Use of soda ash as a recycling agent to reduce Non-degradable PET waste in Sri Lanka

Weerasooriya, PRD; Udayakumara, SV; Gunapala, O; Karunanayake, UPABP

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dc.contributor.author	Weerasooriya, PRD
dc.contributor.author	Udayakumara, SV
dc.contributor.author	Gunapala, O
dc.contributor.author	Karunanayake, UPABP
dc.date.accessioned	2013-10-21T02:12:38Z
dc.date.available	2013-10-21T02:12:38Z
dc.date.issued	2011
dc.identifier.uri	http://dl.lib.mrt.ac.lk/handle/123/8161
dc.description.abstract	The Aim of this research is to use soda ash (Commercial grade of sodium carbonate) as a recycling agent to depolymerize waste poly(ethyleneterephthalate) (PET) bottles into its initial monomers (i.e. terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol). The reaction between soda ash and crushed PET bottles was carried out under different reaction temperatures and times in an atmospheric pressure. Mono-ethylene glycol(EG) is used as a solvent or the reaction media for this reaction. The effect of EG: PET ratio on the yield also studied. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) technique VWM used to analyze the reaction products. In laboratory scale, 4/1 EG/PET weight ratio, 170'C operating temperature and 35 minutes reaction time were identified as the optimum conditions .The percentage of PET decomposition and yield of terephthalic acid was 78.89% and 77.95% respectively under above conditions
dc.language	en
dc.title	Use of soda ash as a recycling agent to reduce Non-degradable PET waste in Sri Lanka
dc.type	Conference-Abstract
dc.identifier.year	2011
dc.identifier.conference	Excellence in Research, Excelling a Nation
dc.identifier.place	Faculty of Engineering, University of Moratuwa
dc.identifier.pgnos	233-234
dc.identifier.proceeding	17th Annual Research Symposium on Excellence in Research, Excelling a Nation