Materials Science and Engineering Commons^™

Development Of A Separation Solution For Braided Polyester/Polyolefin Ropes And Lines, Stefan Fricke, Robbie Huton

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

The following report summarizes the research performed for the project sponsored by Net Your Problem. The research focuses on using depolymerization reactions as a method of separating polyester from polyolefin material in braided lines commonly used in the fishing and crabbing industries. Currently the mixed fibers in these lines are too comingled to be separated by conventional mechanical recycling methods. The glycolysis reactions were chosen to take advantage of the very different solubilities of polyester and polyolefins. Ethelene glycol breaks down the PET into oligomers and BHET monomer while leaving the polyolefins unreacted. The products of the reaction can then …