Use of soda ash as a recycling agent to reduce Non-degradable PET waste in Sri Lanka

Abstract

The Aim of this research is to use soda ash (Commercial grade of sodium carbonate) as a recycling agent to depolymerize waste poly(ethyleneterephthalate) (PET) bottles into its initial monomers (i.e. terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol). The reaction between soda ash and crushed PET bottles was carried out under different reaction temperatures and times in an atmospheric pressure. Mono-ethylene glycol(EG) is used as a solvent or the reaction media for this reaction. The effect of EG: PET ratio on the yield also studied. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) technique VWM used to analyze the reaction products. In laboratory scale, 4/1 EG/PET weight ratio, 170'C operating temperature and 35 minutes reaction time were identified as the optimum conditions .The percentage of PET decomposition and yield of terephthalic acid was 78.89% and 77.95% respectively under above conditions