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All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2026

Reaction Optimization for Enzymatic Deconstruction of Industrially Relevant Nylon Composites

Plastics such as polyamides (PAs) possess unique physicochemical properties that make them indispensable in modern society. However, their energy‐intensive production and challenging end‐of‐life management highlight the urgent need for efficient recycling or remanufacturing solutions. Enzymatic depolymerization offers a promising route toward circular recycling, yet remains constrained by limited enzyme characterization, lack of validation under industrially relevant conditions and substrates, and overall performance. Here, we optimized the reaction conditions for three recently discovered nylon‐degrading enzymes. One of them, Nyl12, achieved product titers with PA6 and PA66 that exceed previously reported values, without enzyme engineering or substrate pretreatment. We further demonstrated the scalability of the process and its application to complex PA‐based materials used in microelectronic components. Analysis of substrate features, including surface area and particle size, revealed key parameters governing enzymatic activity and provided a framework for future pretreatment and process optimization efforts. In combination, these efforts provide a new benchmark for enzymatic nylon recycling.

nylon↗

DOE OSTI2026

Improved nylon polymerization using amide diads

Nylons, a major class of synthetic polyamides, are widely used due to their excellent mechanical strength, thermal stability, and chemical resistance. Conventional nylon production relies on the polymerization of lactams or stoichiometric nylon salts. However, applying these approaches to unconventional precursors such as bio-derived glutaric acid produces polymers with low molecular weight and limited applications. To address these challenges, we demonstrated that chemically-synthesized nylon diads enable the production of higher-molecular-weight polyamides compared with traditional salts. We then identified a biosynthetic approach using amide synthetases to convert unprotected bifunctional substrates into nylon-relevant diads. Using a cofactor regeneration system, enzymatic diad synthesis was scaled to produce sufficient material for laboratory-scale characterization and solid-state polymerization. Amide synthetases demonstrated broad substrate scope, catalyzing the regioselective assembly of diverse nylon-relevant diacids, diamines, and ω-amino acids. This strategy offers a novel route to synthesize challenging nylon monomers and advances production of bioderived nylons.

Qian, Liangyu [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL↗

DOE OSTI2026

Enzymatic Nylon Deconstruction: Enzyme Discovery, Engineering, and Opportunities

Nylons are widely used synthetic polyamides valued for their strength, versatility, and durability across diverse applications. However, their petrochemical origin and energy-intensive production underscore the need for efficient, circular solutions. Conventional recycling methods remain limited by incomplete recovery, material degradation, and costly sorting requirements. Enzymatic depolymerization offers a selective, low-energy alternative capable of processing mixed waste streams under mild conditions. While significant progress has been achieved for polyesters, enzymatic degradation of polyamides is still at an early stage. The discovery of nylon hydrolases demonstrated the potential of biological systems to evolve catalysts for synthetic polyamides, yet reported depolymerization yields remain low. These limitations reflect both the structural complexity of nylons and the need for improved enzyme discovery and engineering. In conclusion, this review highlights recent advances, key challenges, and future directions for enzymatic nylon recycling, outlining its potential role enabling mixed polymer waste to be used as a green feedstock for remanufacturing.

Amides↗

DOE OSTI2024

Chemical recycling of mixed textile waste

Globally, less than 0.5% of postconsumer textile waste is recycled, with the majority incinerated or ending up in landfills. Most postconsumer textiles are mixed fibers, complicating mechanical recycling due to material blends and contaminants. Here, we demonstrate the chemical conversion of postconsumer mixed textile waste using microwave-assisted glycolysis over a ZnO catalyst followed by solvent dissolution. This approach electrifies the process heat while allowing rapid depolymerization of polyester and spandex to their monomers in 15 minutes. A simple solvent dissolution enables the separation of cotton and nylon. We assess the quality of all components through extensive material characterization, discuss their potential for sustainable recycling, and provide a techno-economic analysis of the economic feasibility of the process.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗

DOE OSTI2026

All-Polyester Multilayer Plastics (‘All-Polyester MLPs’): A Redesign for Inherently Recyclable Plastics

