Chemical upcycling of packaging films into alpha-olefins

Overview

Chemical upcycling of mixed and contaminated packaging films represents a breakthrough in recycling technology. This innovative process uses temperature-gradient thermolysis to convert complex multilayer flexible packaging (MLP) waste into valuable alpha-olefins, which serve as essential chemical feedstocks for industries such as surfactants and lubricants. By applying a controlled thermal profile, this method selectively cleaves carbon-carbon bonds in polyolefins while quickly evacuating volatile products, thus minimizing secondary reactions and retaining non-volatile contaminants. This technology promises a scalable, practical solution for recycling typically unrecyclable packaging waste.

Technical specifications

• Temperature-gradient thermolysis: Utilizes a purely thermal process, eliminating the need for catalysts, which allows it to handle common contaminants like metal films and pigments.
• Selective bond cleavage: Controlled thermal profiles enable selective C–C bond cleavage and rapid removal of volatile products, resulting in alpha-olefins with narrow chain-length distributions.
• Scalability and robustness: The process is tolerant of various contaminants and complex packaging structures, making it suitable for industrial-scale applications.
• Product refinement: Involves subsequent steps like hot filtration and distillation to refine products into specific alpha-olefin cuts.

Technology readiness level

This technology is at TRL 4, indicating it has been validated in a laboratory environment. Future phases include further R&D to refine the process and product quality, leading to customer engagement and commercial partnerships.