Descrizione del progetto
Un’alternativa sostenibile alla galvanoplastica
La galvanoplastica, un processo che produce un rivestimento metallico su un substrato solido, offre a una superficie plastica non conduttiva la capacità di condurre elettricità. I rivestimenti metallici sono utilizzati per aumentare la resistenza all’usura e alla corrosione delle parti in plastica, nonché per fornire un aspetto accattivante soprattutto nel settore automobilistico. Il progetto freeCr6plat, finanziato dall’UE, applicherà una tecnica di autoassemblaggio molecolare in grado di metallizzare direttamente un’ampia varietà di superfici plastiche. Il metodo proposto eliminerà l’uso del cromo esavalente, tossico, mutageno e cancerogeno, e ridurrà il numero di fasi del processo di metallizzazione. Di conseguenza, la tecnologia contribuirà a ridurre l’uso di sostanze chimiche del 30 %, la produzione di acque reflue del 35 % e il consumo di energia del 50 %.
Obiettivo
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.
Campo scientifico
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwater treatment processeswastewater treatment processes
- humanitiesartsvisual arts
- natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrytransition metals
- engineering and technologymaterials engineeringcoating and films
- natural scienceschemical sciencescatalysis
Programma(i)
Argomento(i)
Invito a presentare proposte
Vedi altri progetti per questo bandoBando secondario
H2020-SMEInst-2018-2020-2
Meccanismo di finanziamento
SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2Coordinatore
26370 Navarrete
Spagna
L’organizzazione si è definita una PMI (piccola e media impresa) al momento della firma dell’accordo di sovvenzione.