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Related Concept Videos

Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters01:20

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The introduction of polyesters has brought major development to the textile industry. The wrinkle-free behavior of polyester blends has eliminated the need for starching and ironing clothes.
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Polymer Classification: Stereospecificity01:26

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Polymerization generates chiral centers along the entire backbone of a polymer chain. Accordingly, the stereochemistry of the substituent group has a significant effect on polymer properties. Polymers formed from monosubstituted alkene monomers feature chiral carbons at every alternate position in the polymer backbone. Relative to the predominant orientation of substituents at the adjacent chiral carbons, the polymer can exist in three different configurations: isotactic, syndiotactic, and...
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Characteristics and Nomenclature of Homopolymers01:00

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Polymers that are made up of identical monomer units are called homopolymers. Only one repeating unit is involved in the construction of the homopolymer structure. For example, as depicted in Figure 1, polypropylene is a homopolymer constituted of propylene monomers. Here, the only repeating unit in the polymer chain is propylene.
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Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Overview01:13

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Recently, the development of olefin metathesis polymerization advanced the field of polymer synthesis. Simply put, the reorganization of substituents on their double bonds between two olefins in the presence of a catalyst is known as the olefin metathesis reaction. The use of metathesis reaction for polymer synthesis is called olefin metathesis polymerization.
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The conversion of alkenes to macromolecules called polymers is a reaction of high commercial importance. The structure of the polymer is defined by a repeating unit, while the terminal groups are considered insignificant. The average degree of polymerization represents the number of repeating units in the polymer molecule and is denoted by the subscript n.
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Polymer Classification: Architecture01:14

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Polymers are classified as linear or branched on the basis of their chain architecture. The polymer chains in linear polymers have a long chain-like structure with minimal to no branching at all. Even if a polymer features large substituent groups on the monomer, which appear as branches to the skeleton, it is not considered a branched polymer. A branched polymer contains secondary polymer chains that arise from the main polymer chain. The branching occurs when the polymer growth shifts from...
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Polypropylene Contamination in Post-Consumer Polyolefin Waste: Characterisation, Consequences and Compatibilisation.

Erdal Karaagac1, Mitchell P Jones1, Thomas Koch1

  • 1Institute of Materials Science and Technology, Faculty of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Technische Universität Wien, 1060 Vienna, Austria.

Polymers
|August 28, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Polypropylene contamination in recycled plastics like polyethylene (PE) reduces material quality. Adding compatibilizers can restore properties, improving recycled plastic usability.

Keywords:
compatibilisationcompositioncontaminationimpact propertiesmechanical recyclingpolyethylenepolypropylenepost-consumer wastetensile properties

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Area of Science:

  • Polymer Science
  • Materials Engineering
  • Sustainable Manufacturing

Background:

  • Global push for plastic recycling faces challenges with inconsistent properties of recycled materials.
  • Contamination, particularly polypropylene (PP) in polyethylene (PE) and mixed polyolefins (PO), is a significant issue.
  • Meeting ambitious recycled material targets requires addressing regranulate heterogeneity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate polypropylene contamination in post-consumer low-density polyethylene (PE-LD) and mixed polyolefin (PO) regranulates.
  • To assess the impact of PP contamination on mechanical properties and the effectiveness of compatibilization.
  • To evaluate methods for quantifying PP content in recycled polyolefins.

Main Methods:

  • Construction of calibration curves for PP content estimation.
  • Analysis using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC).
  • Mechanical property testing of contaminated and compatibilized regranulates.

Main Results:

  • FT-IR band ratios proved more reliable for PP quantification than DSC, especially for PP copolymers.
  • PE-LD regranulates showed up to 7 wt.% PP contamination, leading to increased brittleness.
  • Mixed PO regranulates contained 45-95 wt.% PP, with brittleness increasing with PP content.
  • Compatibilization with 5 wt.% ethylene-based olefin block copolymer significantly improved properties of both PE-LD and mixed PO blends.

Conclusions:

  • Polypropylene contamination is prevalent in recycled PE and mixed PO streams.
  • Accurate quantification of PP content is challenging but crucial for quality control.
  • Compatibilization offers a viable strategy to enhance the mechanical properties of contaminated recycled polyolefins.
  • These findings support the development of higher-quality recycled plastics for future demands.