Chemical recycling of polycarbonate in high pressure high temperature steam at 573Â K

Polycarbonate (PC) could be completely decomposed into its monomer, bisphenol A (BPA) with high pressure (not atmospheric pressure) high temperature steam (573 K) in 5 min reaction time. The maximum yield of BPA was about 80 mol% based on the starting PC. PC decomposition at 573 K in liquid water phase near the saturated pressure for the comparison. For 30 min in reaction in liquid water at 573 K residual PC still remained and the BPA yield was about 50% as maximum.