Can HDPE be recycled without combustion?

[kthouz]

Hello everybody. Am majoring in applied phyisics and i just want make a small research on depolymeriztion of high density polyethylene in matter of plastic of recycling methods. i have been reading text about but all i found was about PET (polyethylene terephtalate). Does anyone know anything concernig HDPE. actually i want any method of recycling that does not need combustion of plastics.
Thanks for your collaboration

 

[alxm]

I'm not sure PE can be depolymerized simply, since it consists entirely of identical carbonyl bonds, making it near-impossible to 'select' every second carbonyl bond for breaking. You could look into catalytic cracking methods.

I'm not sure why you'd need to though, as a recycling method. It's a thermoplastic, so you can melt and re-mold it. (or use solvents)

 

[kthouz]

Thank you!