Plastics recycling processes continue to struggle with contaminates in materials, which degrade performance and lower value of the materials. As more companies establish sustainability goals, the need for cleaner recycled material streams will increase.
The Challenge is to find a way to remove contaminates (specifically colorant and fillers) from recycled plastics during the recycling processing. This Challenge refers
specifically to Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and how to remove the colorants and fillers to obtain a very high quality recycled polymer.
Typical fillers are materials like silica, CaCO3 and other mineral additives. Colorants are usually concentrates (dyes) in a solid polymer or liquid matrix that is compatible with Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
Optical, infrared, float tank sorting and the like are known technologies and should not be the sole content of a submitted solution. They may be components of a solution, but not the entire submission. There should be something unique or novel in your solution.
Successful solutions will enable recyclers to capture more high quality material and prevent it from going to landfill. This in turn drives down costs for brand owners, and therefore consumers, and enables a significant step towards establishing closed-loop systems for materials. This solution could revolutionize the recycling industry.
Any proposed solution should address the following Technical Requirements:
1. developed method must be able to remove colorant from recycled PET material to return the PET to its natural color/haze as measured by transmission (ASTM D-1003-B or equivalent). The developed method must be able to remove fillers (silica, CaCo3, mineral additives) from recycled PET material as measured by the values in #3 below.
2. process should be able to be scaled to be cost competitive to virgin PET – no more than +1% increase compared to the current virgin PET market price.
3.The final PET should have the following material characteristics:
4. Any method or materials used must not impart any increased toxicity to the recycled product and or environment.
5. The proposed method should offer the Seeker client “freedom to practice”. There should be no patent art preventing the use of specific equipment and materials for their commercial application.
The Challenge is to find a way to remove contaminates (specifically colorant and fillers) from recycled plastics during the recycling processing. This Challenge refers
specifically to Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and how to remove the colorants and fillers to obtain a very high quality recycled polymer.
Typical fillers are materials like silica, CaCO3 and other mineral additives. Colorants are usually concentrates (dyes) in a solid polymer or liquid matrix that is compatible with Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
Optical, infrared, float tank sorting and the like are known technologies and should not be the sole content of a submitted solution. They may be components of a solution, but not the entire submission. There should be something unique or novel in your solution.
Successful solutions will enable recyclers to capture more high quality material and prevent it from going to landfill. This in turn drives down costs for brand owners, and therefore consumers, and enables a significant step towards establishing closed-loop systems for materials. This solution could revolutionize the recycling industry.
Any proposed solution should address the following Technical Requirements:
1. developed method must be able to remove colorant from recycled PET material to return the PET to its natural color/haze as measured by transmission (ASTM D-1003-B or equivalent). The developed method must be able to remove fillers (silica, CaCo3, mineral additives) from recycled PET material as measured by the values in #3 below.
2. process should be able to be scaled to be cost competitive to virgin PET – no more than +1% increase compared to the current virgin PET market price.
3.The final PET should have the following material characteristics:
- SIV(intrinsic viscosity): 0.71 +/- .03 (ASTM D4603 or equivalent)
- Melting Point: 246 +/- 3C
- Bulk Density(pellets): 52-60 lbs. /cubic ft. (ASTM D1895-B or equivalent)
4. Any method or materials used must not impart any increased toxicity to the recycled product and or environment.
5. The proposed method should offer the Seeker client “freedom to practice”. There should be no patent art preventing the use of specific equipment and materials for their commercial application.
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