CX-270942: Washington University in St. Louis - Kg-Scale, Solvent-Free Upcycling of Pure and Mixed Polyolefin Waste

Funding will support the project team's small-scale research and development of a solvent-free process to recycle single-stream and mixed polyolefin (PO) waste into mechanically recyclable plastics. Specifically, the project team will (1) synthesize, test, and validate optimal materials for processing and recycling PO waste, (2) test and validate preliminary recycled materials to meet target metrics, (3) further refine materials and processes to meet next level performance metrics, (4) conduct final testing and validation of targets for recycling outcomes and material properties, and (5) prepare final process for next-stage development. If successful, this project will enable the upcycling of existing post-consumer PO waste and eliminate 50 percent of global plastic waste, which could reduce the amount of energy and materials required for new plastic production, ultimately reducing dependence on foreign energy, thereby increasing U.S. energy security.