Comparison of Properties with Relevance for the Automotive Sector in Mechanically Recycled and Virgin Polypropylene
Polypropylene (PP) has a high recycling potential. However, the properties of mechanically recycled PP (R-PP) have not been fully compared to those of virgin PP (V-PP). Therefore, in this study, properties of R-PP and V-PP were compared using data from recyclers, virgin plastic suppliers, and the li...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Recycling |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2313-4321/6/4/76 |
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| author | Abdelhak Ladhari Esra Kucukpinar Henning Stoll Sven Sängerlaub |
| author_facet | Abdelhak Ladhari Esra Kucukpinar Henning Stoll Sven Sängerlaub |
| author_sort | Abdelhak Ladhari |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Polypropylene (PP) has a high recycling potential. However, the properties of mechanically recycled PP (R-PP) have not been fully compared to those of virgin PP (V-PP). Therefore, in this study, properties of R-PP and V-PP were compared using data from recyclers, virgin plastic suppliers, and the literature. The properties of recyclates could not be directly correlated either with the properties of the virgin polymers from which the recyclates were made or the recycling parameters. It was found that the MFR of R-PP was higher; MFR R-PP had a median value (m) of 11 g/10 min while MFR V-PP had a median value of 6.3 g/10 min (at 230 °C and with 2.16 kg). In terms of mechanical properties, in many cases R-PP exhibited stiffer and more brittle behavior, with a slightly higher Young’s modulus (E<sub>R-PP</sub> = 1400 and E<sub>V-PP</sub> = 1200 MPa), a reduced elongation at break (<i>ɛb</i><sub>R-PP</sub> = 4 l.-% and <i>ɛb</i><sub>V-PP</sub> = 83 l.-%), and notched charpy impact strength (NCIS<sub>R-PP</sub> = 4.8 and NCIS<sub>V-PP</sub> = 7.5 kJ/m<sup>2</sup>). However, the values for every property had a broad distribution. In addition to existing information from the literature, our research sheds fresh light on the variation of the characteristics of recycled polypropylenes presently on the market. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:13:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3fe669b99e95420b9f3b8541ca8fb29a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2313-4321 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:13:28Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Recycling |
| spelling | doaj.art-3fe669b99e95420b9f3b8541ca8fb29a2023-11-23T10:21:32ZengMDPI AGRecycling2313-43212021-11-01647610.3390/recycling6040076Comparison of Properties with Relevance for the Automotive Sector in Mechanically Recycled and Virgin PolypropyleneAbdelhak Ladhari0Esra Kucukpinar1Henning Stoll2Sven Sängerlaub3Department of Mechanical, Automotive and Aeronautical Engineering, Munich University of Applied Sciences HM, Lothstraße 38, 80335 Munich, GermanyFraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV, Giggenhauser Strasse 35, 85354 Freising, GermanyDepartment of Mechanical, Automotive and Aeronautical Engineering, Munich University of Applied Sciences HM, Lothstraße 38, 80335 Munich, GermanyDepartment of Mechanical, Automotive and Aeronautical Engineering, Munich University of Applied Sciences HM, Lothstraße 38, 80335 Munich, GermanyPolypropylene (PP) has a high recycling potential. However, the properties of mechanically recycled PP (R-PP) have not been fully compared to those of virgin PP (V-PP). Therefore, in this study, properties of R-PP and V-PP were compared using data from recyclers, virgin plastic suppliers, and the literature. The properties of recyclates could not be directly correlated either with the properties of the virgin polymers from which the recyclates were made or the recycling parameters. It was found that the MFR of R-PP was higher; MFR R-PP had a median value (m) of 11 g/10 min while MFR V-PP had a median value of 6.3 g/10 min (at 230 °C and with 2.16 kg). In terms of mechanical properties, in many cases R-PP exhibited stiffer and more brittle behavior, with a slightly higher Young’s modulus (E<sub>R-PP</sub> = 1400 and E<sub>V-PP</sub> = 1200 MPa), a reduced elongation at break (<i>ɛb</i><sub>R-PP</sub> = 4 l.-% and <i>ɛb</i><sub>V-PP</sub> = 83 l.-%), and notched charpy impact strength (NCIS<sub>R-PP</sub> = 4.8 and NCIS<sub>V-PP</sub> = 7.5 kJ/m<sup>2</sup>). However, the values for every property had a broad distribution. In addition to existing information from the literature, our research sheds fresh light on the variation of the characteristics of recycled polypropylenes presently on the market.https://www.mdpi.com/2313-4321/6/4/76recyclingpolypropylenepolypropylene recyclatesmechanical propertiesrheological propertiesautomotive |
| spellingShingle | Abdelhak Ladhari Esra Kucukpinar Henning Stoll Sven Sängerlaub Comparison of Properties with Relevance for the Automotive Sector in Mechanically Recycled and Virgin Polypropylene Recycling recycling polypropylene polypropylene recyclates mechanical properties rheological properties automotive |
| title | Comparison of Properties with Relevance for the Automotive Sector in Mechanically Recycled and Virgin Polypropylene |
| title_full | Comparison of Properties with Relevance for the Automotive Sector in Mechanically Recycled and Virgin Polypropylene |
| title_fullStr | Comparison of Properties with Relevance for the Automotive Sector in Mechanically Recycled and Virgin Polypropylene |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparison of Properties with Relevance for the Automotive Sector in Mechanically Recycled and Virgin Polypropylene |
| title_short | Comparison of Properties with Relevance for the Automotive Sector in Mechanically Recycled and Virgin Polypropylene |
| title_sort | comparison of properties with relevance for the automotive sector in mechanically recycled and virgin polypropylene |
| topic | recycling polypropylene polypropylene recyclates mechanical properties rheological properties automotive |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2313-4321/6/4/76 |
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