Periodic Reporting for period 2 - MultiCycle (Advanced and sustainable recycling processes and value chains for plastic-based multi-materials)
Période du rapport: 2020-05-01 au 2022-04-30
Plastics bring unprecedented value in terms of convenience, versatility of design and lightweight even in high end applications. They share insufficient recycling rate, while the limit of our natural resources has been identified as one of our key societal challenges. Only 31% of plastic packaging are currently recycled and an excessive 30-40% are landfilled, due to infra-developed technologies or to their unsatisfactory economic viability. This is aggravated by considering plastics as commodities where their economic value is linked to a single use. The time has come to shift to a Circular Model improving the recycling rate, but also the value of secondary raw materials from plastic recycling. As such, MultiCycle developed an advanced & sustainable recycling processes and value chains to recover plastic-based multi-materials and processing them to be used for the manufacturing of new products in two sectors: flexible multilayer film from the packaging sector, and fiber reinforced composites from the automotive sector. MultiCycle demonstrated the feasibility to recover different types of polymers PE, PP, PA or PET and also fibers such as glass fiber and carbon fibers and reprocessing them for the production of different products instead of using virgin materials.
As a result, MultiCycle overcome the current technical and non technical challenges and go a step further by developing and demonstrating:
-A upscaled and digitized recycling pilot plant to recover waste materials based on CreaSolv® process
-Integrated advanced monitoring and PAT solutions for material identification and process improvement
-Optimized recycling and re-processing steps in an industrial environment for the polymers and fibers recovered
-Upgraded new formulations, and reprocessing techniques for recycled materials and new products,
-The potential of the recovered materials for packaging and automotive applications to close the cycle. In the automotive sector, three demos were produced using recyclates: door panel pockets, fibers nowoven and battery carrier. In the packaging sector, bags, pouches or sachets as demonstrators were produced using the recyclates.
Therefore, MultiCycle demonstrated the viability of the circular value chain approach. In this sense, the project is boosting feasible recycling process technologies and fostering the incorporation of secondary raw materials to allow closing the material cycle for both sectors assessed.
As a result, MultiCycle overcome the current technical and non technical challenges and go a step further by developing and demonstrating:
-A upscaled and digitized recycling pilot plant to recover waste materials based on CreaSolv® process
-Integrated advanced monitoring and PAT solutions for material identification and process improvement
-Optimized recycling and re-processing steps in an industrial environment for the polymers and fibers recovered
-Upgraded new formulations, and reprocessing techniques for recycled materials and new products,
-The potential of the recovered materials for packaging and automotive applications to close the cycle. In the automotive sector, three demos were produced using recyclates: door panel pockets, fibers nowoven and battery carrier. In the packaging sector, bags, pouches or sachets as demonstrators were produced using the recyclates.
Therefore, MultiCycle demonstrated the viability of the circular value chain approach. In this sense, the project is boosting feasible recycling process technologies and fostering the incorporation of secondary raw materials to allow closing the material cycle for both sectors assessed.
MultiCycle’s goal is to overcome the remaining challenges of the new process’s demonstration, and prepare for its market uptake.
The MultiCycle recycling process chain starts with tailored solutions to monitor the composition of input multi-materials, which are fed to the novel separation process (CreaSolv®) allowing the recovery of the single polymer fractions with properties equivalent to virgin counterparts and reinforcement fibres. CreaSolv® is a new solvent-based recycling process applied for both automotive and packaging waste multimaterials that allows pure plastics recovery. This process was upscaled in an industrial pilot plant. A smart control system based on PAT for monitoring the input waste composition and the CreaSolv® process parameters was developed and integrated. In terms of subsequent reprocessing, any adjustment in performance for the secondary use was handled by optimising the compound formulation. To facilitate wide market adoption, the characterisation of reprocessed materials and accessible applications thereof is given utmost attention to match specified requirements for their secondary use. The potential to substitute a high amount of virgin materials was a key pull strategy for the recycling value chain and for reducing the overall carbon footprint of the plastics industry along multiple life cycles. In the automotive sector, three main demos were produced using recycled materials: door panel pockets, fibers nowoven and battery carrier. In the packaging sector, bags, pouches or sachets as demos were produced using recyclates.
The economic viability and the overall sustainability of the processes was calculated using the life cycle approach. Additionally, a DST was developed to allow solving optimization problems and providing predictions of optimal routes as circular paths under a circular economy perspective.
Finally, detailed and well-structured dissemination and exploitation plans were implemented. The final PEDR comprises a comprehensive exploitation plan focusing on the establishment of exploitation pathways for MultiCycle’s results and the provision of individual business plans for the industrial partners that can facilitate the efficient adoption of the project’s outputs and advancements. In terms of dissemination, videos, flyers, newsletters, and other promotional materials were developed, supported by the organization of dedicated dissemination events focused on MultiCycle as well as the partners participation in several international conferences or publications promoting the project results. Training materials and policy recommendations papers were also developed.
