Chemical recycling turns silicone waste into reusable building blocks with up to 99% yield
Silicones are widely used in industry, medicine and everyday products due to their exceptional thermal and chemical stability. However, it is precisely these properties that have made recycling silicones extremely problematic in the past. Researchers at the Institute of Chemistry at TU Berlin have now succeeded in breaking down the polymer chains of silicone molecules into their basic building…
Silicones are versatile materials used in various industries, medicine and daily products because of their heat and chemical resistance. However, their unique properties also make recycling them challenging. Researchers at the Institute of Chemistry at TU Berlin have developed a method to break down silicone molecules into their basic components, dimethyldichlorosilane, which can then be reused to create new silicone compounds.
This groundbreaking process, which achieved up to 99% yield in tests, could significantly improve the sustainability of silicone products.
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