Technology and IP Analysis of Upcycled Polymers
Focus on Sustainability and Need for High-performance, Environment-friendly Polymers Drives Advances in Upcycling Technologies
Although use of polymers is steadily increasing globally, the rate of recycling these plastics is still less than 10%, resulting in approximately 50% of the plastic waste getting dumped in landfills. This occurs primarily because existing chemical and mechanical recycling processes have low recycling rates, high energy consumption, and are often expensive to scale, which hinders their adoption. In response, stakeholders in plastic recycling are developing new upcycling approaches that will increase the recycling rate of polymeric waste, are energy efficient, and scale easily.
This research focuses on existing and emerging polymer upcycling technologies and how they improve and add value to plastics’ circular economy. The study includes an in-depth analysis of various technological developments in upcycling and the efforts to increase their commercial potential.
The research categorizes upcycling technologies into three distinct categories: polymers to polymers, polymers to molecules, and polymers to materials. These categories are determined by the nature of the final product generated through the process of upcycling polymeric waste.
The studies encompass a range of polymeric waste materials, including but not limited to polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC), polystyrene (PS), mixed polymeric waste (MPW), and polyurethane (PUR), each of which undergoes distinct upcycling approaches.
Key Discussion Points
Advancing the Circular Economy through Polymer Upcycling: Challenges of existing recycling technologies and benefits of polymer upcycling over recycling
Growth Drivers and Restraints: Factors driving the demand for upcycled polymers and challenges associated with their adoption
Technology Ecosystem: A look into research and development (R&D) activities of existing and emerging polymer upcycling technologies and their current technology readiness levels (TRLs)
IP Analysis: Overview of the global patent filing activities of stakeholders in upcycled polymers
Stakeholder Activities: A glance at business strategies such as mergers and acquisitions (M&A), partnerships, joint ventures, and funding various stakeholders adopt to strengthen the development of polymer upcycling technologies
- Strategic Imperatives
- Why Is It Increasingly Difficult to Grow? The Strategic Imperative 8™: Factors Creating Pressure on Growth
- The Strategic Imperative 8™
- The Impact of the Top 3 Strategic Imperatives on Polymer Upcycling Technologies
- Growth Opportunities Fuel the Growth Pipeline Engine™
- Research Methodology
- Growth Opportunity Analysis
- Scope of Analysis
- Research Segmentation
- Primary Topics and Questions the Study Will Answer
- Primary Challenges with Existing Recycling Technologies
- The Benefits of Polymer Upcycling over Recycling
- Growth Drivers
- Growth Restraints
- Technology Analysis: Polymers to Polymers
- Converting Polymeric Waste to Polymers: An Introduction
- High Scalability of DE–PE Encouraging Commercialization at Industrial Scale
- High Complexity Associated with Polymer Functionalization Limiting its Adoption
- Summary: Innovations from Stakeholders in Polymers to Polymers
- Technology Analysis: Polymers to Molecules
- Converting Polymeric Waste to Additives, Chemicals, and Monomers: An Introduction
- Photo-induced Depolymerization Using Sunlight to Upcycle Polymeric Waste
- Academia to Research Catalytic Depolymerization, a Promising Upcycling Approach
- Greater Feed Flexibility and High Yield Promoting HTL Growth
- Biological Depolymerization Encouraging Polymer Upcycling toward Sustainability and Energy-efficiency
- Summary of Technology Developments for Polymers to Molecules
- Technology Analysis: Polymers to Materials
- Converting Polymeric Waste into Nanomaterials: An Introduction
- Flashing Polymeric Waste at High Temperatures to Produce Graphene and C Nanotubes
- Microwave-based Oxidative Degradation for Upcycling Polymeric Waste
- Feedstock Flexibility Increasing Adoption of Pyrolysis for Upcycling Polymeric Waste
- Hydrothermal Carbonization Upcycling Polymeric Waste with Production Yields of up to 96%
- Dehalogenation Promising a Low-energy Pathway to Upcycle Hard-torecycle Thermoplastics
- Low Production Yield Limiting the Adoption of Electrospinning for Upcycling Polymeric Waste
- Summary of Technology Developments for Polymers to Materials
- Patent Analysis
- The United States Dominating Patent Filing in Upcycled Polymers
- Ban on Plastic Waste Exports to Developing Markets Driving R&D in Polymer Upcycling
- Funding & Investment Snapshot
- Global Economic Slowdown Leading to Decline in Private Investment for Upcycled Polymers
- Venture Capital Investment Focusing on Upcycled Polymer Commercialization
- Private Funding Focusing on Accelerating Commercialization
- Notable Public Funding Activities across the Globe
- Growth Opportunities
- Growth Opportunity 1: Process Optimization to Support Mixed-waste Upcycling
- Growth Opportunity 2: Computational Approaches to Advance Enzymatic Upcycling
- Growth Opportunity 3: Accelerated R&D in Upcycling Thermosetting Polymers
- Appendix
- Technology Readiness Levels (TRL): Explanation
- Next Steps
- Your Next Steps
- Why Frost, Why Now?
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