Recycling of a Biodegradable Polymer Blend

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Science
• Sustainable Materials

Background:

• Mechanical recycling is crucial for enhancing the value of postconsumer plastics.
• Recycled plastic performance depends on material selection and property degradation during reprocessing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of five successive extrusion cycles on PBAT blend properties.
• To compare the effects of dry versus wet reprocessing conditions on material performance.

Main Methods:

• Reprocessing of a poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT)-based blend through five extrusion cycles.
• Evaluation of rheological, mechanical, and thermal properties.
• Comparison of samples processed under dry and wet conditions.

Main Results:

• Dry reprocessing resulted in less material degradation compared to wet reprocessing.
• Significant decreases in rheological and mechanical properties were observed in both conditions.
• The PBAT blend retained usable properties even after multiple reprocessing cycles.

Conclusions:

• PBAT-based blends exhibit resilience to mechanical recycling, with dry processing being preferable.
• The material's properties, while reduced, remain viable for reuse, supporting circular economy principles.
• Further research can optimize recycling processes to minimize property loss in PBAT blends.