Multilayer plastics (MLPs) are widely used in modern packaging because they combine multiple functions such as oxygen and moisture barriers, mechanical strength, puncture resistance, and heat sealability into lightweight and cost-effective packaging solutions. These attributes are essential for food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and consumer goods packaging. However, conventional commercial MLPs typically consist of five to twelve layers made from chemically incompatible materials, including polyolefins, polyethylene terephthalate, nylon, ethylene-vinyl alcohol (EVOH), adhesives, and tie layers. This complexity makes MLPs extremely difficult to recycle. As a result, the vast majority of multilayer plastics (MLPs) are disposed of through landfilling or incineration. This disposal pathway perpetuates demand for virgin material production, thereby driving high industrial energy consumption, increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and contributing to the long-term accumulation of plastic waste. The scope of work included: (1) Design and fabrication of all-polyester multilayer structures using commercially relevant processing methods; (2) Experimental validation of barrier, mechanical, and sealing performance; (3) Demonstration of both mechanical and chemical recycling pathways; and (4) Comprehensive techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life-cycle assessment (LCA) to quantify cost, energy, and environmental impacts.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2026

Scalable slot-die coating of phyllosilicate membranes for selective ion separations

Abstract Two-dimensional (2D) materials have recently drawn attention as candidate materials for molecular-scale membrane separations due to their tunable nanoscale interlayer properties. Phyllosilicates, a broad class of naturally abundant 2D clay minerals, offer significant advantages over synthetic 2D materials, including low cost, stability, and environmental compatibility. While these properties make phyllosilicates attractive for industrial-scale nanofiltration applications, phyllosilicate-based membranes have, to date, only been fabricated at the lab scale via vacuum filtration. Scalable fabrication methods are essential to advance the technical maturity of phyllosilicate membranes and bring these promising materials closer to large-scale adoption. Herein, we have successfully scaled up phyllosilicate (vermiculite) membrane fabrication via slot-die coating and roll-to-roll coating of an ethylenediamine–vermiculite (EDAVM) mixture onto nylon. The coated membranes are 1–2 μm $ \unicode{x03BC} \mathrm{m} $ mu m in thickness and exhibit similar structure and performance to vacuum-filtered EDAVM membranes. The membranes also show selectivity for monovalent ions over multivalent ions in binary salt mixtures. This work represents a major step toward scaling up phyllosilicate membranes for industrial ion separation applications such as resource recovery from water.

Booth, Austin [Princeton University]↗

DOE OSTI2026

Delamination recycling of multilayer plastic films: Solvent-assisted separation pathways and recovery of solid polyolefins

Multilayer plastic films are excellent packaging materials due to the bound layers of multiple polymers, with each different polymer contributing to the film properties. Desirable properties lead to continuously growing demand for multilayer films. Multilayer plastic films are typically single-use and, as such, their increased production and disposal have led to waste management problems. Multilayer films are not currently recyclable primarily due to the multiple bound polymers. This work advances delamination as a recycling process to separate and sequester valuable polymers from multilayer films, facilitating the incorporation of these polymers into the circular economy. We effect delamination in a physical process that preserves targeted polymers as solid film, hence retaining their embodied energy. This work documents three different pathways of inducing delamination of multilayer films, with appropriate solvents disrupting adhesion between adjacent layers or dissolving a minor component of the film in less than an hour and at temperatures below 90°C, and where all initial polyethylene is maintained in its solid form throughout the process and is recovered at high purity. Solvent-based delamination is exemplified on commercial multilayer films with majority polyethylene (PE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) or nylon also present. Solvent-based delamination is an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly recycling process that improves upon dissolution-precipitation recycling, since delamination involves very little dissolution and no precipitation, and is superior to pyrolysis which breaks down the polymers, while delamination keeps polymer chains intact. Furthermore, delamination recycling can contribute to the sustainable use of multilayer films as they continue to protect our food and medicine.

Chemical Recycling↗