Recycling of polymers by ionizing radiation: the potential applications of radiation-induced effects in polymers – a review

Kiss, Lóránt and Gohs, Uwe and Czvikovszky, Tibor and Mészáros, László (2026) Recycling of polymers by ionizing radiation: the potential applications of radiation-induced effects in polymers – a review. RADIATION PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY, 245. p. 113872. ISSN 0969-806X (print); 1879-0895 (online)

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Abstract

One of the most pressing issues of our time is the proper management of waste generated by society, as it significantly harms the living environment. Plastic waste is no exception; due to its structure, it decomposes slowly, and the resulting microplastics also pose a threat to living organisms. The problem of recycling plastic products at the end of their life has not yet been fully solved. As a result most of them end up in landfills, preventing the establishment of a circular economy. Therefore, it is crucial to develop new, economically viable technologies. Ionizing radiation produces several effects in polymers such as chain scission, cross-linking, functionalization, grafting, and electrical charging, making their application in plastic waste recycling an increasingly researched area. Polymers that cannot be sorted with conventional technologies (first step in proper recycling) can be selectively separated by radiation-assisted sorting. Ionizing radiation treatment can improve the mechanical properties of waste mixtures containing polymers and can be used to produce cross-linked or high-molecular-weight materials, significantly aiding the efficient recycling of polymers. Thus, ionizing radiation can be applied in recycling plastic products that have reached the end of their life cycle, thereby contributing to the development of a circular economy.

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