•••9••• Innovationen Durable small load carriers A second life for recycled transport boxes and old PET bottles Researchers at the Fraunhofer WKI have collaborated with an industrial partner on the production of injectionmolded transport boxes that are more r igid than conventional small load carriers but nevertheless still impact-resistant. For the production, they used discarded transport boxes as well as recycled PET fibers in order to close the material cycle. Researchers at the Fraunhofer WKI, in collaboration with project partner ISOCO Plastics Technology GmbH, have succeeded in improving the performance capabilities of thin-walled components which are manufactured by means of injection molding. The cooperation partners have successfully developed a material that is impact resistant but offers improved rigidity compared to the current ser ies mater ial. For this, they combined highermelting polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers (as fiber reinforcement) with low-melting polypropylene (PP) in order to create a composite plastic. The researchers tested their material development in the form of a small load carrier (SLC), which is a reusable transport container utilized in the logistics sector. SLCs are currently series-produced using non-reinforced PP. “The fact that we have been able to produce a stronger and more rigid transport container using injection molding means that it will be possible to use less material in the future. This material saving has ecological and economic advantages,” explained Carsten Aßhoff, Project Manager at the Fraunhofer WKI. Fur thermore, the researchers have examined and improved the durability of the SLCs, which are subjected to severe envi - ronmental and ambient inf luences during use. In addition to the production environment, in which the containers come into contact with oil or fuel, for example, environmental influences and washing-process cycles at 60 °C with cleaning agents also lead to an accelerated embrittlement of the conventional series material. “These influences make the SLCs considerably more sensitive to impact and shock and lead to damage over the course of time. The damaged SLCs are discarded, as they are no longer suitable for the safe transport of goods. In our project, we therefore wanted to try to close the material cycle; for this, we investigated whether we could use the discarded SLCs as a recycling source of raw materials,” explained Mr. Aßhoff. For the production of their SLC, the researchers tested the use of already discarded transport boxes as well as recycled PET fibers, for example from non-refillable beverage bottles. For this purpose, they investigated SLC material flows, among other aspects. Suitable PP residues were identified and used as starting mater ials in order to add PETfiber reinforcement to the recycled PP. The project partners also tested the behavior of the mater ials in cascade use and ascertained what findings could be derived regarding, for example, the mater ial or product quality. Both the newly developed mater ial and the existing SLCs were subjected to comparative testing by means of exposure to UV weathering and high temperature/damp - cold cycles . “The results show that our SLCs are more durable and resistant than conventional transpor t containers, even though they are made from recyclates,” said Mr. Aßhoff. The material and process adaptations developed dur ing the research project provide a signif icant contr ibution towards improving the material per formance, economy and ecology of the reusable container in the expanding logistics sector. The new material could be used, for example, to produce fruit, vegetable and bread containers, fish and meat containers, beverage crates, mai l containers, containers for large mail-order companies, or storage boxes for everyday use. The findings could also be applied to numerous applications outside the logistics sector. Impact-sensitive exterior components for the automotive industry, which simultaneously require a higher level of rigidity and strength than a non-reinforced plastic can provide, could also be produced from the new recycled material. Carsten Aßhof f and his col - leagues will be presenting the small load carriers at the Fraunhofer joint booth in Hall 7, booth SC01. The transport boxes are manufactured by means of injection molding. They are more rigid than conventional small load carriers but are nevertheless impact resistant. Foto: Fraunhofer WKI Fakuma 2023 The next Fakuma, international trade fair for plastics processing, will take place in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance from the 17th through the 21st of October in 2023. Key issues include injection moulding, extrusion technology, thermoforming and 3D printing, as well as sustainability, circular economy and recycling. The international, world-class live event for the plastics industry will continue its tradition and follow up on the inspiring success achieved in 2021. Rubberstreet in Halle 6 Die Rubberstreet wird auch in diesem Jahr wieder mit dem Ziel organisiert, die Sichtbarkeit von Gummi und Elastomeren zu erhöhen und ihre innovative Leistungsfähigkeit hervorzuheben. Dem Branchentrend folgend, ist die Rubberstreet heutzutage die Heimat von Gummi und thermoplastischen Elastomeren (TPE). Die Idee für dieses Schaufenster der Elastomerindustrie hat eine lange Tradition, denn sie wurde bereits 1983 auf der K gegründet. Gummi und TPE sind entscheidend für unseren Planeten Ohne die Kunststoffbranche und ihre unglaublich vielseitigen als auch innovativen Produkte würde die Welt zum Stillstand kommen. Darüber hinaus ist das Wohlergehen unseres Planeten auch für die Gummi- und TPE-Branche unverzichtbar. Die Hälfte unseres unverzichtbaren Rohstoffs stammt aus nachhaltigen Ressourcen und reduziert beimWachstum CO2. Impressum MESSEJOURNAL DIE MESSE K 2022 Verlag: EXXPO.DIE MESSE GmbH Lavesstraße 79 30159 Hannover Telefon: +49 511 85625-0 Telefax: +49 511 85625-100 E-Mail: verwaltung@die-messe.de Internet: www.die-messe.de Verantwortlich für den Inhalt: Hans-Joachim Nehls Returned non-refillable PET bottles and discarded reusable transport containers provide the raw resources for the new material - thereby closing the material cycle. Foto: Fraunhofer WKI
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