Morpho-structural and thermo-mechanical characterization of recycled polypropylene and polystyrene from mixed post-consumer plastic waste

In this work, a complete sorting and characterization of dirty non-recyclable mixed plastic (plasmix fraction) from municipal solid waste was performed. The procedure comprised visual inspection identification the materials presented in bales, subsequent moisture dirt content determination. Afterwards, both polypropylene polystyrene fractions obtained process were recycled physico-mechanically thermally characterized for assessment material quality. composed (28.89 %), polyethylene terephthalate (22.02 (9.65 %) rigid (4.68 %). Regarding fraction, results highly variable, mainly due to heterogeneity material, its origin, atmospheric conditions, etc. average sum parameters (moisture dirt) around 15 %. mechanical properties within expected range each type polymer, noting that are more brittle than polypropylene. recycling non-food wastes yielded with higher impact resistance (70 kJ m −2 ) Young´s modulus (1934 MPa) as compared food packages. Concerning recyclates, it is worth mentioning foamed residues (expanded extruded showed approximately twice tensile strength respect high general-purpose residues. some cases, infrared thermal analyses revealed cross-contamination traces other polymers. • Sorting done. Polypropylene characterized. Feasibility injection moulding, extrusion and/or thermoforming analysed. plastics recovered potentially recyclable at larger scale.