MATERIALS | COMPATIBILISERS
Above: Kraton’s CirKular+ supports a closed-loop infant car seat design using recycled plastic through the retailer collection programme
approach to the end-product lifecycle across a broad range of applications. The product line was specifically designed to address three critical unmet industry challenges: end-of-life plastic product recyclability; inferior PCR quality; and limited reusability of mixed plastic waste. Enabling a balance of recyclate performance and
Right: End-use applications for recycled
plastics using CirKuler+ compatibilisa- tion technol- ogy from Kraton include suitcases
value across the value chain was one of the key success criteria for achieving a scalable adoption of CirKular+ technology. Jung adds that CirKular+ innovation unlocks a balanced approach to PCR performance and value while boosting the balance in performance and economics of recycled streams for viable scalability. Kraton says its CirKular+ technology enables product design recyclability based on polyolefins to shift away from less recycla- ble material combinations. Secondly, the technology maximises PCR recovery and reuse of contaminated recycling streams through mechanical recycling, maximising PCR content above 90% and increasing reuse of recycled materials across multiple recycling cycles. Finally, CirKular+ improves PCR performance and quality to become a viable substitute for virgin materials in scalable quantities, thus broadening the range of end-use applications to include high-performance areas, such as automotive and consumer durable products. The CirKular+ product
line for recycling com- prises two series: Compatibilisation Series and Performance En- hancement Series. CirKular+ additives enable design recyclability through a polyolefin-based approach. The Performance Enhancement Series
16 PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD | May/June 2023
received RecyClass approval and APR critical guidance recognition for use in PP containers and HDPE containers. Kraton reports that at low dosage, CirKular+ addi- tives help maximise the recycled content and enhance PCR performance. This is achieved without compromising end-product performance while broadening the range of applications for recyclates. CirKular+ Compatibilisation Series enables the diversion of mixed plastic waste from landfills by promoting mechanical recycling and reuse of contaminated recycling streams with incompatible materials, such as polyolefins/polyamides or PET, and polyamides/PET. The company says just 3-5% of CirKular+ additives can deliver up to 500% im- proved PCR and PIR mechanical performance in compositions containing more than 70% recycled resin resulting in enhanced durability with minimal loss in stiffness. CirKular+ performance enhance- ment additives enable design flexibility by combin- ing virgin and recycled resins while increasing the total recycled content up to 99%. Recyclates modified with CirKular+ compatibilisation additives show better reusability with preserved mechanical properties after up to five times of mechanical reprocessing. As a drop-in solution, CirKular+ helps plastic processors balance recyclate performance, processability and cost efficiency, while simultane- ously leveraging the existing processing equipment. CirKular+ solutions enable a pragmatic approach to PCR performance enhancement and value creation across the value chain to achieve visible scalability in the adoption of recycled materials. Since the launch of CirKular+, Kraton says it has continued to expand engagement with multiple value chain stakeholders, including recyclers, converters and brand owners, to collaborate on circular solutions globally. Early success resulted in creating products with up to 99% PCR content with virgin-like performance. CirKular+ technology successfully expands the list of high- performance applications. It allows manufacturers to use recycled plastics to fabricate automotive
IMAGE: KRATON
exterior parts that fully met the required specifications to
replace virgin plastics. In another example, CirKular+
supports a closed-loop infant car
seat design using recycled plastic through the retailer collection programme.
www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
IMAGE: KRATON
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