Reactive Melt Extrusion for Polymer Deconstruction and Upcycling
Jared A Nettles1,2, Timothy E Long2,3, Kailong Jin1,2
1Chemical Engineering, School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States.
JACS Au
|February 27, 2026
Summary
Reactive melt extrusion (RME) offers a green chemistry approach for polymer deconstruction and upcycling. This solvent-free method transforms plastic waste into valuable materials, enhancing polymer sustainability.
Area of Science:
- Polymer Science
- Materials Chemistry
- Sustainable Chemistry
Background:
- Growing global focus on polymer sustainability and plastic waste reduction.
- Need for green chemistry approaches in polymer recycling and upcycling.
- Limitations of traditional polymer processing methods for waste valorization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the development and broad applicability of Reactive Melt Extrusion (RME) for polymer deconstruction and upcycling.
- To showcase RME's potential for transforming plastic waste into value-added materials.
- To explore RME's role in advancing polymer sustainability.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing single- and twin-screw extruders for solvent-free polymer deconstruction and functionalization.
- Applying RME to various thermoplastics and thermosets from different polymerization processes.
- Employing in situ chemo-rheological characterization techniques to analyze RME processes.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated RME's effectiveness for rapid deconstruction of diverse polymers.
- Showcased RME's capability for upcycling plastic waste into vitrimers and other high-value materials.
- Unveiled mechanistic insights into polymer transformation during RME via chemo-rheological analysis.
Conclusions:
- RME is a versatile, solvent-free platform for polymer deconstruction and upcycling, promoting sustainability.
- The technology leverages existing infrastructure for rapid adaptation in research and industry.
- Future research directions aim to further expand RME's capabilities for advanced polymer recycling.
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