Missing Piece in Plastic Recycling: Solvolysis for Recovering Composite Plastics

Widely used in the food and consumer products industries, composite plastics are difficult to recycle due to their layered, multicomponent structure. This study evaluated the feasibility of solvolytic recycling for the recovery of composite plastics. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was employed to analyze the plastic components. Results showed that FTIR accurately identified the plastic components, laying the foundation for subsequent solvolysis. Formic acid could effectively dissolve nylon, while xylene exhibited selective solubilization capacities for polyethylene and polypropylene, enabling the separation of plastic components in the composite materials. The life cycle assessment (LCA) indicated that solvolytic recycling had the least environmental adversity among the five recycling techniques compared. The carbon dioxide emissions from solvolytic recycling can be offset by using regenerated plastic as raw feedstock in manufacturing processes. This study demonstrated the potential of solvolysis in recycling composite plastics and highlighted its environmental benefits, supporting plastic circularity and enhancing resource recovery.