Abstract: Synthesizing a bis-alkyl terephthalamide includes combining a polymeric material including a polyethylene terephthalate with an alkylamine and a reaction mediator to yield a mixture, heating the mixture to yield a heterogeneous mass, and isolating the bis-alkyl terephthalamide from the heterogenous mass. The reaction mediator includes ethylene glycol. Modifying a polymeric material includes combining the polymeric material with a bis-alkyl terephthalamide to yield a mixture, heating the mixture, and extruding the mixture to yield a modified polymeric material. A modified polymeric material includes a polymeric material and a surface modifier including bis-alkyl terephthalamide, wherein the modified polymeric material includes 0.1 wt% to 10 wt% of the bis-alkyl terephthalamide.

Abstract: Depolymerizing a polyester material to yield a terephthalamide includes combining the polyester material, an alkylamine, and a mediator to yield a reaction mixture, heating the reaction mixture, and maintaining a reaction for a reaction time to yield the terephthalamide. In one example, the mediator is ethylene glycol. Preparing a modified asphalt binder includes combining the terephthalamide with an asphalt binder to yield a modified asphalt binder precursor and heating the modified asphalt binder precursor to yield a modified asphalt binder.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method that includes a first contacting of a starting solid composition that includes a starting solid phase and a dye with a removal fluid resulting in a first mixture that includes the starting solid phase, the dye, and the removal fluid, where the removal fluid includes at least one of a cyclic compound, a glycol, an alcohol, and/or an acid.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method that includes dissolving a solid that includes a colorant and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in 2-isopropylphenol (2-IPP) to form a first mixture and mixing the first mixture with an acetic acid solution to form a second mixture having a solid phase and a liquid phase, where the acetic acid solution includes acetic acid and at least one of water and/or a solvent with the acetic acid present at a concentration between 60 vol % and 100 vol %, inclusively, the solid phase includes at least one of a substantially colorant-free PET or a colorant-free PET, or a combination thereof, and the liquid phase includes acetic acid, 2-IPP, and the colorant.

Abstract: Pre-treating a waste polyester material with dichloromethane (DCM) produce purified polyester for reuse. The purified polyester can be recycled via any chemical or mechanical recycling process. Where the waste polyester material includes non-polyester contaminants, the DCM-treated polyester material produces a slurry that includes the DCM, a solid component that includes a polyester monomer product for reuse, and a waste liquid component where the non-polyester contaminants can be filtered from the top of the liquid component.

Abstract: A waste polyester material is prepared for recycling by dissolving the material in a solution comprising hexafluoroisopropyl (HFIPA) and a chlorinated hydrocarbon, such as dichloromethane (DCM) and/or an aromatic hydrocarbon, such as toluene or xylene, to form a dissolved polyester sample. The dissolved polyester may be prepared for recycling by evaporation, spray drying, and/or precipitation, which produces a purified solid polyester product. The dissolution solution, which is separated from the purified solid polyester product, is also recycled through distillation with purification.

Abstract: Polyester-free cotton is obtained from a fabric and/or fibers containing polyester and cotton by reacting the fabric and/or fibers with an amine organocatalyst and/or carboxylic acid salt of same and an alcohol solvent. The reaction, which may be run in batches or as a continuous flow process, recovers (i) polyester-free cotton as a solid inert by-product of the reaction, (ii) the amine organocatalyst and/or carboxylic acid salt of same for reuse, (iii) a polyester monomer product, and (iv) unreacted alcohol. The reaction works on any polyester-cotton fabric and/or fibers, including those that have at least one additional material, such as polyethers polyolefins, polyurethanes, nylon, rayon, acetate, viscose, modal, acrylic, wool, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: A thermally reworkable adhesive includes at least one di-epoxide, at least one diamine that is reactive with the at least one di-epoxide, at least one additive that is miscible, but not reactive, with the at least one di-epoxide and/or the at least one diamine. Reaction of the at least one di-epoxide and the at least one diamine forms a crosslinked polymer network and the at least one additive offsets the stoichiometry of the crosslinked polymer network by 5-50%. The offset crosslinked polymer network forms the thermally reworkable adhesive that once cured, at a temperature in the range of 20-200° C., can be de-bonded from a device to which it is attached at a temperature in the range of 50-200° C.

Abstract: Digesting poly(ethylene terephthalate) includes combining poly(ethylene terephthalate) with a solvent that includes one or more long chain alcohols to yield a reaction mixture, and heating the reaction mixture to a temperature between about 20° C. and about 300° C. to yield a product including one or more alkyl terephthalates.

Abstract: Described herein are compositions and methods for the conversion of chlorophyll-derived phytol into useful and economically viable surfactants. The provided compositions utilize the hydrophobic phytol structure and added functional groups to increase hydrophilicity at one end of the molecule.

