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Designed for Molecular Recycling: A Lignin-Derived Semi-aromatic Biobased Polymer
Published on: November 30, 2020
Ontology-Based Modelling and Analysis of Sustainable Polymer Systems: PVC Comparative Polymer and Implementation
Alexander Chidara1, Kai Cheng1, David Gallear2
1Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences, Brunel University of London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK.
None:
This study develops an ontology-based decision support framework to enhance sustainable polymer recycling within the circular economy. The framework, constructed in Protégé (OWL 2), systematically captures polymer categories with emphasis on polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polylactic acid (PLA), and rigid polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as well as recycling processes, waste classifications, and sustainability indicators such as carbon footprint. Semantic reasoning was implemented using the Semantic Web Rule Language (SWRL) and SPARQL Protocol and RDF Query Language (SPARQL) to infer optimal material flows and sustainable pathways. Validation through a UK industrial case study confirmed both the framework's applicability and highlighted barriers to large-scale recycling, including performance gaps between virgin and recycled polymers. The comparative analysis showed carbon footprints of 2.8 kg CO2/kg for virgin PET, 1.5 kg CO2/kg for PLA, and 2.1 kg CO2/kg for PVC, underscoring material-specific sustainability challenges. Validation through a UK industrial case study further highlighted additive complexity in PVC as a major barrier to large scale recycling. Bibliometric and thematic analyses conducted in this study revealed persistent gaps in sustainability metrics, lifecycle assessment, and semantic support for circular polymer systems. By integrating these insights, the proposed framework provides a scalable, data-driven tool for evaluating and optimising polymer lifecycles, supporting industry transitions toward resilient, circular, and net-zero material systems.
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