Improving the mechanical recycling and reuse of mixed plastics and polymer composites

This is a post-print version of the chapter.In this chapter we will explore the possibilities and viability of commercially recycling and reusing of composites and mixed polymer based waste that is difficult and expensive to separate into individual generic polymers for subsequent recycling. The chapter will also attempt to cover legislations that hinder and drive this technology and give sources of information for further examples of polymer recycling in action

Wood polymer composites and their contribution to cascading utilisation

Due to a shortage of resources and a growing competition of land use, sustainable and efficient resource utilisation becomes increasingly important. The application and multiple, cascading utilisation of renewable resources is aimed at to ensure an allocation and future availability of resources. Wood polymer composites (WPCs) are a group of innovative materials consisting of mainly renewable resources. By means of summarizing recent research, it is shown how WPC can potentially contribute to an enhanced cascading utilisation. For the production of WPC, waste materials and by-products from wood and agricultural industry, e.g. offcuts, sawdust, residues from board manufacturing, pulping sludge, can serve as a raw material. Furthermore, the cited literature presents the use of recycled polymers and biopolymers as a potential alternative for the polymer component of WPC. By using biodegradable polymers, a fully biodegradable composite can be formed. In addition to using recycled materials and potentially being biodegradable, it is pointed out that WPC furthermore offers the possibility of being recycled itself, therefore being considered as a “green composite”. Although the influence of contaminated waste streams and mixed filler and polymer types on the properties of WPC made with such recyclates is yet not fully understood and no collection systems exist for post-consumer WPC, in-house recycling on the production sites is identified as a promising option as it reduces production costs and enhances resource efficiency and cascading utilisation. On the basis of cited life cycle assessments, the eco friendliness of WPC is assessed resulting in the conclusion that WPC cannot compete with solid wood with respect to environmental impact but is an environmentally friendly alternative to neat plastics in several applications

State of the art of plastic sorting and recycling : Feedback to vehicle design

Today car manufacturers are beginning to integrate recycling constraints in the first stages of the design of a new car due to their concern regarding the effects of car design on the recovery of material after End-of-Life Vehicle treatment. Improved understanding of the recycling process can help designers to avoid contaminants in the recycled product and improve the efficiency of current and new sorting methods. The main goal of this paper is to describe the state of the art of the technical efficiency of recovery channels for plastics in Europe in order to define requirements for automotive plastic part design. This paper will first present the results of a survey on industrial and innovative recycling technologies mainly originating from the mining sector, and secondly a simplified methodology for car design integrating plastic recycling constraints. This methodology concerns material association and compatibility, the type of assemblies favourable to better recycling, and better reuse of recycled products in cars.Renault Research Direction FR TCR LAB 1 13, Service 641000-Recycling Engineering, 1 avenue du Golf, 78288 Guyancourt Cedex, Franc

MFC concept as a possible solution for closed-loop recycling of food packaging trays

Flexible plastic films from food packaging trays make up one of the largest fractions of the plastic waste stream and recycling is one of the most important actions to deal with this fraction, reducing the impact of these plastics on the environment. However, the recyclability of multi-layered films is not straightforward and in most of the cases these fractions are landfilled or incinerated. Recycling of discarded mixed polymers without previous separation often results in low mechanical properties which have lead researchers to investigate novel solutions for recycling. In this research, the concept of microfibrillar composites (MFCs) was investigated aiming to upcycle mixed polymer waste streams. A blend based on polypropylene (PP) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) at a weight ratio of 80/20 PP/PET was studied. The final step of the MFC processing was conducted using a conical twin screw extrusion. The morphological results confirmed the presence of PET microfibrils in the composites, leading to an improvement in mechanical properties such as in the tensile yield strength and strain at break. Subsequently, the MFC samples were successfully moulded into trays via thermoforming

Intellectual property as complex innovation projects component

The materials presented the possibilities development of intellectual property complex innovation projects modern highly effective science-based problems of improving the use of wastes of different industries on a complex enterprise that can provide all its energy needs alone. Some features of the possibilities of solving evidence-based problems of development of mechanisms for identifying syner-gistic processes, their scientific justification improving the use of wastes of different industries on a complex enterprise. The problem of wastes utilization and recycling is present as complex synergetic processes research and analysis of energy- and resource saving process-es for treatment of polymer wastes of various origin. The research focused on the study of issues such as the development of models of waste-modifying polymer. The investigation are focused in researching such problems as selection of scientific based methods of wastes to be utilized or recycled; the development of appropriated process flow sheets and choice of modifications additives and equipment for polymers waste recycling. The choice of appropriate plants with selected energy resources is very important for projects realization

Uni-directional polymerization leading to homochirality in the RNA world

The differences between uni-directional and bi-directional polymerization are considered. The uni-directional case is discussed in the framework of the RNA world. Similar to earlier models of this type, where polymerization was assumed to proceed in a bi-directional fashion (presumed to be relevant to peptide nucleic acids), left-handed and right-handed monomers are produced via an autocatalysis from an achiral substrate. The details of the bifurcation from a racemic solution to a homochiral state of either handedness is shown to be remarkably independent of whether the polymerization in uni-directional or bi-directional. Slightly larger differences are seen when dissociation is allowed and the dissociation fragments are being recycled into the achiral substrate.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Astrobiolog

