Toray develops industry-first solvent recycling for PPS
- Toray developed what it calls the industry’s first solvent-based recycling technology to recover polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) from waste materials.
- The process selectively dissolves and crystallizes PPS without depolymerization, enabling more efficient removal of impurities such as glass fiber.
- Recycled PPS reportedly retains the same molecular weight and melting point as virgin PPS and may reduce cradle-to-gate GHG emissions per a preliminary study undergoing verification.
- Scale-up demonstration is under a METI fiscal 2024 project, with commercial supply targeted around 2030 and partnerships planned across automotive and recycling sectors.
Technology
Toray says it has developed the industry’s first solvent-based recycling technology to recover polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) from waste materials. The process selectively dissolves and crystallizes PPS while keeping it in polymer form rather than breaking it down to monomers, which Toray says allows more efficient removal of impurities such as glass fibers.
How it works
Because virtually no solvents previously dissolved PPS due to its chemical resistance, Toray leveraged decades of its PPS manufacturing experience to identify conditions that selectively dissolve and recrystallize the polymer from mixed waste streams. The company reports the recycled material maintains the same molecular weight and melting point as virgin PPS.
Environmental validation
A preliminary Toray study indicates recycled PPS produced with this technology may lower cradle-to-gate greenhouse gas emissions compared with PPS from virgin feedstock; Toray is verifying these potential reductions through ongoing demonstration testing.
Scale-up and market plans
Toray is conducting a scale-up demonstration under a Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) fiscal 2024 project and aims to start commercial supply around 2030. The company plans to work with automotive, recycling and other industry partners to build a resource-circulation system covering collection of PPS-containing waste through reuse of recycled PPS.
Source: Toray