Riken Technos Tests Zinc Oxide Dechlorination of PVC Compounds With Shinshu

RIKEN TECHNOS is running joint research with Shinshu University's Professor Tomohiko Okada group on dechlorinating PVC compounds using zinc oxide. Tests with phthalate diester plasticizers of varying alkyl chain lengths reached high dechlorination rates at around 200°C regardless of plasticizer type. The plasticizer presence also helped zinc oxide disperse uniformly in PVC, suggesting the process could run on a generic kneading method. Results were presented at the 138th Catalysis Society of Japan Meeting at Kumamoto University.

Key facts

Market context

Polyvinyl chloride is one of the most widely produced plastics, used in construction products such as pipes, window profiles, cable insulation and flooring, as well as in films and medical tubing. PVC compounds are formulated with plasticizers, most commonly phthalate diesters, to make them flexible, and the same additives complicate recycling because they must be separated or handled along with the chlorine-containing polymer. Chlorine release during thermal processing is a known hazard for recyclers, which is why dechlorination chemistry is an active research area. Zinc oxide is a common, inexpensive metal oxide already used widely in rubber and plastics, so a process based on it would draw on familiar materials and equipment. Any route that removes chlorine from waste PVC could affect the economics of feedstock sourcing for recyclers, though commercial adoption depends on scaling, cost and regulatory acceptance.

Source: official release on rikentechnos.co.jp. Summary and context written by Market Krystal.