Feedstock Generation
Thermal cracking of post-consumer plastic waste in an oxygen-free reactor produces a liquid hydrocarbon mixture suitable for recycling. This pyrolysis oil represents a circular alternative to fossil-based petroleum in the chemical manufacturing of synthetic fibres. It is produced by breaking down mixed plastic waste, including polyester and polyurethane scraps, into their primary chemical fractions.
It offers a path to recycle post-consumer textiles that are otherwise unsuited for mechanical recycling, such as elastane-blended garments. Recyclers can process complex synthetic mixtures to divert them from municipal landfills.
Refining Process
Direct injection of the recycled liquid into steam crackers requires extensive pretreatment and distillation to remove contaminants. Processing pyrolysis oil involves removing heteroatoms like chlorine, nitrogen, and oxygen that could damage the cracking furnaces. This cleaning process ensures the resulting chemical fractions are identical to virgin fossil fuels.
It is a critical step in the chemical recycling chain.
Synthesis Output
Monomers synthesized from this purified chemical stream are polymerized to yield recycled polyester or polyamide resins. These recycled resins can be extruded into new synthetic yarns, maintaining the exact same tensile strength, dyeability, and performance as virgin nylon or polyester. This recycling loop saves resource consumption by displacing petroleum.
It allows brands to design garments for circular life cycles.
Purity Standard
Quality standards for the incoming waste feedstock must be tightly controlled to ensure a consistent oil composition. If the contamination levels in the pyrolysis oil are too high, the quality of the recycled synthetic fiber degrades. Testing is conducted at both the recycling plant and the chemical cracker to verify chemical profiles.
