Recycling of Polyurethanes, the first volume in the Advances in Plastics Recycling series, is focused on the physical and chemical recycling of polyurethanes, with attention given to energy conversion. A compilation of the present ongoing studies on recycling of urethane and, in general, isocyanate-based polymers, the focus is on thermosetting urethane polymers.
The series, Advances in Plastics Recycling is concerned with the importance of recycling of polymers and the economic value of recyclates in different commercial applications. While such recycling has made great strides in the last decade, the number of commercial recyclers is still very small. From the Preface Options of technologies for waste disposal of plastics are: recycling, reuse and incineration (waste-energy). Among these, the best option from the environmental standpoint is recycling.
Recycling of industrial thermoplastic waste is practiced throughout the plastics industry, although it has certain limitations with regard to the number of recycles and the type of plastic. The recycling of thermosets presents a different problem since they cannot be reprocessed in general by conventional melting processes such as extrusion or injection molding. However, today even thermosets such as polyurethanes have been successfully recycled by both chemical and physical processes.
This book will be of interest to all those involved in recycling of thermoplastic waste in the plastics industry. Included are corporate officials interested in plastics recycling, plastics engineers who work with thermosets, recycling and reclamation plastics engineers, and waste management engineers dealing with degradable plastics.
