Strong alkaline solutions of sodium hydroxide are able to destroy the hydrophobicity of polyethylene terephthalate
(PET) allowing for the flotation separation of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) from PET. Conditioning of the PVC/PET
mixture in a low-concentration solution of polymer plasticizer at elevated temperature enhances the hydrophobicity
of PVC particles and only slightly affects the surface properties of PET particles. On this basis, enhancement of the
flotation separation by conditioning with a polymer plasticizer, and by the use of non-ionic surfactants, has been
developed and tested at a laboratory scale.