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Recycling of polymeric composites
Author(s) -
Mang Thomas,
Haulena Friedhelm
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
macromolecular symposia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.257
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1521-3900
pISSN - 1022-1360
DOI - 10.1002/masy.19981350117
Subject(s) - raw material , materials science , scrap , adhesive , composite material , waste material , aluminium , waste management , metallurgy , chemistry , organic chemistry , layer (electronics) , engineering
For material recycling, composites have to be separated into their components, as only non‐mixed raw materials can grant high quality standards. A combined mechanical and subsequent electrostatic separation can be classified as highly economic because it is a dry treatment. This is demonstrated on wire scrap. The separated copper and synthetic materials are obtained in a high degree of purity. Chemical disaggregation of composites has been worked out with medicinal blister packs and beverage packs. Two methods of separation were used: separating the plastic‐aluminium composite by dissolving the plastic material or dissolving the adhesive that bonds together the plastic and aluminium. To demonstrate the technical feasibility of the processes, a pilot plant with a capacity of up to 25 tons of blister pack material per year was built. Chemical separation with non‐problematic aqueous media was demonstrated with flocked plastics. When integrating composites into chemical processes, questions concerning material specification as well as preparation and chemical utilization must be answered. Mechanical preparation of appropriate raw materials has been exemplified by mixed packing waste, carpet‐floor waste, and synthetic material from electrical waste. After the raw materials were analyzed and studies of their quantity and compositions were made, their possible re‐use as raw material within a chemical process has been elaborated.