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Processes for pigment separation from recycled thermoplastic polyurethane
Waste management
What questions do you have about this RFP?
Get them answered by the team at BASF.
Background

The presence of pigments in thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)-based products serves a critical role in enhancing their aesthetic appeal. However, these same pigments pose significant challenges in TPU recycling and upcycling efforts.  

 

The large surface areas and Van der Waals forces of pigment particles complicate their separation from the polar TPU matrix in a scalable process. In addition, loss of molecular weight is very common to TPU in most recycling processes, leading to a deterioration in key macroscopic properties such as tensile strength and abrasion resistance. 

 

There is a pressing need for an environmentally benign, energy efficient process to separate pigments from post-consumer TPU waste so that the material can be recycled back into the original product or upcycled into higher-value products.

What we're looking for

We are looking for a scalable, ideally continuous process that can efficiently separate different inorganic and organic pigments and dye components from a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) matrix. This process should also maintain the basic macroscopic properties of TPU, such as tensile strength and resistance to abrasion.

Solutions of interest include:
  • A high throughput separation process, specific for dyes and pigments
  • A high throughput separation process, with minimum environmental impact
Our must-have requirements are:
  • Eventual solution must be capable of achieving >90% dye removal efficiency (delta E <3).
  • For the eventual solution, the recycled TPU must retain >90% of its abrasion resistance and tensile properties.
Our nice-to-have's are:
  • Process is capable of improving the tensile and abrasion resistance properties of upcycled TPU.

  • Solution is capable of achieving 99% removal of pigments.

  • Recycled TPU can be recycled multiple times without loss of physical properties

What's out of scope:
  • Solvent based recycling process
  • Chemical recycling
  • Pyrolysis recycling approaches
Acceptable technology readiness levels (TRL):
Levels 3-7
What we can offer you
Eligible partnership models:
Sponsored research
Benefits:
Sponsored Research
Funding is proposal dependent, but an accepted proposal could expect support in the range of $20,000 - $100,000 (milestone dependent) with the potential for follow on funding.
Facilities and Services
We can offer testing and evaluation of materials and approaches in our labs.
Expertise
Partner will receive guidance over each step of the collaboration. Possibility to develop further collaboration with BASF researchers, based on preliminary results.
Reviewers
LJ
Lauren Junker
Technology Scout
TH
Tom Holcombe
Collaboration & Scouting NA
EI
Emir Islamovic
Innovation and Partnership Manager
KB
Kavita Bitra
Technology scout
SS
Sophia Steffens
Innovation & Scouting
Q&A with BASF

The Q&A is now closed.

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Most upvoted
Q.
Hi, I am working in an academic research institute in India working on separation process from liquid and solid as well. Can we participate in the process? I have some concept note on this (TRL 2). Is it good to proceed?
1
A.
Hello Dr. Sen, Thank you for your question, We would be happy to review your proposed solution. Thank you for your consideration. Lauren
LJ
Lauren Junker, Technology Scout, BASF
May 22, 2024
Is this response helpful?
0
0
Q.
Hi, is supercritical fluid extraction within the scope? Thanks.
1
A.
Hello Grace, If water or carbon dioxide is used as the fluid, then SCF is within the scope. Thank you for your consideration. Lauren
LJ
Lauren Junker, Technology Scout, BASF
May 31, 2024
Is this response helpful?
1
0
A.
Hi Laura, thanks for your feedback! Based on our experience and literature review, SC-CO2 might work with the addition of co-solvents, would that still be within the scope of this call? Other than SC-CO2, we are thinking to explore other milder SCF systems as well. Would that be an interest to BASF as well? Thanks again for your help!
1
A.
Hello Grace, Yes, co-solvents are welcome. However, they need to environmentally benign, and if possible, need to recyclable. Thank you again for your consideration, Lauren
LJ
Lauren Junker, Technology Scout, BASF
June 24, 2024
Is this response helpful?
1
0
Q.
Hi, are you open to a bio-solvent recycling approach? Thanks!
1
A.
Hello Carolina, Thank you for your consideration, solvent based recycling approaches are out of scope for this call. Kind regards, Lauren
LJ
Lauren Junker, Technology Scout, BASF
June 20, 2024
Is this response helpful?
1
0
Q.
Have you looked at biochar/graphene/carbon allotropes? We haven't found anything that it cannot clean up.
1
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