Our company has been selected for the Innovative Plastic Resource Recycling Process Technology Development in FY2020, an open call by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO) to realise advanced resource recycling of plastics. Together with other companies, universities and research institutes, the research required for the ‘material recycling process’ is being led by Professor Yao of the Department of Chemical Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Fukuoka University.
The physical properties of recycled materials are significantly lower than those of virgin materials in terms of toughness-related properties such as elongation, and the molded products are more brittle. We aim to back up active material recycling from the molding process by developing technology to suppress the decline in physical properties during product molding using a valve gate system* and by developing a wider range of components for which recycled materials can be utilised.
*Valve gate systems (Svance Corporation).
Below is an overall project overview.
Extract: Innovative plastic resource recycling process technology development.
Extract: ‘Innovative Plastic Resource Recycling Process Technology Development’ project original [public version] https://www.nedo.go.jp/content/100953140.pdf
Image of the project
Business overview
In material recycling process development, three items are addressed: elucidation of physical degradation and regeneration mechanisms, development of advanced regeneration and molding technologies and implementation research, and development of elements for commercialisation. In the material recycling of waste plastics, horizontal recycling is limited as one of the factors contributing to the decline in physical properties due to degradation, and cascade recycling is the mainstream. In this development, the aim is to regenerate waste plastics to a level of physical properties equivalent to those of new ones, and based on the clarification and verification of the plastic regeneration mechanism, an integrated technology is being developed for molding and commercialisation using an extruder. In relation to the regeneration mechanism, it was clarified by analysing the stress history and the internal microstructure of the resin that promoting the entanglement of polymers contributes to the improvement of physical properties based on the theory of physical degradation and physical regeneration, in contrast to the degradation phenomenon that has been conventionally considered. An analysis and evaluation environment has been established and studies are being conducted.
Development in ‘Material regeneration process development (clarification and verification of the regeneration mechanism)’
In applying this mechanism to pellet production, verification is being conducted using an existing extruder with an additional mechanism called a resin reservoir, which mitigates the excessive moulding history of molten resin in the extruder. The studies to date have confirmed that the properties (elongation at break, toughness, etc.) of several resins have been improved in a laboratory-scale extruder with a resin reservoir, and the extruder is now at a stage where initiatives such as increasing the extruder scale are expected in the future. For the moulding and processing stage, basic evaluations have revealed that the injection moulding conditions largely govern the physical properties. For this reason, efforts are being made to develop equipment that enables flow control inside the mould during moulding and processing, in order to reflect the conditions for improved physical properties obtained through laboratory-scale verification.
Trials are also being conducted in collaboration with companies to determine the applicability of recycled materials to actual products, and the possibility of applying resins produced with this technology to films, bottles and household appliances is being investigated, including the need to remove foreign matter as a pre-treatment.
Development in ‘Material recycling process development (extruder to commercialisation process)’
The interim and final targets for each of these items are as follows.
‘Elucidation of physical degradation and regeneration mechanisms’
Interim target: Establishment of a theory of physical degradation and regeneration, toughness of 70% compared to virgin material.
Final target: Establishment of a regeneration process principle that enables effective mesostructure control; establishment of a method to regenerate material strength (toughness) of 90% or more compared to virgin material.
‘Research on the development and implementation of advanced regeneration and moulding technology’
Interim target: Verification of pelletising conditions, trial production of high-performance extruder, verification of forming conditions including molds.
Final target: Establish a design policy for a large high-performance extruder that can be used in actual production; increase production speed to 90% or more while maintaining high performance.
‘Development of elements for commercialisation’
Interim target: 30% of the companies will achieve the goal of commercialisation.
Final target: All participating enterprises will commercialise or be on track to commercialise recycled plastics as a raw material.
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