ETH Zurich researchers develop efficient acrylic glass recycling method

Researchers at ETH Zurich, led by material scientist Professor Athina Anastasaki, have developed a new method to chemically decompose polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), commonly known as acrylic glass, into its original monomers. The process, published in the journal Nature Chemistry, achieves a monomer yield of up to 98 percent.

Unlike previous methods that required chemical modification of polymer chains to create 'breaking points' or relied heavily on solvents, UV light, or specific catalysts, this new approach uses a commercially available reagent from the N-hydroxyimide class. The reaction is thermally driven, starting at temperatures slightly above 200 degrees Celsius, and does not require pre-treatment of the material.

The resulting recyclate is extremely pure, even when the source material contains dyes or impurities. This allows for the production of new polymers with the same quality as virgin materials. Because the process can be integrated into existing industrial infrastructure, it offers a potentially cost-effective and energy-efficient solution for recycling acrylic glass used in automotive parts, furniture, and glazing.