Recycling of Heterogeneous Mixed Waste Polymers through Reactive Mixing

Titone, Vincenzo; Gulino, Emmanuel Fortunato; Mantia, Francesco Paolo La

doi:10.3390/polym15061367

Cited by 11 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 16 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Processing mixed plastic waste is very difficult because many polymers are chemically incompatible and exhibit different mechanical properties [63]. Breaking down two-phase polymer blends is facilitated by an additive that reduces the interfacial tension and improves adhesion [64]. This additive can be a copolymer partly compatible with both compounds or a functionalized polymer that generates such a copolymer.…”

Section: Mixed Plasticmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Technological Advances in Mechanical Recycling Innovations and Corresponding Impacts on the Circular Economy of Plastics

Babaremu,

Adediji,

Olumba

et al. 2024

Environments

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The impact of plastic pollution on the world and its inhabitants is yet to be fully measured. Significant quantities of microplastics and nanoplastics have been found in human organs, and many diseases have been traced to their presence. Even human placentas have been found to contain microplastics. This study examines the recycling landscape, advanced reprocessing techniques, and technical challenges in this industry. It points out the top recyclable types of plastics (such as high-density polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and thermoplastic elastomers) by analyzing their different recycling capacities globally. It highlights the most advisable recycling techniques by identifying those most successful, least environmentally damaging, and easiest. Mechanical recycling is arguably the easiest and most common recycling technique. This study examines mechanical reprocessing technologies for construction materials, composite boards, additive manufacturing, and other applications. It also points out prevailing setbacks of these approaches and analyzes different solutions. Promising recycling processes are suggested for further investigation.

show abstract

Section: Mixed Plasticmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This additive can be a copolymer partly compatible with both compounds or a functionalized polymer that generates such a copolymer. The copolymer becomes a compatibilizer between the components [64]. Processing mixed polymers creates a fragile end product with very poor mechanical and aesthetic qualities.…”

Section: Mixed Plasticmentioning

confidence: 99%

Technological Advances in Mechanical Recycling Innovations and Corresponding Impacts on the Circular Economy of Plastics

Babaremu,

Adediji,

Olumba

et al. 2024

Environments

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] However, for the quality of the resulting products to be high, a sorting process must be carried out that provides clean recycling material by removing any foreign fractions such as biodegradable polymers. Certainly, recycling materials of different chemical nature raises some specific issues that need to be addressed, [13][14][15][16][17][18][19] just as it is important to carefully consider the presence of contaminants during the collection of waste for recycling in order to take the necessary measures to mitigate undesirable effects.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of a biodegradable contaminant on the mechanical recycling of a low‐density polyethylene sample

Titone,

Botta,

Mistretta

et al. 2023

Polymer Engineering & Sci

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Mechanical recycling of oil‐derived polymers is certainly our best option to reduce pollution, save raw materials, and protect ourselves and the environment from the adverse effects of waste disposal. However, the presence of contaminants, including other types of plastics, that are mixed in during the recycling collection process or during the mechanical waste sorting stage could adversely affect the quality of the recycled product, leading to the recycling of a poor‐quality secondary material. In this work, the influence of a biodegradable contaminant on the mechanical recycling of a low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) sample was investigated by rheological (shear and non‐isothermal elongation) and mechanical analyses. The results showed that 2% of the contaminant is able to influence the rheological, shear, and isothermal elongation properties of recycled LDPE, while the results of the mechanical tests showed that after one extrusion cycle, the main tensile properties were not significantly affected by the presence of the contaminant, but after only two cycles of extrusions, some significant reduction in the final properties began to appear. In short, the presence of 2% of a biodegradable co‐polyester in a LDPE matrix gives rise to a more pronounced decay of the rheological and mechanical properties, but, after two extrusion steps, both rheological and mechanical properties seem still useful for the production of film.Highlights To what extent the contaminant affects the quality and usability of the recycled LDPE; The effects of contamination on the LDPE sample during the recycling process; Reduction in properties, compromising product quality; Compromised product quality after only two additional processing steps; Important implications for the recycling industry.

show abstract

“…Although Malaysian economic growth is improving, MSW mismanagement is worsening and 35% of Malaysians in rural areas are still living in poverty [3]. Those who fall under urban poor category could be even higher, depending on the poverty estimation methodology [4,5]. Malaysia generates an estimated 30,000 tons of MSW daily, which could increase to 43,000 tons by 2025.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Techno-Economic Feasibility Study for Organic and Plastic Waste Pyrolysis Pilot Plant in Malaysia

Lim,

Tan

2023

Sustainability

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Organic and plastic waste (OPW) is diverted from landfills in order to lower carbon emissions. Nevertheless, modern pyrolysis techniques are frequently utilized in laboratories (using feedstocks that weigh less than 1 kg), which employ costly pure nitrogen gas (N2). This study developed a fast pyrolysis system to produce pyrolysis oil or liquid (PyOL) from OPW using flue gas as the pyrolysis agent. The added benefits included the efficient value-added chemical extractions and the non-thermal plasma reactor upgraded PyOL. OPW was also pyrolyzed at a pilot scale using flue gas fast pyrolysis in this study. In addition to lowering operational expenses associated with pure N2, flue gas reduced the lifecycle carbon emissions to create PyOL. The results indicated that considerable material agglomeration occurred during the OPW pyrolysis with an organic-to-plastic-waste (O/P) ratio of 30/70. Furthermore, the liquid yields were 5.2% and 5.5% when O/P was 100/0 (305 °C) and 99.5/0.5 (354 °C), respectively. The liquid yields also increased when polymers (polypropylene) were added, enhancing the aromatics. Two cases were employed to study their techno-economic feasibility: PyOL-based production and chemical-extraction plants. The mitigated CO2 from the redirected OPW and flue gas produced the highest revenue in terms of carbon credits. Moreover, the carbon price (from RM 100 to 150 per ton of CO2) was the most important factor impacting the economic viability in both cases. Plant capacities higher than 10,000 kg/h were economically viable for the PyOL-based plants, whereas capacities greater than 1000 kg/h were financially feasible for chemical-extraction plants. Overall, the study found that the pyrolysis of OPW in flue gas is a viable waste-to-energy technology. The low liquid yield is offset by the carbon credits that can be earned, making the process economically feasible.

show abstract

Recycling of Heterogeneous Mixed Waste Polymers through Reactive Mixing

Cited by 11 publications

References 16 publications

Technological Advances in Mechanical Recycling Innovations and Corresponding Impacts on the Circular Economy of Plastics

Technological Advances in Mechanical Recycling Innovations and Corresponding Impacts on the Circular Economy of Plastics

Influence of a biodegradable contaminant on the mechanical recycling of a low‐density polyethylene sample

Techno-Economic Feasibility Study for Organic and Plastic Waste Pyrolysis Pilot Plant in Malaysia

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About