Biobased chemical recycling: aminolysis of PET using renewable reagents and monomers to synthesize new semi-aromatic polyamides

Kaumadi, Sathiska; Simmons, Kevin L.; Pilla, Srikanth; Sternberg, James

doi:10.1039/D5SU00547G

Title: Biobased chemical recycling: aminolysis of PET using renewable reagents and monomers to synthesize new semi-aromatic polyamides

Journal Article · Tue Sep 30 00:00:00 UTC 2025 · RSC Sustainability

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SU00547G · OSTI ID:3023650

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Clemson Univ., SC (United States)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)

Chemical recycling of PET is a method of depolymerizing polymer chains to monomeric components enabling the synthesis of second-generation materials with virgin-like quality. Commercial chemical recycling techniques rely upon high pressure methanolysis to create precursors capable of synthesizing a second-generation PET resin. However, despite the circular approach of methanolysis, a product with a very short lifespan and similar value is created. The approach of the current study is to utilize aminolysis as an ambient pressure technique to create precursors for higher value materials with longer lifespans to address the current crisis in plastic waste. Semi-aromatic polyamides (SAP) are desired in this circumstance because of their high melting point and heat resistance combined with good melt-processability similar to aliphatic polyamides. In this study SAPs were synthesized using precursors recovered from the aminolysis of PET employing biobased diamines and dicarboxylic acids. While aminolysis has been explored in previous studies, this work investigated the use of biobased components from castor oil: decamethylene diamine during recycling and sebacic acid during polymerization. Polymer synthesis resulted in the formation of SAPs similar to polyphthalamides (PPA) with novel structures given the aromatic portion from terephthalic acid (TPA) and aliphatic portion from the diamines and diacids. The synthesized materials exhibited excellent thermal stability with high glass transition temperatures. Novel polymers were created with varying aliphatic chain length to understand fundamental parameters needed to produce a valuable polymer from post-consumer waste.

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Research Organization:: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-76RL01830; SC0023389

OSTI ID:: 3023650

Report Number(s):: PNNL-SA--218230

Journal Information:: RSC Sustainability, Journal Name: RSC Sustainability Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 3; ISSN 2753-8125

Publisher:: Royal Society of ChemistryCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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