Mechanical Properties and Chemical Stability of Bathroom Wall Composites Manufactured from Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Mixed with Cocoa Hulls Powder

The need to protect our environment by eliminating plastic waste as much as possible and by recycling waste from agricultural residue, has led us to formulate composites based on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) loaded with powder from the cocoa shell. The cocoa hulls were prior treated with organosolv process to improve the fiber-matrix interaction. This research is aimed at manufacturing composite wall tiles from recycled PET reinforced with cocoa hull powder (CCP). The composites were manufactured by the melt-mixing method followed by compression molding. The mechanical, physico-chemical properties and the stability to environmental conditions were evaluated. The results showed that the incorporation of cocoa powder at a content of 20-30% in the matrix consisting of PET gave rise to a composite material with good physico-mechanical and chemical properties suitable for use in several sectors. In the construction industry, in particular as wall covering as a replacement for tiles, these x from an economic point of view cost less and compared to clays which consumes enormous amount of energy for the elaboration of ceramics. The study showed that the optimum powder weight proportion for the optimal properties of the composite were achieved at 30% powder weight proportion. The maximum tensile strength of 60.3 MPa, flexural strength of 19.5 MPa, impact strength of 10.3 MPa and water absorption 1.34% were obtained. Water absorption of the tiles increased with the cocoa powder weight. Compare to the ceramic tile this value of water absorption test is in range and show that this composite tile is suitable for use as bathroom tile.

Recycled PET Sand for Cementitious Mortar

Cementitious materials cause a great impact on the environment due to the calcination of clinker and the extraction of non-renewable mineral resources. In this work, the replacement of quartz sand from the river by PET sand was evaluated at levels of 10%, 20%, and 30%. Tests were performed in the fresh state through consistency, air retention, density, and incorporated air and in the hardened state for compressive strength, flexural strength, density, capillarity, and water absorption. The results show that PET sand is viable in contents of up to 10%, improving the mechanical properties of the mortar and without compromising its workability and incorporated air properties. Above that level, the loss of properties is very excessive, mainly of workability and incorporated air. The incorporated air of the 30% composition, for example, reaches 24%, an excessive value that impacts the properties of the hardened state, making it impossible to use the material at levels greater than 20%. It is concluded that the use of recycled PET sand is a possibility that contributes to sustainable development, as it reduces the extraction of quartz sand from the river, a non-renewable mineral resource.

A STATE OF ART AND PROSPECTS OF HANDLING USED PET BOTTLES

The main data on the production volume of bottles from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in the world are presented. The main ways of handling used PET bottles as one of the hazardous types of waste for the environment, but promising from the point of view of using their properties, are analyzed. The main methods of handling used PET bottles are considered and a critical analysis of each of them is given. Particular attention is paid to the methods of recycling PET bottles, which made it possible to efficiently use recycled PET raw materials directly for their intended purpose. The features of physical, chemical, biological and combined processing methods are also considered, in particular, combustion, gasification, pyrolysis, plasma decomposition of PET bottles, as well as their decomposition under the influence of microorganisms. The main ways of solving the problem of used PET bottles are proposed. Bibl. 84, Fig. 1.

Structural Dimensioning of an Equipment to Sinter Refuse of Recycled PET

The consumption of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has been increasing every year, as well as its recycling process as the applications of recycled PET are diversified. However, the recycling companies are not able to recycle 100% of PET because the particles with low granulometry (refuse) are not utilized because they stick to the extruder screw and are discarded. This study presents the structural dimensioning of a proposal of an equipment to sinter this refuse in some predetermined geometries, in order to achieve possible commercial applications. This structural dimensioning was done with finite element analysis open-source software Salome Meca. Some structural modifications required to achieve the design requirements are presented. Yet, the hydraulic system to operate the compression was also dimensioned.

Circular economy in the brewing chain

The main aim of this review was to check for the applicability of the concept of circular economy to brewing chain. By analyzing the beer brewing process, it was possible to identify the main brewery wastes formed and packaging materials used as well as their range of composition and yields. In order to reduce the contribution of packaging material to the carbon footprint of beer, it would be necessary to replace one-way containers used nowadays with lighter, reusable, or recycled ones. Even if the contribution of beer consumption phase was taken into account, there was no definitive solution about the less environmentally impacting beer packaging format. The direct management of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packaging for liquid foodstuffs could make available 100% recycled PET flakes to be reconverted into food-grade bottles with minimum downcycling to other non-food usage. The countless potential uses of brewery wastes in nutritional and biotechnological fields were tested in laboratory by disregarding any cost–benefit or market analysis. This was mainly because the estimated market price of dried brewer’s spent grain (BSG) resulted to be about 450% higher than that of conventional lignocellulose residues. All the alternative uses hailed in the literature appeared to be more useful for publishing articles than for defining any economically feasible reusing procedure for all brewery wastes. Owing to their high moisture content, such wastes are so perishable as to prevent their safe usage in the human food chain. Currently, their use as-is in animal feeding is the disposal method not only economically feasible but also able to reduce the greenhouse gas load of beer packed in glass bottles (GB) by about one-third of that associated with packaging materials. Not by chance, it is practiced by most industrial and craft breweries.

ANALISA HASIL UJI KEKUATAN TARIK, TEKAN & STRUKTUR MAKRO SAMPAH PLASTIK JENIS PET, HDPE, DAN CAMPURAN (PET+HDPE)

Plastik is a material which has difficult to decompose. Therefore, the utilization of waste into useful material is important to do. This study aims to identify the tensile strength, bending, and macro structure of recycled PET, HDPE, and PET + HDPE plastik waste mixtures and recommendations for plastik products that fit the characteristics of these plastik types. PET and HDPE plastik waste is melted with oil and reprinted into tensile and bending test samples in accordance with predetermined variations, and then the results of the fracture are analyzed in a macro structure. Based on tensile testing, the tensile strength test results have the highest stress and strain values obtained in the mixture of 40% + HDPE 60% (B2) used oil specimens of 10.58 MPa and strain values of 11.98%. The results of bending strength testing which has the highest bending stress value and maximum load value are obtained in plastik mixture specimens with 30% used oil mixture + 70% HDPE (B1) of 11.58 MPa and for maximum load values of 43.33 KN. Testing the tensile strength and bending strength of the type of plastik mixture Oil and HDPE + PET (50%: 50%), the results obtained can still not be recommended to be used as a paving block product because the value of stress, strain, bending stress, and the maximum load is still relatively low, namely for the tensile test the highest variation of stress value is 5.21 MPa, the highest variation of strain value is 5.23%, the maximum load value is 10 KN, and the highest variation of bending stress value is 40% + 60% by 4.01 MPa.

Application of recycled PET plastic

Bài viết nói về tái chế nhựa PET là cần thiết và ứng dụng của nó trong nhiều lĩnh vực

Comparative Study between R-Pet & Virgin Pet in Terms of Technical Aspect and Market Potential

The crux of the new trend lies in sustainability and so follows the recyclable products. Polyester is of immense importance as a fibre when it comes to textile and garment, but the type used (Virgin PET) is not an eco-friendly one. Polyester filament extracted from the recycled PET bottles can cater to the unmet need of an eco-friendly substitute to the virgin polyester. A comparative study has been made to analyse whether recycled PET can perform the functionality of virgin PET. The physical properties of both stand out to be the same, signalling the use of recycled PET filament. Recycled PET filament finds it limitation in non-uniform dyeing but the same can be solved through chemical extraction. Keywords: Virgin PET, Recycled PET, Instron test, Boiling water shrinkage test, sustainable, market potential.