Value added to the plastic recycling

The new series of compatibilizadores Dupont Entira EP has been designed to contribute value added to the recycled of mixes of difficult polymers to separate. The first degrees find available commercially already, and are optimised to convert mixes of PP or PE, providing granulated easy to process with a hardness to low temperatures significantly better. The specific demands of provision can cover selecting distinct formulations, used by himself alone or combined.

Dupont Entira EP is a new series of compatibilizadores formulated to attain a recycled very efficient in mixes of polymers or in polymers inherentemente incompatible, difficult to separate. The first degrees, available already in the market, are copolymers of etileno optimised for flows of waste of polipropileno and polyethylene. Dupont finds developing in the actuality more formulations of compatibilizadores for other mixes of materials. Between them they are PE and polyamide or copolymer of etileno and alcohol vinílico, two materials that use generally like resins of barrier in the films of packaging, bottles or rigid containers in base poliolefina, and that thus they are available in big quantities all over the world. Another area of interest are the mixes PE-PET in which the dominant matrix is the PE, presents in the industry of beverages. These developments devote in his group to elevate the efficiency of the industry of recycled of plastics.

The compound of mixed polymers remolidos with Entira EP in an extrusor of two husillos or in extrusor of a husillo with good provision of mixed provides granulated in shape of pellets with excellent mechanical properties and of processed, that cover requirements elevated even in high levels of pollution. The process of reelaboración is in himself same is more economic, since the utilisation of Entira EP reduces significantly the need of operations of cleaning of the filter of mixed. Depending on the formulation of the compatibilizador selected, the materials reelaborados can reach almost the same level of hardness to low temperature that the most important fraction of the mix. Because of his excellent properties of processed, the granulated are highly adapted for the molding by injection, extrusion or blown. The characteristic applications include his use like mezclador associated in new materials or like central layer recubierta by new product. In determinate conditions, can even process directly.

“The manufacturers recycle increasingly wastes of plastic in his installations, by what the quantity of simple component and, therefore, of material of easy processed available in the industry of recycled is descending”, has commented Michel Decodts, Manager of the Segment of Market in Dupont. “At the same time, the mixes of incompatible plastics are increasingly available. These have to be segregadas with a relatively high cost and, thus, do more difficult to achieve the indexes of recycled specified. The compatibilizadores Entira EP offer now to the manufacturers of re-composed new opportunities economically efficient, since they improve significantly the range of raw materials lists to use in applications of high provision.”

The characteristic applications of mixes of PP-PE in flows of waste include applications of packaging, such as you cover threads of PP with insertos in basic foam of PE. The resultant products of the mix and of the processed group, such as plastic incompatible in an extrusor, always will consist in a continuous phase, the matrix, created by the most elevated fraction of the material, and inclusions of the another component dispersed in the matrix. The adherencia between the matrix and the inclusions is poor, generating fractures that can propagate easily in his interfaces and thus mechanical properties of very low level.

The new specific formulations for PE and PP Entira EP are copolymers of etileno that show high compatibility – and therefore adhesion – one to the another or to both poliolefinas. Even in low concentrations around 4%, these new compatibilizadores comport with big efficiency, facilitating a firm union between the matrix and the material dispersed. The best results derive of a formulation advanced that provides good compatibility with PE and at the same time with PP. Here, the fractures will propagate through both, PE and PP, before that along the interfaces, increasing the resistance, elongación to the break, and in particular the resistance to impacts to low temperature of the materials re-composed in a level that fulfils even the most strict requirements.

Loic Rolland, Responsible of Technical Development of Dupont Packaging & Industrial Polymers, adds: “The compatibilizadores Entira EP offer new opportunities to generate value added to the recycling of plastics used, and help to reduce the need of waste treatment or incineration. They help to the production of re-composed with a processed excellent and good provision of use, even with basic matters very contaminated. Our essays have showed that the mechanical properties reach levels that usually only attain after applying costly technologies of separation to obtain degrees with extra pollution drop. Thus, the granulated composed with Entira EP are appropriate even for molding of components of fine walls and high provision.”