Improving the purity of materials recycled from disposable absorbent articles
Improving the recovery from recycling a disposable absorbent article including superabsorbent polymer includes separating the article into a mixed polymeric material/cellulosic fiber stream and a superabsorbent polymer/fibers stream; and processing the mixed polymeric material/cellulosic fiber stream using an enzyme to release the cellulosic fibers from the polymeric materials. The method can also include shredding the disposable absorbent article; re-pulping the shredded disposable absorbent article; and dehydrating the superabsorbent polymer, wherein dehydrating includes belching fluid from swollen superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) by immersing swollen SAP in a gel state into a composition for removing moisture, wherein seawater and 0.5 to 3% by weight of calcium chloride based on the weight of seawater are mixed for 10 minutes to 4 hours.
1. A method for improving the recovery from recycling a disposable absorbent article including superabsorbent polymer, the method comprising:
separating the article into a plastic-rich mixed polymeric material/cellulosic fiber stream and a superabsorbent polymer/fibers stream; and
processing the plastic-rich mixed polymeric material/cellulosic fiber stream using an enzyme to release the cellulosic fibers from the plastic-rich mixed polymeric materials.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the disposable absorbent article is a post-use absorbent article.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising shredding the disposable absorbent article prior to separating.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising re-pulping the shredded disposable absorbent article.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising dehydrating the superabsorbent polymer.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein dehydrating uses sea water or an ionic equivalent of seawater.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein dehydrating includes belching water from swollen superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) by immersing swollen SAP in a gel state into a composition for removing moisture, wherein sea water and 0.5 to 3% by weight of calcium chloride based on the weight of sea water are mixed for 10 minutes to 4 hours.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the enzyme is cellulase.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the disposable absorbent article is a diaper.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transferring cellulosic fiber released from the plastic-rich mixed polymeric material/cellulosic fiber stream to the superabsorbent polymer/fibers stream.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the separating is performed before the processing.
12. A method for improving the recovery from recycling a disposable absorbent article including superabsorbent polymer, the method comprising:
shredding the disposable absorbent article;
re-pulping the shredded disposable absorbent article;
dehydrating the superabsorbent polymer, wherein dehydrating includes belching water from swollen superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) by immersing swollen SAP in a gel state into a composition for removing moisture, wherein sea water and 0.5 to 3% by weight of calcium chloride based on the weight of sea water are mixed for 10 minutes to 4 hours;
separating the pulped and shredded disposable absorbent article into a plastic-rich mixed polymeric material/cellulosic fiber stream and a superabsorbent polymer/fibers stream; and
processing the plastic-rich mixed polymeric material/cellulosic fiber stream using an enzyme to release the cellulosic fibers from the plastic-rich mixed polymeric materials.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the enzyme is cellulase.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the disposable absorbent article is a diaper.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the disposable absorbent article is a post-use absorbent article.
16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising transferring cellulosic fiber released from the plastic-rich mixed polymeric material/cellulosic fiber stream to the superabsorbent polymer/fibers stream.
17. A method for improving the recovery from recycling a disposable absorbent article including superabsorbent polymer, the method comprising:
shredding the disposable absorbent article;
re-pulping the shredded disposable absorbent article;
dehydrating the superabsorbent polymer;
separating the pulped and shredded disposable absorbent article into a plastic-rich mixed polymeric material/cellulosic fiber stream and a superabsorbent polymer/fibers stream;
processing the plastic-rich mixed polymeric material/cellulosic fiber stream using an enzyme to release the cellulosic fibers from the plastic-rich mixed polymeric materials, wherein the enzyme is cellulase; and
transferring cellulosic fiber released from the plastic-rich mixed polymeric material/cellulosic fiber stream to the superabsorbent polymer/fibers stream.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the disposable absorbent article is a diaper.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the disposable absorbent article is a post-use absorbent article.
20. The method of claim 17 , wherein dehydrating includes belching water from swollen superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) by immersing swollen SAP in a gel state into a composition for removing moisture, wherein sea water and 0.5 to 3% by weight of calcium chloride based on the weight of sea water are mixed for 10 minutes to 4 hours.