Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Recycling: Gamma irradiation impact on crystallinity, chemical structure and thermal stability

IF 2.5 4区材料科学 Q3 MATERIALS SCIENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Applied Physics A Pub Date : 2025-02-05 DOI:10.1007/s00339-025-08297-1

Izzuddin Mohd Zaharuddin, Mohd Hafiz Mohd Zaid, Mohd Hamzah Harun, Yazid Yaakob, Nor Batrisya Ismail

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

This study explores the effects of Cobalt-60 gamma irradiation at underexplored low-doses of 0, 20, and 80 kGy on the crystallinity, chemical structure, and thermal stability of waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Characterization techniques, including XRD, Raman spectroscopy, DSC, and TGA, revealed that gamma irradiation modify crystallinity and thermal stability, but overall chemical characteristic is unchanging. At 20 kGy, the crystallite size increased from 59 Å to 63 Å, the melting temperature (T_m) rose from 246.2 °C to 248.4 °C, and thermal degradation and decomposition occurred 25 °C slower. XPS data showed significant chemical restructuring, with an increase in the C/O ratio from 2.89 to 4.53, indicating the breakdown of ester linkages. These findings demonstrate that optimized gamma irradiation can potentially serve as a viable pre-treatment method to improve PET recyclability, enhance crystallinity, thermal stability, and reduce energy consumption and byproduct formation in chemical recycling processes, highlighting its potential for sustainable PET waste management.

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来源期刊

Applied Physics A 工程技术-材料科学：综合

CiteScore

4.80

自引率

7.40%

发文量

964

审稿时长

38 days

期刊介绍： Applied Physics A publishes experimental and theoretical investigations in applied physics as regular articles, rapid communications, and invited papers. The distinguished 30-member Board of Editors reflects the interdisciplinary approach of the journal and ensures the highest quality of peer review.