Improving Plastics Compatibilization for More Efficient Recycling

a. Improving
Plastics Compatibilization for More Efficient Recycling

This subtopic seeks proposals to
develop new compatibilizers that may enable processing of plastic resins and
the downstream recycling or upcycling of a mixed plastic stream. The scope of
this work may span fundamental research investigating novel approaches to
improve miscibility to applied approaches to characterize resins generated
through processing with compatibilizers at scale.



Compatibilizers are materials or
molecules that promote miscibility between disparate plastic resins, allowing
for the direct recycling of mixed plastic. Traditionally, compatibilized
post-consumer resins are most commonly downcycled for application as durable
goods. The robust and scalable compatibilization of disparate plastic
chemistries into a valuable same-cycled or even upcycled resin would dramatically
improve the economics for materials recovery facilities (MRFs) and the
deployment of recycling compatibilizers. In recent years, application of
tailored copolymers has allowed for highly effectively compatibilization of
disparate polymer chemistries to a resin of equal or improved properties [1, 2,
3]. Innovations targeting all moderate to high volume plastics will be
considered for this topic, including polyamides, and copolymers such as
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS). However, preference will be given to
applications that apply to plastics often prioritized by MRFs, specifically
polyolefins, polyesters, and polystyrene, since broader collection
infrastructure is most advanced for these materials. The resulting mixed resins
must possess mechanical and optical properties that allow for same cycling or
displacement of virgin material.



Areas of interest include, but are
not limited to:

·
Demonstration of a compatibilizing technology that can be applied
to two or more commonly discarded plastics into a product of performance
commensurate with virgin feedstock.

·
Application of a novel compatibilizer material, including but not
limited to tailored copolymers, bio-based feedstocks, or inorganics.

·
Application of a novel compatibilization process.

·
An improvement in the energy efficiency of the recycling process.

·
Development of a mixed polymer resin that is capable of
substituting virgin polymer in any moderate or high-volume application.



Questions – Contact: Melissa
Klembara, Melissa.Klembara@ee.doe.gov
or Gayle Bentley, Gayle.Bentley@ee.doe.gov