Summary
- Profile Type
- Technology offer
- POD Reference
- TOKR20241114003
- Term of Validity
- 14 November 2024 - 14 November 2025
- Company's Country
- South Korea
- Type of partnership
- Investment agreement
- Commercial agreement with technical assistance
- Targeted Countries
- All countries
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General information
- Short Summary
- A Korean company offers chemical recycling method for waste Polyethylene Terephthalate(PET) that operates at room temperature and consumes less energy in the reaction process. The process involves extracting polyester through chemical screening and separation of waste textile as pre-treatment, followed by producing monomers and plasticizer through depolymerization technology. The company seeks global partners to scale up and commercialize its technology.
- Full Description
-
Established in 1999, a Korean SME is offering innovative chemical recycling process. Compared to existing depolymerization method, the Korean company’s technology operates under a lower temperature (below 60°C) for depolymerization, and below 100°C for subsequent steps including transesterification. This process enables repetitive recycling without deterioration of quality, resulting in materials that are close to virgin-grade in purity.
Prior to depolymerization stage, the Korean company has applied chemical screening and separation of waste textiles as pre-treatment. It can selectively decolorize and extract polyester from mixed fabrics, which serves as feedstock for the depolymerization or material for mechanical recycling. Through the pre-treatment, it can remove contaminants such as mixed fibers, dyes and pigments and save energy consumption.
By utilizing a low-cost catalyst with high reactivity at room temperature, the chemical recycling process yields high-purity raw materials such as Dimethyl terephthalate (DMT), Bis-2-hydroxyethyl terephthalate (BHET), Bis-3-hydroxypropyl terephthalate (BHPT), Bis-4-hydroxybutyl terephthalate (BHBT), and a plasticizer Dioctyl terephthalate (DOTP).
Recycled DOTP can serve as a circular replacement for existing plasticizers with its low environmental and health risks with multiple industrial applications such as auto interior (dashborad, door panels) fashion accessories (synthetic leather), medical devices (blood bags, tubes), toys etc.
The technology for chemical recycling of waste PET has reached demo plant stage with a capacity of 10 Kilo Tonnes per Annum (KTA). The technology for chemical screening and separation is currently at pilot scale. The Korean company is looking for global partners who can scale up and commercialize its technology under commercial agreement with technical assistance or investment agreement. - Advantages and Innovations
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Low-energy chemical recycling : The process utilizes waste PET as feedstock for depolymerization to produce high-purity recycled materials
No additional capital investment : The platform technology yields recycled output variations without additional capital investment
Eco-friendly and Energy-saving : The technology is a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastic, contributing to plastic circularity
Contaminant Removal : Chemical screening and separation process removes contaminants such as mixed fibers, dyes, and pigments - Stage of Development
- Available for demonstration
- Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- IPR status
- IPR granted
Partner Sought
- Expected Role of a Partner
-
Type of partner sought : Company
Specific area of activity of partner : Global fashion brands and footwear brands, PET packaging industries (bottles, food trays, release films & protective films in electronics), specialty chemicals manufacturers and waste treatment companies (e.g. PET flake manufacturers, textiles collection & sorting)
Task to be performed :
- To test chemically recycled raw materials
- To scale up and commercialize the technology - Type and Size of Partner
- Big company
- SME 50 - 249
- Type of partnership
- Investment agreement
- Commercial agreement with technical assistance
Dissemination
- Technology keywords
- 03005007 - Textile fibres
- 02007018 - Advanced Textile Materials
- 03004008 - Plastics and Rubber related to Chemical Technology
- 09001003 - Chemical material testing
- 10003004 - Recycling, Recovery
- Market keywords
- 09004006 - Packing products and systems
- 08004002 - Chemical and solid material recycling
- 07004001 - Clothing, shoes and accessories (including jewellery)
- 09004003 - Textiles (synthetic and natural)
- 09001005 - Motor vehicles, transportation equipment and parts
- Sector Groups Involved
- Proximity & Social Economy
- Textiles
- Targeted countries
- All countries
Files
DOTP container
Technology Image
Sample size bottle