MultiLayerDetection
Project long title
Identification of multilayer films in plastic sorting to increase the recycling of packaging film waste
Project description
The material recycling of plastics will require rapid innovations in the next five years to achieve the EU-wide environmental policy goals. The project aims to increase the recycling rate for packaging films. Single-layer and multilayer films are used in this area, the latter not being recyclable with the prior art.
The project aims at a new sorting technology for packaging films. This is to be achieved by using new sensor sorting methods based on near-infrared spectroscopy to separate recyclable and non-recyclable materials in multilayer films. The targeted sorting of multilayer films then enables a new quality of the recyclate with a significantly reduced proportion of foreign matter.
Aims of the project
The project aims to increase the recycling rate for packaging films. Single-layer and multilayer films are used in this area, the latter being difficult to recycle with the current state of the art machines. The project, therefore, aims at a new sorting technology for packaging films based on near-infrared spectroscopy. This is done to separate recyclable and non-recyclable materials. The targeted sorting of multilayer films then enables a new quality of the recyclate with a significantly reduced proportion of foreign matter.
Benefits for Styria as a business location
The project results form the basis for the development of industrially usable sensor technology. It is planned to publish the project results in at least two publications in scientific, peer-reviewed journals. Any patentable project results are protected accordingly before publication. These publications and the optional patent strengthen the reputation of Styria and thus that of the recycling companies located here as technological and scientific innovators.
Improvement of the spectral quality of thin-layer materials
The low material thickness of film materials makes sorting using near-red spectroscopy considerably more difficult. The interaction of the near-infrared radiation with the material's molecular structure is made more difficult by the low material thickness. This leads to spectra that are only of limited use for sorting, as shown in the spectrum [B] in the figure below. The spectral quality of thin multilayer and single-layer films can be improved by adapting the measurement geometry of a state-of-the-art near-infrared sorter. See spectrum [A] in the figure below.
Project milestones
The multilayer detection project aims to achieve the following goals:
- Analysis of the current end of life situation of multilayer films
- Survey of the currently usual quality of multilayer film recyclates
- Findings about the current composition of multilayer films
- NIR based identification of multilayer structure and material composition
- Evaluation of methods to optimize the detection of multilayer films
- Carrying out sorting tests
Publications
Title
Recycling von Multilayerfolien
Journal
Österreichische Wasser- und Abfallwirtschaft
DOI
10.1007/s00506-021-00813-w
Publication date
2021-11-15
Funding
Project partners
Polymer Competence Center Leoben GmbH - PCCL
Project media
You can send a message directly to the project responsible Mister Dr. Gerald Koinig by using the following form.
Gerald Koinig
Dipl.-Ing. Dr.mont.
Scientific staff
Phone: +43 3842 / 402-5143
Cell: +43 670 / 20 64 755
Fax: +43 3842 / 402-5102
E-mail: