New polymer recycling technology

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Polyolefins, styrenic resins, polyethylene terephtalate, and polyvinylchloride, represent 90% of the consumer waste plastic stream. In the best scenario, only 30% of traditional thermoplastic polymers, that is, high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate are commonly recycled in North America. Since most plastics are immiscible with each other, mixtures of different recycled plastics demonstrate very poor mechanical properties due to the poor compatibility. The identification, separation and sorting of the vast volumes of co-mingled consumer plastic waste into single components is costly and sometimes impossible. This imposes a serious limitation on the plastics recycling industry. The objective of this proposal is to examine the commercial potential of a novel plastics recycling approach and to apply the technology to actual recycled plastics obtained from some of the most important recycling companies in North America (Canada Fibers and QRS). We propose a new material, based on the latest developments in polymer blend material science, and the process for preparing it. Starting from a co-continuous blend of recycled polyethylene (PP) and recycled polypropylene (PE), hierarchically encapsulated polymers (category 2-7 waste plastics) can be exclusively located within PP when the principal PE/PP interface is compatibilized. This controlled segregation and encapsulation of up to 40% of waste plastic within recycled polypropylene allows for the creation of a co-mingled recycled plastic material with excellent mechanical properties similar to pure polypropylene. We principally aim to license the composition of matter, as well as the processing know how, for this material and the overall objective at the end of this project is to obtain at least two possible recycled plastic products that demonstrate sufficient viable commercial potential to attract client investment.