene films.
• Recovered polyethylene films exhibited comparable thermal stability to a commercial PE reference product.

Conclusions:

• Solvent-based separation is an effective method for recovering polyethylene from aseptic packaging waste.
• The recovered polyethylene retains its thermal integrity, making it suitable for secondary applications and contributing to a circular economy.