Low-pressure plasma etching of a recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film is studied in comparison to virgin PET and polypropylene (PP) using capacitively coupled radio frequency (RF) reactor. Recycled polymers are distinguished by increased impurity content weakened mechanical properties, both affecting adhesion processes. Mild conditions have been selected maintain the material bulk pro...

After the first life cycle of plastics various recycling processes are available for further utilization of these valuable materials. For an ecologically and economically satisfying solution the most suitable process has to be chosen. In chemical recycling polymers are degraded to basic chemical substances which can be reused in the petrochemical industry. For soiled waste plastics or waste pla...

In this work, the presence of biodegradable polymers in recycled plastic materials was characterized using readily available techniques. Recycled polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were studied. The contamination these plastics with polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) thermoplastic starch (TPS) simulated 10 wt.% contaminant. Fourier transform ...

Recycling is a heavily discussed topic nowadays, and recycled tire material to be re-used for the same application is one of the spear points of current R&D activities. Regarding the immense amount of used tires, more than just one outlet for the recycled material is needed. Besides the commonly used particulate and reclaimed rubbers, devulcanizates are another alternative currently under devel...

The present study was conducted to determine the recyclability and biodegradability of bamboo fabric-reinforced poly(lactic) acid (BF-PLA) composites for sustainable packaging. BF-PLA composite was recycled through the granulation, extrusion, pelletization and injection processes. Subsequently, mechanical properties (tensile, flexural and impact strength), thermal stability and the morphologica...

The article presents the latest solutions for sustainable flexible packaging materials, covering articles published in 2017–2022. Discussed, among others bio-based, biodegradable, and recycled polymers, paper, which are slowly being adopted by industry expected to replace traditional materials from non-renewable sources coming years.

Ion exchange technology is currently the best for removing nitrate from drinking water. However, problems related to the disposal of spent brine from regeneration of exhausted resins must be overcome so that ion exchange can be applied more widely and economically, especially in small communities. For this purpose, a novel spent brine recycling system using combined biological denitrification a...

This study evaluates the efficacy of green design principles such as the "12 Principles of Green Chemistry," and the "12 Principles of Green Engineering" with respect to environmental impacts found using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. A case study of 12 polymers is presented, seven derived from petroleum, four derived from biological sources, and one derived from both. The environment...