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Development in Polymer Recycling

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Circular and Green Sustainable Polymer Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 November 2025 | Viewed by 236

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
Interests: polymer recycling; green media development; technological innovations; process intenfication

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The rapid accumulation of polymer waste poses severe environmental and resource challenges, driving urgent needs for advanced recycling and high-value utilization strategies. This Special Issue, "Development in Polymer Recycling", highlights fundamental research, innovative technologies, and scalable engineering solutions to transform polymer waste into valuable resources. Key topics include novel recycling methods, optimization of mechanical/chemical processes for mixed plastics, and industrial-scale applications, such as upcycling polymers into high-performance materials. We emphasize the importance of bridging academic discoveries (e.g., polymer degradation mechanisms), technological innovations (e.g., energy-efficient recycling process), and industrial implementation (e.g., industrial process development). This issue aims to accelerate the transition toward a circular polymer economy, reducing reliance on virgin plastics and minimizing environmental footprints. Contributions spanning fundamental science, process engineering, and lifecycle analysis are encouraged to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and sustainable impact.

Dr. Weizhong Zheng
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • polymer recycling
  • high-value utilization
  • mechanical recycling
  • chemical upcycling
  • mixed plastic separation
  • plastic upcycling

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

19 pages, 1355 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Thermal Degradation of Bakelite: Non-Isothermal Kinetic Modeling, Thermodynamic Insights, and Evolved Gas Analysis via Integrated In Situ TGA/MS and TGA/FT-IR Techniques
by Gamzenur Özsin
Polymers 2025, 17(16), 2197; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17162197 - 12 Aug 2025
Viewed by 29
Abstract
Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) is a key technique for evaluating the kinetics and thermodynamics of thermal degradation, providing essential data for material assessment and system design. When coupled with Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy or mass spectroscopy (MS), it enables the identification of evolved gases [...] Read more.
Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) is a key technique for evaluating the kinetics and thermodynamics of thermal degradation, providing essential data for material assessment and system design. When coupled with Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy or mass spectroscopy (MS), it enables the identification of evolved gases and correlates mass loss with specific chemical species, offering detailed insight into decomposition mechanisms. In this study, TGA was coupled with FT-IR and MS to investigate the thermal degradation behavior of Bakelite, with the aim of evaluating its kinetic and thermodynamic parameters under non-isothermal conditions, identifying evolved volatile compounds, and elucidating the degradation process. The results showed that higher heating rates led to increased decomposition temperatures and broader dTG peaks due to thermal lag effects. The degradation proceeded in multiple stages between 220 °C and 860 °C, ultimately yielding a carbonaceous residue. The activation energy increased with conversion, particularly beyond 0.5, indicating a greater energy requirement as degradation progressed. Peak values at conversion degrees of 0.8–0.9 suggested enhanced thermal stability or changes in the dominant reaction mechanism. Detailed kinetic analysis revealed complex decomposition pathways with variable activation energies and a pronounced kinetic compensation effect. Thermodynamic analysis confirmed the endothermic nature of the process, with increasing energy demand and non-spontaneous degradation of the resulting char. TGA/FT-IR and TGA/MS analyses identified the release of several compounds, including CO2, water, formaldehyde, and phenolic derivatives, at distinct stages. This comprehensive understanding of Bakelite’s thermal behavior supports its optimization for high-temperature applications, enhances material reliability and safety, and contributes to sustainable processing and recycling strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development in Polymer Recycling)
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