Abstract: A method for separating polymers from a physically commingled solid mixture containing a plurality of polymers comprises dissolving a first one of the polymers in a solvent at a first lower temperature to form a first preferably single phase solution and a remaining solid component. The solid component contains additional polymers which are not soluable to the solvent at the first temperature but which may be soluble at higher temperatures. The method includes subsequently heating the solvent to dissolve additional polymer from the solid component to form subsequent solutions. The polymers are then separated from their respective solution either using flash evaporation techniques when more than one polymer has been dissolved at a single temperature, or conventional techniques for extracting a polymer from a solvent in a solution.

Abstract: Thermoset polymers such as polyurethanes and unsaturated polyester resins may be conveniently converted into useful volatile lower molecular weight organic compounds. Fillers can be recovered from filled thermoset resins using the process of the invention, which employs a zeolite-containing particulate catalyst.

Abstract: Pure polymer, such as polyester used in photographic film and in plastic walls of drink bottles or polycarbonate used in high-quality plastic beverage bottles, is separated from thin saran, metal, and other coating layers of a multi-layer film or sheet when the film sheet is wet, as from silver recovery and like processes. The coating layer is typically 1/2% or less of the total sheet or film thickness. The abrasion process in one form comprises rotating and mixing a volume of wet plastic chips of said film or sheet with about three to five volumes of hot (160 to 300 degrees F) small, hard abrasive particles such as quartzite aggregate, glass cullet, or the like, for a time sufficient to dry the chips and also to abrade the thin coating layer from the film or sheet. The abrasive particles and the coating dust are separated from the pure polymer by screens or air classifiers. The resulting polymer chips are clean and dry and are immediately available for pelletizing and reuse.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the purification of lacquer-and optionally dye and metal- containing waste of thermoplastic aromatic polycarbonates and/or thermoplastic aromatic polyester carbonates. The waste which result upon the production of moldings, such as audio compact discs, lenses for spectacles or head-lamp reflectors is processed in accordance with the invention to yield useful resin suitable for reprocessing as a molding resin. In accordance with the process, the waste is first size-reduced and then heated with acid to the reflux temperature while stirring. After a water wash there is followed a drying step. In accordance with the process, in instances where the waste does not originally contain metal, the metal in powder form is added before the acid treatment.

Abstract: A polymer composition comprises a melt compounded product of a polyphenylene oxide polymer and a recycled polystyrene material. The recycled polystyrene material exhibits a melt flow index greater than about 25 when devolatized by heating above its glass transition temperature. The polymer composition may be in various forms including extruded pellets, extruded foam, and expandable foam beads.

Abstract: Improved water absorbent polymers can be prepared by agglomerating acrylic acid gel polymer fines with small quantities of difunctional epoxides.

Abstract: A barrier foam tray contains recycled reclaim of barrier foam. The tray comprises a sheet of foamed polystyrene (PS) having laminated to it a flexible barrier film. The foamed polystyrene part can have admixed therein from 0.0001% up to 30% by weight of the flexible barrier film. The barrier film contains a barrier polymer such as ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH). The tray is made by grinding laminate scrap and extruding reclaim therefrom with virgin polystyrene.

Abstract: A plastic foam material comprises an aggregate of discrete elements made of substantially individual cellulose fibers combined with a cellulose starch and including a plurality of bubbles produced by a gas-generating agent. The discrete elements are suspended in a matrix also including a plurality of bubbles produced by a gas-generating agent. In a preferred embodiment the matrix is also made of substantially individual cellulose fibers combined with a cellulose starch and formed into a geometric shape. In another preferred embodiment the discrete aggregate elements are substantially closed-cell foam and the matrix is substantially open-cell foam. In yet another preferred embodiment the discrete aggregate elements are substantially closed-cell, and the foam matrix is also substantially closed-cell.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for recovering and reusing a resist composition which comprises the steps of (a) collecting resin composition scattered from a spinner during application of the resist composition onto silicon wafers and otherwise no longer used and to be disposed of as waste liquid; (b) introducing the resist composition into a recovery tank; (c) introducing, while measuring the viscosity of the resist composition in the recovery tank, a solvent into the recovery tank in accordance with the measured viscosity until the resist composition shows a predetermined viscosity; (d) discontinuing the solvent supply when the viscosity of the resist composition has reached a predetermined value; (e) transferring the resist composition with the predetermined viscosity to a storage tank; and (f) taking out, whenever necessary, the resist composition from the storage tank for reuse.

