The Catalyst Review October 2019 - 17

EXPERIMENTAL
functionalization of
polymers combined
with a comprehensive
understanding of reaction
mechanisms is a relevant
and timely challenge for
synthetic chemists and
polymer scientists alike.
Source: Williamson JB,
Lewis SE, Johnson RR, et.
al. (2019). Angew. Chem.
Int. Ed., 58: 8654-8668.

Figure 2. A) Photochemical methods provide opportunities for the heterogeneous functionalization of polymer surfaces that can
be patterned lithographically. B) Site-selective C-H functionalization can greatly increase the functional diversity of commodity
materials through simple transformations.

JUST ANNOUNCED!

"Plastics Recycling and the Circular Economy: Catalytic and Compatibilization Solutions"
An intense R&D effort is being undertaken
globally by plastics producers, industry
consortia and academia to understand and
appreciate the hurdles to be overcome and to
economically resolve a serious improvement
in the recyclability of plastics. It's hoped that
this will transform the way plastic products are
designed, used, produced and recycled in the
EU and other industrial countries. China, the
US, Western Europe and other regions are
pressing for sustainable solutions to plastic
recycling and a drastic reduction of plastic waste
to the environment. In this proposed study
from TCGR, we will assist the plastics and
polyolefin industries to identify new pipeline
technologies and strategic commercial
directions to help speed up their resolutions
to these challenges in an economical way.
The study will address current state-of-art
technology and commercial developments,
identify and address progress towards
viability in two (2) promising approaches -
catalytic and compatibilization - and provide
strategic guidance on the competitive
landscape and future investment. It is a
"must have," industrially-sourced assessment
for addressing the current industry need from
resin producers, process licensors and catalyst/
compatibilizer suppliers from a practical
perspective.
While current literature adequately defines
the market and statistical "challenges" and the
plastics industry's recycling technologies status,
missing is a visionary industrially-oriented
Technology Roadmap for the next 5-10 years
that will concentrate R&D and commercial
development efforts to speed up deployment
to improve efficiency and effectiveness of
implementation, particularly in mixed plastics

waste. The missing factors to be addressed more
fully are:
*

What new pipeline technologies for different
segments, e.g. PET, polyolefins, mixed plastics,
etc., are likely to be the best directions for
producers and industry to pursue economically?

* What do plastic producers currently think
about this challenge, and what are their
plans to address the issue? Without
their support and input, the process will
undoubtably be slower.
* What likely country, regional and global
regulations will impact each company's
decision making?
No one disputes this is a decade long challenge!
The issues to be resolved include technological
and economic ones, based on the commercial
understanding that, currently, the collection and
separation of physical plastics streams, and
the conversion back to monomers or recyclable
technologies, are not yet ready for "prime time."
In this proposed multiclient study, TCGR will
take a lead in providing viable technological
directions from both pipeline R&D and
commercial strategy perspectives.
Two critical approaches to be analyzed in detail
include: 1) New Advanced Catalytic Solutions,
and 2) New Advanced Compatibilizer Solutions.
The benefits of aggregating the multiple
approaches into one study creates an
opportunity to extract and determine which
approaches or pathways are most beneficial
given the local circumstances, providing
value to chemical (olefins and other monomer)
producers and suppliers of different types of
plastics.

The Catalyst Review

Critical topics this study will address include:
* State-of Art (SoA) in industry investments
and partnerships in existence
* New pipeline technologies in for the next
5-10 years, including benchmarking
economics where available, key players,
pilots and R&D investments
* Regional outlooks based on market
opportunities and regulatory drivers
* Strategies for implementation
A key need/justification for this study,
and one that TCGR is uniquely capable of
delivering, is a comprehensive technical,
market and strategic/competitive assessment
of approaches to resolving the requirement
for "circularity" in plastics. This study is a "by
the industry, for the industry" assessment and a
"must have" for future success in the polymers
industries globally!
*****
Additional information, including the complete
study proposal, the preliminary Table of
Contents and the Order Form, is available
http://www.catalystgrp.com/multiclient_studies/
plastics-recycling-circular-economy-catalyticcompatibilization-solutions/ or by contacting
John J. Murphy at +1.215.628.4447 or
John.J.Murphy@catalystgrp.com.

October 2019

http://www.catalystgrp.com/multiclient_studies/plastics-recycling-circular-economy-catalytic-compatibilization-solutions/ http://www.catalystgrp.com/multiclient_studies/plastics-recycling-circular-economy-catalytic-compatibilization-solutions/ http://www.catalystgrp.com/multiclient_studies/plastics-recycling-circular-economy-catalytic-compatibilization-solutions/ http://www.catalystgrp.com/tcg-resources/

The Catalyst Review October 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Catalyst Review October 2019