Recycling of uPVC window profile waste

Abstract

NoMethods of recycling unplasticized polyvinyl chloride (uPVC) window frame waste were investigated. The quality of untreated granular waste was compared to that of waste treated by a range of contaminant removal processes including melt filtration and dissolution. Processability of each recyclate was evaluated by using a highly instrumented single screw extruder that enabled melt viscosity and process variation to be monitored in real time. Product quality measurements such as mechanical properties and surface defects were made on extruded strip, and the nature of the stabilizers present was determined. The mechanical properties of recyclates were found to be comparable to or better than those of virgin material in all cases and conformed to industry standards for window profile. Contaminant removal stages significantly reduced the amount of large surface defects detected in extrudate. Processability was comparable to that of virgin compounds, but melt viscosity varied among different batches of recyclate, depending on the source and composition of the original PVC formulation