Process-Based Assessment of Chemical Recycling of Polyethylene Terephthalate into Plasticizers: Integration of Kinetics, Simulation, Life-Cycle Assessment, and Techno-Economic Analysis

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Open-loop chemical recycling (CR) of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into plasticizers complements closed-loop CR, but a comprehensive evaluation integrating reaction kinetics, process simulation, life-cycle assessment, and techno-economic analysis has not yet been established. This study evaluated alcoholysis-based plasticizer production from PET via catalytic and noncatalytic routes by integrating kinetics, process simulation, life-cycle assessment, and techno-economic analysis. These processes were then benchmarked against mechanical recycling and representative closed-loop CR routes, including glycolysis, methanolysis, and enzymatic hydrolysis. The noncatalytic route exhibited slightly lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and more favorable economic performance but required more severe operating conditions, whereas the catalytic route enabled milder operation at near-ambient pressure, indicating a tradeoff between process efficiency and practical feasibility. Under the evaluated assumptions, both plasticizer routes were associated with lower GHG emissions and lower normalized minimum selling prices than the representative closed-loop CR routes. These results indicate that plasticizer-based recycling can complement closed-loop PET recycling.