PROJECT CODE: PN-III-P1-1.1-TE-2021-0030; Contract number:  TE 21/2022

ACRONYM: PET-Rec

DURATION: 24 months; STARTING DATE: 15.05.2022 

FUNDING PROGRAMME: Human Resources; Subprogram: Young Research Teams

CONTRACTING AUTHORITY: Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding

TOTAL BUDGET: 450.000,00 lei

Website: https://petrisorsamoila.wixsite.com/pet-rec 

Among the thermoplastics, the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is one of the most widely employed materials in the packaging and textile industry and the pollution from PET is also impressive. In this context, recycling processes represent the best approach to reduce PET waste in an economical fashion. The novelty of the proposed research project consists in exploring the catalytic properties of magnetic materials for chemical recycling of the PET ubiquitous pollutant. Therefore, the project main goal is to develop a controlled method for PET glycolysis by using manganese-based magnetic nanosized spinel ferrites with enhanced efficiency in terms of catalytic activity and selectivity.  Moreover, the use of nanosized spinel ferrites as catalysts for PET glycolysis presents the advantage of facile removal from the reaction mixture under an external magnetic field.