Solvent-based Plastics Recycling for Circular Economy
With the solvent-based recycling process developed at the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV, a wide variety of plastics from packaging, as well as from the automotive, electronics, construction, and textile sectors, can be recycled and processed into high-purity plastic recyclates.
In this way, waste fractions that cannot be recycled using conventional recycling processes according to the state of the art become available for a circular economy with the solvent-based process. The Fraunhofer IVV will be demonstrating this processing method at the K trade fair for plastics and rubber from October 8-15 in Düsseldorf.
Together with industry partners, recycling experts from Fraunhofer IVV, Dr. Martin Schlummer (left) and Dr. Andreas Mäurer (right), are implementing the solvent-based recycling process in industrial plants
As emphasized, compared to mechanical separation processes, it offers the advantage that the target polymer can be selectively dissolved and recovered in high purity. “Foreign polymers and other solids remain undissolved and are effectively separated. Dissolved impurities such as flame retardants, plasticizers, degradation products, and odors are separated by specific solvents, resulting in high-purity recycled plastic,” the Fraunhofer IVV assured. “Solvent-based recycling is a physical process and an effective alternative to chemical recycling. This is because the polymers are not degraded, and polymerization from chemically recycled raw materials is not necessary.”
A large-scale pilot plant is available at the Fraunhofer IVV for scaling up solvent-based recycling to an industrial scale and to produce quantities of recyclate for industrial application tests. To transfer the process to industrial plants, the Fraunhofer IVV is looking for partners.
(Published in GLOBAL RECYCLING Magazine 3/2025, Page 12, Photo: Fraunhofer IVV)
