SEPARATION OF VOLUME-REDUCING SOLUTION FROM VOLUMEREDUCED POLYSTYRENE FOAM

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To recover both of polystyrene and d-limonene having a high affinity to polystyrene in a reusable state by separating them from the volume-reduced polystyrene in the form of a gel, paste or viscous liquid containing them without partial decomposition and discoloration. SOLUTION: Lumps of volume-reduced foamed polystyrene containing 2-60 pts.wt. of polystyrene per 100 pts.wt. of d-limonene are maintained at 50-150 deg.C and poured in a solvent that is compatible to d-limonene but does not solve polystyrene and is kept at the same temperature in small particles of <=0.6 mm diameter, small pieces of membrane of 0.6 mm thickness or small cut pieces of filaments of <=0.6 mm diameter. Then, the mixture is separated into solid and liquid to recover the regenerated polystyrene powder and the separated liquid phase is distilled to recover d-limonene and the solvent separately.