This will, in turn, reduce the amount of solid waste that is sent to our landfills. With this technique, waste is basically transferred into a chamber where steam is injected while being mixed. The steam melts the plastic materials and pulps the paper products, food, and yard waste. The steam has less effect on metal waste material. After treatment with steam, recyclable metals, plastics, and textiles are easily separated from the pulped paper and food by their different sizes.
Supercritical fluids are high pressure fluids with the properties of both a gas and a liquid.
Our research group takes advantage of these unique solvents to separate the individual parts that make up many mixed polymeric wastes. The recovered nylon material and polypropylene material can therefore be recycled and used again in new carpet.