Preparation of Polycarbonate Hollow Microspheres by Microencapsulation Method

Abstract

For the purpose of recycling waste polycarbonate (PC) products, PC hollow microspheres were prepared using waste PC products via a microencapsulation method. In the microencapsulation process, dichloromethane was the suitable organic solvent of the oil phase, and the optimal adding amount of gelatin was 1.7 g in 70 g water. The size of the PC hollow microspheres was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The hollow microspheres with mean diameter from 19 to 645 µm could be obtained by varying the preparation factors. The tap density could be controlled through the manipulation of the weight ratio of W₁ and O phase and PC concentration.

Keywords:

• hollow microspheres
• microencapsulation method
• polycarbonate
• recycling

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express their deep gratitude to China University of Petroleum (Beijing) for financial support and the members of the State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing for their valuable help.

Notes

^a Measured value under 20°C.