Abstract: The invention is a chemical process for complete destruction and safe disposition of hazardous organic chemicals carbonaceous chemicals. The invention also comprises the process for production of an inert polymer formed essentially of Carbon and Sulfur, and also comprises the new inert polymer, itself and articles made of the new polymer. This new polymer has many of the properties of refractory materials and is an inert non-inflammable cross-linked polymer that is relatively insoluble in all generally known solvents. In the process of the invention, a carbonaceous chemical and Sulfur is heated, in an atmosphere of Nitrogen at 500.degree. to 1500.degree. C. Waste gases including sulfur and sulfides are condensed, scrubbed and the sulfur recycled. The solids residue when analyzed by a mass spectrometer contains less than one (1) part per million (1 ppm) of unreacted organic chemical.

Abstract: The invention is a chemical process for complete destruction and safe disposition of hazardous organic carbonaceous chemicals. The invention also comprises the process for production of an inert polymer formed essentially of Carbon and Sulfur, and also comprises the new inert polymer, itself and articles made of the new polymer. This new polymer has many of the properties of refractory materials and is an inert non-inflammable cross-linked polymer that is relatively insoluble in all generally known solvents. In the process of the invention, a carbonaceous chemical and Sulfur is heated, in an atmosphere of Nitrogen at 500.degree. to 1500.degree. C. Waste gases including sulfur and sulfides are condensed, scrubbed and the sulfur recycled. The solids residue when analyzed by a mass spectrometer contains less than one (1) part per million (1 ppm) of unreacted organic chemical.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of silver from exposed or unexposed photographic film using a caustic alkali solution at elevated temperatures with high shear.

Abstract: Pure polymer, such as polyester used in photographic film and in plastic walls of drink bottles or polycarbonate used in high-quality plastic beverage bottles, is separated from thin saran and like coating layers of a multi-layer film or sheet in a dry process. The coating layer is typically 1/2% or less of the total sheet or film thickness. The dry abrasion process in one form comprises rotating and mixing a volume of dry plastic chips of said film or sheet with about two volumes of small, hard abrasive particles such as quartzite aggregate, glass cullet, or the like, for a time just sufficient to abrade the thin coating layer from the film or sheet. The abrasive particles and the coating dust are separated from the pure polymer by air classifiers. The resulting polymer chips are clean and dry and are immediately available for pelletizing and reuse. Polymer may also be recovered from the dust, as by electrostatic separation.

Abstract: The molecular weight of linear and non-linear poly(arylene sulfide) PAS is increased by reprecipitation. The reprecipitation is accomplished by heating PAS to its dispersion temperature in a mixture of polar organic solvent, water, and alkali metal carboxylate until the PAS is dispersed in the mixture. Water is then added to cause a phase separation, then the total mixture is slowly cooled and a PAS of increased molecular weight is recovered. PAS slime, a waste product of some polymerization processes, can also be reprecipitated, as above, to recover useful particulate PAS that would normally be discarded.

Abstract: A method for reclaiming waste asphalt sheet material reinforced with inelastic brittle fibers, such as fiberglass, subjects the material to tearing, kneading, sheet and frictional drag forces, preferably in a kneading mixer, to reduce the material to a viscous fluid state in which the fibers have been pulverized to particles of a maximum dimension less than about 600 microns. If mineral particles of larger dimension are present in the reduced fluid material, they are crushed to filler particles of maximum dimension less than about 600 microns by passing the reduced fluid material between oppositely rotated, heated crush rolls. The novel reclaimed waste includes at least the asphalt and the pulverized fiber, may include mineral filler of maximum particle size less than 600 microns, some or all of which may be crushed mineral granules of larger maximum dimension contained in the waste material.

