SEPARATION OF POLYMER FROM COMPOSITE STRUCTURES

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of promoting the separation of a polymer bonded to a substrate of a different material, which collectively form at least part of a composite polymer structure, the method comprising: (1) contacting the composite polymer structure with a composition comprising an organic solvent which is absorbed into one or both of the polymer and the substrate, wherein the composition comprising an organic solvent does not dilute either the polymer or the substrate and (2) contacting the composite polymer structure provided in step (1) with a liquid (i) having a temperature higher than the boiling point of the composition comprising an organic solvent used in step (1) and (ii) which does not dilute either the polymer or the substrate, the action of which promotes the separation between the polymer and the substrate.