Elisabeth Maris

High shear dispersion of tracers in polyolefins for improving their detection

An efficient recycling of end-of-life products is of crucial interest from an economical and ecological point of view. However, the near infrared spectroscopy often used for the optic sorting processes is limited because of the absorption of carbon black present in black plastics and as it only sorts as a function of chemical formulas. The tracing technology developed in this study is based on the dispersion of lanthanide complexes particles into polymers to give them a code that can be related to their formulation and viscosity that are important parameters for their re-processing. As the success of this technology is conditioned by achieving a fine dispersion of the tracer particles, we also focus on accomplishing a fine dispersion of tracer particles by using a high shear process. Processing under high shear rate (N= 800 rpm) has proved to play a determining role in dispersing finely and homogenously tracer particles within PP matrix. Thanks to the good quality of dispersion, the detection of three tracers at a level of 0.1 wt% has been successfully achieved, even in black matrices for an acquisition time of 10 ms.

From Recycling to Eco-design

Abstract The recycling of polymer materials from end-of-life products is essential to protect our nonrenewable resources, as well as to decrease our impacts on climate change and the effects on human health and ecosystems. Several barriers exist to the recycling of materials, including technical and social barriers linked to the acceptability of recycled materials.

Critical Analysis of Existing Recyclability Assessment Methods for New Products in Order to Define a Reference Method

The designers of products subject to the European regulations on waste have an obligation to improve the recyclability of their products from the very first design stages. The statutory texts refer to ISO standard 22 628, which proposes a method to calculate vehicle recyclability. There are several scientific studies that propose other calculation methods as well. Yet the feedback from the CREER club, a group of manufacturers and suppliers expert in ecodesign and recycling, is that the product recyclability calculation method proposed in this standard is not satisfactory, since only a mass indicator is used, the calculation scope is not clearly defined, and common data on the recycling industry does not exist to allow comparable calculations to be made for different products. For these reasons, it is difficult for manufacturers to have access to a method and common data for calculation purposes.

Recycling and Labeling

Abstract The eco-design of materials can provide solutions to improve the sorting and traceability of these materials. Codes added into the material can be detected and help identify the various types of polymers. Tracer/polymer systems were finalized from laboratory tests, and a spectrometric detection system was designed to detect the signals of these systems.