Improving the Sustainability of Polycarbonate Production through Life Cycle Assessment and Process Optimization

In this study, the whole process model of the interfacial polycondensation polycarbonate (PC) production process was established by using Aspen Plus. Then, the steady-state simulation of each process in the production process was carried out, and the material balance and energy balance results of the whole process were obtained. The simulation results were combined with actual production to establish a list of resource consumption and pollutant emissions in the PC production process by interfacial polycondensation. The environmental impact of producing 300,000 tons of PC was analyzed by life cycle assessment (LCA). The investigation reveals that the marine aquatic toxicity potential (MAP) is the predominant environmental impact, accounting for 85.35% of the total impact. Specifically, the bisphenol salt prefabrication stage emerges as the major contributor, representing 56.88% of the overall impact. Furthermore, sodium hydroxide utilization significantly influences ozone layer depletion, while electricity consumption plays a substantial role in the terrestrial ecotoxicity potential. The study highlights the diverse environmental impacts of bisphenol A and phosgene across various indicators. In response to these findings, recommendations are presented, encompassing the enhancement of raw material efficiency, refinement of production processes, and reduction of energy consumption. Implementing these measures effectively alleviates the environmental impact of PC production, concurrently improving the efficiency and economic benefits. This research provides valuable insights into optimizing the PC production process, contributing to sustainability goals, and preserving environmental health. Based on the LCA results, improvement suggestions were proposed to increase raw material utilization, improve raw material production processes, reduce energy consumption in the production process, and control direct emissions of pollutants. This research provides valuable insights into optimizing the PC production process, contributing to sustainability goals, and preserving environmental health.