Electrostatic separation of plastics as continuously process for the separation of PS / ABS
Joint project: Electrostatic separation of plastics as continuously process for the separation of PS / ABS
Sponsor:
Arbeitsgemeinschaft industrieller Forschungsvereinigungen Otto von Guericke e.V. (AiF)
founded project partners:
- Institut für Mechanische Verfahrenstechnik und Aufbereitungstechnik der Technischen Universität Bergakademie Freiberg
- Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V.
Duration:
05/2010 - 06/2013
Co-workers:
Dr. Frank Simon
Dr. Victoria Albrecht
Abstract
The recycling of plastic waste into usable products requires an unmixed and substance-specific separation of mixtures into their respective components. An elegant method of separation is the electrostatic separation. By the mechanical contact of the polymer particles take place an electrostatic charge, which can be used for the separation. In addition to the molecular structure of polymers a variety of external parameter determines the separation result. It is known that adsorbed water in particular greatly influenced the discharging of some polymers. Also additives and fillers in polymers can wear native charges and significantly change the conductivity of the polymers.
In order to investigate the influence of various additives and fillers to the charging characteristics of polymers and the charge stability, Polyolefinmatrizes were defined filled with additives. Since unmodified polyolefins (polyethylene, polypropylene) by their nonpolar structure did not significantly charge against one another, the use of such polymer matrices allows to analyze the intrinsic contributions of fillers or additives, dyes and flame retardants for charging and charge stability. The goal is to find process conditions leading independent of the introduced additives or fillers to separation of polymer mixtures. The results will be apply to other polymer mixtures. ABS / PS - mixtures win in future more and more importance in the recycling of electronic waste.