Abstract: Among other things, a lignin-based structural material and a method of making the lignin-based structural material are described. The method of making this lignin-based structural material may utilize significantly less energy than the manufacture of traditional structural materials. The lignin-based structural material may include lignin, an acid, a polymer, and an aggregate filler. The method of making this lignin-based structural material may also be capable of mitigating carbon dioxide by sequestering carbon (in the form of the lignin) and thus offsetting emissions from traditional structural material manufacturing.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a composition that includes a poly(hydroxy)urethane (PHU) foam, a phase change material (PCM), and a solid additive, where the PHU foam includes a plurality of voids, at least a portion of the voids contain the PCM and the solid additive, and the composition is capable of being repeatedly cycled through a temperature range, resulting in the PCM cycling between a solid phase and a liquid phase. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the PCM may include at least one of a hydrated salt, a paraffin wax, a sugar alcohol, a fatty acid, and/or a eutectic mixture.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a composition that includes a first copolymer having a first repeat unit and a second repeat unit as defined by Structure (I) where is a covalent bond, U1 is a molar fraction of the first repeat unit, (1?U1) is a molar fraction of the second repeat unit, 0?n?20, 0?m?20, 0<U1?1.0, R is a linking group covalently linking the first copolymer to a second copolymer by the covalent bond, and R includes carbon, hydrogen, and sulfur.

Abstract: Electrochemical CO2 reduction is a promising technology to capture and convert CO2 to valuable chemicals. Disclosed herein is the effect of anolyte on the effective morphology (i.e. ionic accessibility) of a CO2 reduction cathode using electrochemical techniques and cell configurations that avoid the complexities related to co-electrolysis (oxygen evolution reaction at anode).

Abstract: Described herein are compositions and methods that utilize complementary polymerization reactions to simultaneously generate one or more polymeric materials, including crosslinked polymer matrices, tethered inter-penetrating network, heterogenous polymer blends, or homogeneous polymer blends. The provided compositions and methods utilize the combination of an energy demanding step-growth reaction with a highly exothermic reaction to drive the energy demanding reaction by chemical heating and avoid issues associated with thermal runaway, such as solution boiling or unwanted biproducts.

Abstract: Pre-treating a waste polyester material with dichloromethane (DCM) produce purified polyester for reuse. The purified polyester can be recycled via any chemical or mechanical recycling process. Where the waste polyester material includes non-polyester contaminants, the DCM-treated polyester material produces a slurry that includes the DCM, a solid component that includes a polyester monomer product for reuse, and a waste liquid component where the non-polyester contaminants can be filtered from the top of the liquid component.

Abstract: A waste polyester material is prepared for recycling by dissolving the material in a solution comprising hexafluoroisopropyl (HFIPA) and a chlorinated hydrocarbon, such as dichloromethane (DCM) and/or an aromatic hydrocarbon, such as toluene or xylene, to form a dissolved polyester sample. The dissolved polyester may be prepared for recycling by evaporation, spray drying, and/or precipitation, which produces a purified solid polyester product. The dissolution solution, which is separated from the purified solid polyester product, is also recycled through distillation with purification.

Abstract: Polyester-free magnetic and/or metallic components are obtained from a multicomponent polyester device by reacting the multicomponent polyester device with an amine organocatalyst and/or carboxylic acid salt of same and an alcohol solvent. The reaction recovers (i) the polyester-free magnetic and/or metallic components as solid inert by-products of the reaction, (ii) the amine organocatalyst and/or carboxylic acid salt of same for reuse, (iii) unreacted alcohol for reuse, and (iv) a polyester monomer product. Where the multicomponent device includes a non-polyester material, such as polystyrene, the polystyrene is fully recovered from the reaction. Where the multicomponent polyester device includes recording media, the reaction process sanitizes the inert byproducts of the recording media, thus scrubbing any personal data from the reacted recording media.

Abstract: Polyester-free cotton is obtained from a fabric and/or fibers containing polyester and cotton by reacting the fabric and/or fibers with an amine organocatalyst and/or carboxylic acid salt of same and an alcohol solvent. The reaction, which may be run in batches or as a continuous flow process, recovers (i) polyester-free cotton as a solid inert by-product of the reaction, (ii) the amine organocatalyst and/or carboxylic acid salt of same for reuse, (iii) a polyester monomer product, and (iv) unreacted alcohol. The reaction works on any polyester-cotton fabric and/or fibers, including those that have at least one additional material, such as polyethers polyolefins, polyurethanes, nylon, rayon, acetate, viscose, modal, acrylic, wool, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: Pre-treating a waste polyester material with dichloromethane (DCM) produces a purified polyester for reuse. The purified polyester can be recycled via any chemical or mechanical recycling process. Where the waste polyester material includes non-polyester contaminants, the DCM-treated polyester material produces a slurry that includes the DCM, a solid component that includes a polyester monomer product for reuse, and a waste liquid component where the non-polyester contaminants can be filtered from the top of the liquid component.