Process for decomposing a polymer to its monomer or monomers

US6160031A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• AECI LIMITED · ZA

Inventors

• Ian Douglas Poree · Randburg, ZA
• Karol Paula Cameron · Randburg, ZA
• Janine Alison Bloem · Heidelberg, ZA
• Fritz Schlosser · Darmstadt, DE
• Alison McGowan · Sandton, ZA

Key dates

• Filing date: May 19, 1999
• Grant date: Dec 12, 2000
• Expiry date: May 19, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02W30/62
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A process for decomposing a polymer which is capable of undergoing thermal depolymerization to its monomer or monomers, such as for example poly(methylmethacrylate), and for the recovery of at least one of the monomers, includes the steps of subjecting the polymer in solid, gel, partially molten or molten form to microwave heating for a time and at a temperature sufficient to decompose the polymer to produce the monomer or monomers in gaseous, liquid or solid form, without substantial decomposition of the monomer or monomers, and recovering at least one of the monomer or monomers. The monomer or monomers may then be reused for plymerisation.