Abstract: A method for alcoholising and hydrolysing polyurethane (PUR) materials made from at least one polyol compound and at least one toluene diisocyanate based compound; wherein the method comprises the following steps: contacting the polyurethane material with at least one alcoholising compound, thereby forming a reaction mixture (M0) and allowing the polyurethane material and the alcoholising compound to react in said reaction mixture (M0), thereby forming a mixture (M); allowing the mixture (M) to separate into at least an upper phase and a lower phase, wherein phase (A) and phase (B) are two immiscible phases; subjecting phase (B) to at least one hydrolysis step, thereby forming a phase (B1); wherein the at least one alcoholising compound is characterized by a melting point of lower than 200° C.; wherein the at least one alcoholising compound is characterized by a hydroxyl functionality of at least 2; and with the proviso that the at least one alcoholising compound is not glycerol.

Abstract: A method for alcoholising polyurethane (PUR) materials made from at least one polyol compound having a hydroxyl value X and at least one polyisocyanate compound; wherein the method includes contacting the polyurethane material with at least one alcoholising compound, thereby forming a reaction mixture (M0) and allowing the polyurethane material and the alcoholising compound to react in the reaction mixture (M0), thereby forming a mixture (M); allowing the mixture (M) to separate into at least two immiscible phases; wherein at least one phase is characterized by a hydroxyl value Y wherein Y?3.5*X; wherein at least one alcoholising compound is characterized by a hydroxyl functionality of at least 4 and by an equivalent weight of at most 65.0 g/mol; with the proviso that when a mixture of alcoholising compounds is used, the average hydroxyl functionality of all alcoholising compounds is at least 4 and the average equivalent weight of all alcoholising compounds is at most 65.0 g/mol.