Abstract: Polyethylene terephthalate scrap is depolymerized to bis-hydroxyethyl terephthalate and/or its oligomer (BHT) by supplying the scrap, together with ethylene glycol, to a reactor containing molten BHT under the following conditions(a) the molten BHT has a glycol to acid component equivalent ratio of 1.3 to 2.0(b) the ratio by weight of the acid component of the molten BHT to that of the polyester scrap is 1/4 to 2/1(c) the ratio of polyester scrap to ethylene glycol is such as to have a glycol to acid component equivalent ratio between the limits of 1.3 to 2.0.The depolymerization is performed at 215.degree. to 250.degree. C. with agitation of the reactants, after which a part of the product in the reactor be removed to a polymerizing reactor.

Abstract: A method for the recovery of plastic material such as polyester from scrap material such as photographic film having a polyester base and at least one layer of a macromolecular organic polymer. The process includes mixing small pieces of the scrap material in a solution having a scrap solids concentration level of at least 25 percent by volume. The mixture is subjected to conditions of high shear to remove and comminute the polymer layer to particles of a maximum size particle dimension substantially smaller than the minimum size in the longest dimension of the scrap pieces. The polymer particles are then separated from the remaining pure polyester.

Abstract: The invention is a chemical process for complete destruction and safe disposition of hazardous organic chemicals such as Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB). The invention also comprises the process for production of an inert polymer formed of essentially equal parts of Carbon and Sulfur, and also comprises the new inert polymer, itself and articles made of the new polymer. This new polymer has many of the properties of refractory materials and is an inert non-inflammable cross-linked polymer that is relatively insoluble in all generally known solvents. In the process of the invention PCB and Sulfur are heated, in an atmosphere of Nitrogen at 500.degree. to 1500.degree. C. Waste gases including sulfur and sulfides are condensed, scrubbed and the sulfur recycled. The solids residue when analyzed by a mass spectrometer contains less than one (1) part per million (1 ppm) of unreacted polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB).

Abstract: A method of reclaiming clear PET resin from bottles and other containers is disclosed. PET resin contaminated with a hot melt type polyethylene copolymer based glue is treated with a chlorinated solvent and optionally subjected to azeotropic drying.

Abstract: A process for regenerating a resin, comprises the steps of dissolving a waste resin in an organic solvent to provide a resin solution, mixing the resin solution with a liquid of normal temperature, the liquid being immiscible with the solvent, scarcely dissolving the resin, and having a specific gravity smaller than that of the solvent and larger than that of the resin, thereby separating the resin from a mixture of the resin solution and the liquid, and recovering the resin. The liquid may have a temperature higher than the boiling point of the solvent. In this case, the solvent evaporation takes place together with the resin separation. The evaporated solvent is cooled later for recovery of the solvent.

Abstract: A method for recovering a resin material from a spent commercial article comprises contacting the commercial article with a solution of a dialkyl ketone and tetrahydrofuran, and granulating the resin material, and recovering the resulting resin granules. The present method is useful for the recovery of synthetic resins including polyolefins, polycarbonates and vinyl polymers. The granulated resins recovered have a high purity in addition to retaining the properties and composition of the original resin material, and little or none of the solution utilized in the recovery process is lost. In the instance where the resin is being removed from a metal substrate, the surface of the substrate is undamaged and perfectly clean, and the recovery solution is free from metallic particles.

Abstract: A method of recovering useful polyester fibers and cellulosic material from textile wastes containing blended polyester/cellulosic fibers wherein the textile waste is treated with anhydrous hydrochloric acid gas under reaction conditions sufficient to degrade the cellulosic material, the treated waste is mechanically degraded to convert the reacted cellulosic material to a fine powder, and thereafter the cellulosic material is separated from the polyester fibers.

Abstract: A process for recovering materials from scrapped film is described which comprises separating coating layers and a film base from a scrapped film having at least one coating layer on a plastic film base in a sheet or web form, wherein the improvement comprises:impregnating the coating layers of said scrapped film with a strong alkaline solution and stripping the coating layers by means of high pressure jet water to separate said coating layers from the film base before the coating layers are dissolved in or separated from the film base by said alkaline solution.

Abstract: An improved building material element or board having good thermal insulation properties comprising expanded vermiculite granules coated with 2 to 30% by weight, based on the weight of vermiculite, with an organic binder formed into a press cake which is then press heated to form the building element, the improvement comprising that at least a portion of the coated vermiculite granules are recycled particles which increases the density and has a more uniform and more easily sized surface and a process for its preparation.