Abstract: Systems and methods for recycling polymers are provided. One embodiment provides a method for recycling synthetic polymers by combining the polymers with a solid depolymerizing catalyst in a vessel, mechanically shearing the combined polymers and the solid depolymerizing catalyst against each other to produce monomers from the polymers; and collecting the monomers. In some embodiments the solid depolymerizing catalyst is solid sodium hydroxide. In some embodiments collecting the monomers is achieved by contacting the sheared polymer and catalyst with a recyclable volatile solvent to dissolve the monomers. In some embodiments, the method includes purifying the collected monomers for repolymerization. In some embodiments purifying the monomers is achieved using nanofiltration membrane technology, cyclic fixed bed adsorption, simulated moving-bed adsorption or a combination thereof.

Abstract: The instant invention involves a process for enhancing molecular mass of biomass reactants. The process comprises first forming a substituted or unsubstituted furfural from a biomass. The substituted or unsubstituted furfural is then reacted with an activated methylene compound in the presence of a catalyst and, if desired, a solvent to form a Knoevenagel product. The product may then be hydrogenated to products containing an alcohol, ether, aldehyde, or ketone functional groups or to an olefinic or aliphatic species wherein as much as all of the oxygen and/or nitrogen has been removed.

Abstract: The instant invention involves a process for enhancing molecular mass of biomass reactants. The process comprises first forming a substituted or unsubstituted furfural from a biomass. The substituted or unsubstituted furfural is then reacted with an activated methylene compound in the presence of a catalyst and, if desired, a solvent to form a Knoevenagel product. The product may then be hydrogenated to products containing an alcohol, ether, aldehyde, or ketone functional groups or to an olefinic or aliphatic species wherein as much as all of the oxygen and/or nitrogen has been removed.