Eco-friendly approach and potential biodegradable polymer matrix for WPC composite materials in outdoor application

Blends based on high density polyethylene (HDPE) and poly(lactic) acid (PLA) with different ratios of both polymers were produced: a blend with equal amounts of HDPE and PLA, hence 50 wt.% each, proved to be a useful compromise, allowing a high amount of bio-derived charge without this being too detrimental for mechanical properties and considering its possibility to biodegradation behaviour in outdoor application. In this way, an optimal blend suitable to produce a composite with cellulosic fillers is proposed. In the selected polymer blend, wood flour (WF) was added as natural filler in the proportion of 20, 30 and 40 wt.%, considering as 100 the weight of the polymer blend matrix. Two compatibilizers to modify both HDPE-PLA blend and wood-flour/polymer interfaces i.e. polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride and a random copolymer of ethylene and glycidyl methacrylate. The most suitable percentage of compatibilizer for HDPE-PLA blends appears to be 3 wt.%, which was selected also for use with wood flour. In order to evaluate properties of blends and composites tensile tests, scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermo-gravimetric analyses and infrared spectroscopy have been performed. Wood flour seems to affect heavy blend behaviour in process production of material suggesting that future studies are needed to reduce defectiveness

Processing waste printed circuit boards for material recovery

PURPOSE We have investigated the use of pyrolysis for the processing of waste printed circuit boards (PCBs). The aim was to make the process of separating the organic, metallic, and glass fibre fractions of PCBs much easier and therefore make recycling of each PCB fraction more viable. DESIGN / METHODOLOGY / APPROACH The PCBs were pyrolysed in a fixed bed reactor at 850°C. The organic fraction released by the boards was analysed by a variety of gas chromatography techniques. The residue that remained after pyrolysis was analysed by ICP-MS to determine the type of metals that were present. FINDINGS When PCBs were heated to 800°C in an oxygen free atmosphere, the organic fraction decomposed to form volatile oils and gases leaving behind the metal and glass fibre fraction of the boards. The pyrolysed boards were very friable and the different fractions (metal components, copper power boards, glass fibre, etc) could be easily separated. The recovered metals could then be recycled by traditional routes with particular emphasis being placed on the recovery and recycling of rare and precious metals. The organic oils and gases which are produced during pyrolysis of PCBs can either be used as a chemical feedstock or as a fuel. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS The research was only carried out on a very small scale so an investigation into scale-up must be performed. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS By using pyrolysis, the organic and metallic fraction of printed circuit boards can be separated and recycled. ORIGINALITY/VALUE This paper presents a novel method for resource recovery from PCBs

Functional glass-ceramic foams from \u2018inorganic gel casting\u2019 and sintering of glass/slag mixtures

The here described investigation was essentially aimed at exploring the chemical stabilization and reutilization of iron-rich slag from copper metallurgy, by the manufacturing of glass-ceramic foams. The foams were developed according to a new method, recently reported for pure recycled soda-lime glass. Mixtures of soda-lime glass/slag powders (with slag content ranging from 10 to 30\u202fwt%), suspended in alkaline aqueous solution, underwent progressive low temperature (80\u202f\ub0C) hardening, owing to the formation of hydrated calcium silicate compounds (CSH). Before complete setting, an extensive foaming could be achieved by vigorous mechanical stirring, with the help of a surfactant. After foaming, glass/slag mixtures could be sintered at 800\u20131000\u202f\ub0C; the mutual interaction caused an extensive crystallization, with precipitation of CaFe silicates and iron oxides (hematite and magnetite), promoting the mechanical properties (up to 4.4\u202fMPa, with a porosity of about 80%). Leaching test confirmed the stabilization of pollutants, from the slag, in the final ceramics. Owing to the separation of iron oxides, particularly magnetite, the newly obtained foams exhibited a ferrimagnetic behavior, that could be exploited in electromagnetic shielding applications

Determinants of Trade in Recyclable Wastes between Developing and Developed Countries

This paper examines the trade volume of recyclable wastes. In particular, we analyze the trade from developed countries to developing countries. The reason is that, when a recycling process is separated from the production process of final goods or/and the consumption process, it would be located in the labor-abundant (i.e., less developed developing) countries. Then, the environmental and health problems might become serious in developing countries. The relationship between the wages and the volume of imports is our focus. We demonstrate that, the higher the wage/per capita income of a developing country, the more recyclable wastes it imports. This implies that there is no evidence for a pollution haven in the sense that the dirty recycling sectors expand in the less developed developing countries more rapidly than the more developed developing countries. Furthermore, we discuss the possibility that the trade restriction for reducing environmental damage is accompanied by a significant loss in efficiency.trade and recycling, recyclable wastes, gravity model