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Updated: Jun 27, 2025

Designed for Molecular Recycling: A Lignin-Derived Semi-aromatic Biobased Polymer
Published on: November 30, 2020
Conversion of Contaminated Post-Consumer Polyethylene Terephthalate into a Thermoset Alkyd Coating Using Biosourced
Bradley Thomas1, Nicole D A Lopez1, James Railton1
1Department of Applied Science, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, U.K.
Abstract:
The synthesis of a high-performance oxidative cross-linked thermoset alkyd coating is described that utilizes a novel recycling strategy from contaminated postconsumer waste polyethylene terephthalate (wPET). A single-stage "depolymerization-repolymerization" process has been developed that allows the exploitation of a waste stream from a commercial PET recycling process with 95% efficiency, which, when copolymerized with glycerol and tall oil fatty acid, delivers a sustainable fatty acid-functional polyester suitable for use in thermoset alkyd coatings. Physical drying challenges have been tackled via the development of a convergent polymer formulation strategy from a single source of wPET and the formulation of the resulting fatty acid-functional polymers with commercial alkyd driers, delivering a thermoset alkyd coating suitable for industrial applications.
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