Recent Advances in the Chemical Recycling of Polyurethane Consumer Products

Anjana S. Sarala; Bjarke S. Donslund; Troels Skrydstrup

doi:10.1016/j.eng.2025.11.031

Engineering ›› :202511031 DOI: 10.1016/j.eng.2025.11.031

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Recent Advances in the Chemical Recycling of Polyurethane Consumer Products

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Abstract

Polyurethane (PU) is the most prevalent thermoset plastic material, accounting for approximately 6.3% of global plastic production. Recently, the closed-loop chemical recycling of PU has attracted considerable academic interest, as it offers a solution for plastic waste disposal and provides an alternative plastic-production pathway independent of fossil hydrocarbon sources. This perspective provides insight into our work on the chemical monomer recycling of PU plastic, with a focus on processes such as hydrogenation, acidolysis, and chem-solvolysis, primarily involving flexible PU foams as substrates. The challenges and opportunities of this field are discussed in the context of other relevant contributions, expressing our thoughts on the current scenario and the prospects of large-scale PU recycling in an industrial setting.

Keywords

Recycling / Polyurethane / Circular economy / Depolymerization

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Anjana S. Sarala, Bjarke S. Donslund, Troels Skrydstrup. Recent Advances in the Chemical Recycling of Polyurethane Consumer Products. Engineering 202511031 DOI:10.1016/j.eng.2025.11.031

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