TESTING | MATERIALS
legislation at national, European, and international levels has been developed, outlining protocols for material control parameters. These protocols rely on conventional characterisation techniques.” César Gadea, Characterisation Laboratory
Researcher at Aimplas, says that a number of advanced polymer characterisation techniques are being developed to deal with recycled plastics, particularly with regard to identification and quantification of degradation products. “For instance, TGA-FTIR or chromatographic methods such as pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) enable the study of degradation products with increasing temperature, while Micro-FTIR allows for mapping specific areas of a material to detect potential heterogeneities. By leveraging these methods, researchers can gain deeper insights into the properties and perfor- mance of recycled polymers, paving the way for sustainable material solutions and circular econo- my initiatives. Nonetheless, challenges remain, primarily stemming from the variability of recycled materials reintroduced into the value chain.” Variability in recycled feedstock is also identified as a key concern for compounders by Julienne
Regele, Segment Market Manager, Advanced Materials at Waters TA Instruments. “For com- pounders, recycled feedstock variability and batch-to-batch quality is critical. PET collected from different sources may differ in molecular weight, molecular weight distribution, and impurity contents. These factors can cause variation in crystallinity, crystal melting, and resin melt viscosity.” The company’s product line includes instru- ments that can help compounders assess materials quality. Its DSC250 calorimeter is said to provide very good baseline flatness, sensitivity, and resolution. Virgin materials analysed used the DSC250
produce a signature transition peak, with recycled material blends producing small transitions. These can be analysed to determine if a polymer con- taminant may be present. Meanwhile, the com- pany’s Discovery Hybrid Rheometer line enables characterisation of any type of polymer blends, including recycled blends. Rheometric analysis of different recycled PET feedstocks has shown significant differences in complex viscosity. Such data can inform necessary processing changes, the company says.
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