Descripción del proyecto
Una alternativa sostenible a la galvanoplastia de las piezas de plástico
La galvanoplastia, un proceso que genera un revestimiento metálico en un sustrato sólido, ofrece a una superficie de plástico dieléctrico la capacidad de conducir electricidad. Los revestimientos metálicos se utilizan para aumentar la resistencia al desgaste y la corrosión de las piezas de plástico, además de crear una característica interesante, especialmente en el sector automovilístico. El proyecto freeCr6plat, financiado con fondos europeos, aplicará una técnica de autoensamblaje molecular que metaliza directamente una amplia diversidad de superficies de plástico. El método propuesto eliminará el empleo de cromo hexavalente —el cual es tóxico, mutágeno y cancerígeno—, además de reducir la cantidad de etapas en el proceso de revestimiento. En consecuencia, la tecnología ayudará a reducir en un 30 % el empleo de sustancias químicas, en un 35 % la generación de aguas residuales y en un 50 % el consumo energético.
Objetivo
Electroplating is one of the most advanced techniques to create plated plastics with wide industrial applications. However, current electroplating techniques use hexavalent chromium (Cr [VI]) as etching agent. Hexavalent chromium has been proved to have toxic, mutagenic and cancerogenic effects for human health. As a result, the European Union has included this compound within the list of restricted substances under the Directive 76/769/EEC (REACH Directive) and banned its use from 2017 onwards, while strengthening environmental, health and safety legislations on hazardous waste. This has left the plating industry in a very delicate position with dark future prospects unless new solutions that are both effective and environmentally friendly are discovered. freeCr6plat is an advanced and demonstrated technology that applies a patented Molecular Self Assembly (SAM) technique for ‘direct metallization’ of a wide variety of plastic surfaces, eliminating the use of Cr (VI) and simplifying the number of steps in the plating process. This allows to reduce the use of chemicals (-30%), rinsing water inputs and wastewater generation and associated treatment (-35%), and energy consumption (-50%), resulting in environmental performance and time (-20%) optimization, while reducing overall plating and wastewater treatment costs by 20% compared to the conventional system. Besides, this technique maintains adhesion promotion within the process, resulting in high quality finishing results comparable to the conventional process. freeCr6plat project aims to reach short term market uptake for automotive applications by adapting the process to automotive plating lines, obtaining specific certifications required by the sector and strengthening our environmental awareness, commercial and networking strategy. We expect Cr6-FreePlat to reach a market penetration from 6% to 16% in five years, with M€105.6 cumulative turnover and M€ 21.1 profits, resulting in a ROI of 8.6.
Ámbito científico
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwater treatment processeswastewater treatment processes
- humanitiesartsvisual arts
- natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrytransition metals
- engineering and technologymaterials engineeringcoating and films
- natural scienceschemical sciencescatalysis
Programa(s)
Convocatoria de propuestas
Consulte otros proyectos de esta convocatoriaConvocatoria de subcontratación
H2020-SMEInst-2018-2020-2
Régimen de financiación
SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2Coordinador
26370 Navarrete
España
Organización definida por ella misma como pequeña y mediana empresa (pyme) en el momento de la firma del acuerdo de subvención.