The MultiCycle recycling process chain starts with tailored solutions to monitor the composition of input multi-materials, which are fed to the novel separation process (CreaSolv®) allowing the recovery of the single polymer fractions with properties equivalent to virgin counterparts and reinforcement fibres. CreaSolv® is a new solvent-based recycling process applied for both automotive and packaging waste multimaterials that allows pure plastics recovery. This process was upscaled in an industrial pilot plant. A smart control system based on PAT for monitoring the input waste composition and the CreaSolv® process parameters was developed and integrated. In terms of subsequent reprocessing, any adjustment in performance for the secondary use was handled by optimising the compound formulation. To facilitate wide market adoption, the characterisation of reprocessed materials and accessible applications thereof is given utmost attention to match specified requirements for their secondary use. The potential to substitute a high amount of virgin materials was a key pull strategy for the recycling value chain and for reducing the overall carbon footprint of the plastics industry along multiple life cycles. In the automotive sector, three main demos were produced using recycled materials: door panel pockets, fibers nowoven and battery carrier. In the packaging sector, bags, pouches or sachets as demos were produced using recyclates.
The economic viability and the overall sustainability of the processes was calculated using the life cycle approach. Additionally, a DST was developed to allow solving optimization problems and providing predictions of optimal routes as circular paths under a circular economy perspective.
Finally, detailed and well-structured dissemination and exploitation plans were implemented. The final PEDR comprises a comprehensive exploitation plan focusing on the establishment of exploitation pathways for MultiCycle’s results and the provision of individual business plans for the industrial partners that can facilitate the efficient adoption of the project’s outputs and advancements. In terms of dissemination, videos, flyers, newsletters, and other promotional materials were developed, supported by the organization of dedicated dissemination events focused on MultiCycle as well as the partners participation in several international conferences or publications promoting the project results. Training materials and policy recommendations papers were also developed.
-In waste plastic identification/monitoring
Two monitoring systems were developed to predict the nature of multi-materials flows by combining spectral techniques and AI solutions, one for flexible packaging multilayer and another for automotive black fiber reinforced composites. A DSS tool based on the inputs of the previous systems and other critical parameters for the CreaSolv® process was developed. Part of those developments are considered for patenting applications.
-In the implementation of the CreaSolv® Process
A demo plant with a capacity of 100 kg/ay was installed and taken into operation. Many different waste streams were successfully processed and recovered (PE, PP from packaging wastes, and fibre reinforced materials from automation). The plant will also be used after MultiCycle. The next big step towards commercialization of the CreaSolv® process was taken for the mentioned polymers.
-In the polymer reprocessing
Compounding assisted with sc-CO2 was proven as suitable technology to remove VOCs and residual solvents in the recovered materials. Upcycling of recycates incorporation of reinforcing fibres and additives led to secondary raw materials suitable to be reprocessed. This final parts fulfil the requirements of end-users.
-In Plastic-based packaging recycling and circular use
MultiCycle successfully designed novel packaging laminates and incorporated the recyclates (rPP and rPE successfully converted into flexible films). Overall, 30% recyclates in the demo packages was achieved in almost every package (for the polyolefin based flow wrap demonstrator, up to 80 % recycled content). The incorporation of up to 85% recyclate content was successfully achieved without causing any safety issues for film processing at the production lines. Final demos were produced for non-food packaging applications and most of them were rated as recyclable according to current evaluation schemes.
-In recycling processes for Fibre Reinforced composites and circular use
The recovered thermoplastics were of good quality and could be reprocessed via melt spinning (PET, PA6) or injection moulding (PP, PA6). A battery carrier containing 70% rPP was produced as a composite demo which had similar performance as 100% virgin part. Results open a new re-evaluation of recycle materials in circularity approach
Two monitoring systems were developed to predict the nature of multi-materials flows by combining spectral techniques and AI solutions, one for flexible packaging multilayer and another for automotive black fiber reinforced composites. A DSS tool based on the inputs of the previous systems and other critical parameters for the CreaSolv® process was developed. Part of those developments are considered for patenting applications.
-In the implementation of the CreaSolv® Process
A demo plant with a capacity of 100 kg/ay was installed and taken into operation. Many different waste streams were successfully processed and recovered (PE, PP from packaging wastes, and fibre reinforced materials from automation). The plant will also be used after MultiCycle. The next big step towards commercialization of the CreaSolv® process was taken for the mentioned polymers.
-In the polymer reprocessing
Compounding assisted with sc-CO2 was proven as suitable technology to remove VOCs and residual solvents in the recovered materials. Upcycling of recycates incorporation of reinforcing fibres and additives led to secondary raw materials suitable to be reprocessed. This final parts fulfil the requirements of end-users.
-In Plastic-based packaging recycling and circular use
MultiCycle successfully designed novel packaging laminates and incorporated the recyclates (rPP and rPE successfully converted into flexible films). Overall, 30% recyclates in the demo packages was achieved in almost every package (for the polyolefin based flow wrap demonstrator, up to 80 % recycled content). The incorporation of up to 85% recyclate content was successfully achieved without causing any safety issues for film processing at the production lines. Final demos were produced for non-food packaging applications and most of them were rated as recyclable according to current evaluation schemes.
-In recycling processes for Fibre Reinforced composites and circular use
The recovered thermoplastics were of good quality and could be reprocessed via melt spinning (PET, PA6) or injection moulding (PP, PA6). A battery carrier containing 70% rPP was produced as a composite demo which had similar performance as 100% virgin part. Results open a new re-evaluation of recycle materials in circularity approach