RoCo | Pittsburgh, PA

The Team: Polypropylene (PP) recycling rates are alarmingly low with only 1%-3% of PP being recycled. PP is a stiff polymer that is extremely sensitive to polymer contaminants resulting in a brittle, rigid material that is difficult to recycle. Roco (formerly Liquid Ion Solutions LLC) has developed a new approach using an ionic compatibilizer which upcycles the properties of the contaminated plastics. It improves its mechanical and impact properties, thus overcoming the stiffness-impact trade-off and improving recycling of the material.

NextCycle Michigan Project: The RoCo team will focus on identifying currently landfilled polypropylene streams and building partnerships with feedstock suppliers, compounders, and brand owners to develop a pilot in Michigan.

Additional Information:

• Website - www.roco.global

• Article - DOE Awards Over $1.65 Million to Three CMU Clean Energy Startups (Carnegie Mellon University, July 2021)