Regeneration of polymeric blends PP/EVOH by catalytic action with organometallic additives

• Grant number: 23/05519-6
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: December 01, 2023
• End date: November 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Lucas Henrique Staffa
• Grantee: Lucas Henrique Staffa
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: João Paulo Cosas Fernandes ; Marcelo Aparecido Chinelatto ; Sandra Andrea Cruz

Abstract

The increasing use of commodities polymeric materials as low-biodegradability quick-disposal packaging fosters a scenario of increasing waste generation. Within these, multi-resin materials such as co-extruded multi-layer packing, for example, those formed by layers of polyolefins and intermediate layers of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), are part of a challenging scenario due to the difficulty of circularity of these materials. It is known that the main product of thermomechanical recycling of such products is polymeric blends. Also, as these are incompatible multicomponent materials, additional strategies such as compatibilization with block or maleated copolymers are imperative in recycling such materials. However, as it is an "initial" degraded multi-resin material, the addition of usual compatibilizers may not be enough for the regeneration of properties and to allow circularity. In this context, specialized additives that can functionalize one (or more) phase(s) of the mixture with organometallic monolayers, to support a "repolymerization bed" by catalytic action is an interesting option. Thus, PP/EVOH blends will be compatible with organometallic additives based on neoalkoxy titanate or zirconates to allow regeneration of properties by reconnection polymeric chains that suffered previous scission by a simulation of thermomechanical degradation. This project focuses on the recycling and circularity of multicomponent materials with regeneration of mechanical properties of the degraded matrix, assisted by repolymerization using organometallic additives. Thus, it is expected to contribute to the use of recycled polymer as a polymer matrix in a mixture, depending on the new perspectives of regulatory agencies in the packaging mixture. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

STAFFA, LUCAS H.; VERONEZE, ISABELLY B.; CRUZ, SANDRA A.. Exploring interfacial tension role in the laminar morphology development in reactive compatibilized PP/EVOH. Journal of Materials Research, v. N/A, p. 12-pg., 2024-10-07. (23/05519-6)