Recycling | process feature
Polycondensation systems that return PET to an ‘as new’ state were just one example of cutting edge recycling technologies on show at K2016
Good as new: latest in recycling technologies
Returning recycled plastics to their original state – and making them ‘as good as new’ – is a huge challenge, and often requires plentiful use of additives in order to achieve this. However, PET is one polymer that can be successfully revived, thanks to a technique called polycondensation – and there were several examples of such systems on show at K2016. Starlinger has developed proprietary technology to
make woven tape fabric from recycled PET flakes. Because rPET properties can be enhanced – so that they match those of virgin material – fabric made from rPET has high tensile strength and creep modulus. Using the technology, the company has made a
petfood sack – from rPET. The pinch bottom sack, from the PP Star product family, consists of rPET tape fabric laminated with printed OPET film. It offers all the necessary barrier properties for packaging products such as dog food or fertiliser. The PET properties are enhanced thanks for the use
of a ViscoStar SSP reactor – and the product is then extruded on a ViscoSheet line. At the show, Starlinger also showed a RecoStar
dynamic recycling line in operation, reprocessing heavily printed in-house film waste. The company has also developed a way to overcome
a common problem associated with recycled plastics: the smell. Regranulate can have an unpleasant odour
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– often caused by impurities – that can reduce the possibilities for its further use. Starlinger can tackle this problem, and at K2016 set
up a ‘smelling table’ – four smelling stations filled with materials before and after the Starlinger odour reduction process, allowing visitors to ‘smell the difference’. “Odour is an issue for a lot of plastic recyclers,” said
Paul Niedl, head of sales for Starlinger Recycling Technology. “Many visitors wanted information on our odour reduction process because they have to deal with this problem.” Starlinger has already sold its first line equipped with odour reduction technology, which will be installed and commissioned in the near future. In similar fashion, Gneuss has launched a new
product to carry out polycondensation of waste PET. Its Jump system – which boosts intrinsic viscosity (IV) of the PET by up to 0.3dl/g in the melt phase – is an alternative to conventional SSP (solid state) systems. It enables direct reintroduction of the polymer into the production process without the need to remelt the PET, says the company. The Jump unit is placed downstream of a Gneuss
Processing Unit (GPU), which has previously carried out devolatilisation and decontamination of waste PET. It avoids oxygen ingress, so yellowing is kept to a minimum. After the PET melt has passed through a
December 2016 | FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION 35
Starlinger set up a ‘smelling
table’ at K2016, to demonstrate its odour-re- duction process for recycled plastics
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