Degradation behaviour and recovery of bisphenol-A from epoxy resin and polycarbonate resin by liquid-phase chemical recycling

In the liquid-phase cracking of bisphenol-A types of epoxy resin and polycarbonate resin at 440 °C in the presence of solvents such as tetralin, decalin or cyclohexanol, we recovered more than 40 wt% of phenol and isopropylphenol as monomers. On the other hand, bisphenol-A, which was common monomer from epoxy resin and polycarbonate resin, could also be recovered with high yield, when reaction was carried out at lower temperature of 300–350 °C. However, degradation of polycarbonate resin did not proceed in the thermal conditions without catalyst. Mechanistic difference between epoxy resin and polycarbonate resin in the liquid-phase cracking is discussed on the basis of the product distribution from resins and their appropriate model compounds.