The presence of pigments in thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)-based products serves a critical role in enhancing their aesthetic appeal. However, these same pigments pose significant challenges in TPU recycling and upcycling efforts.
The large surface areas and Van der Waals forces of pigment particles complicate their separation from the polar TPU matrix in a scalable process. In addition, loss of molecular weight is very common to TPU in most recycling processes, leading to a deterioration in key macroscopic properties such as tensile strength and abrasion resistance.
There is a pressing need for an environmentally benign, energy efficient process to separate pigments from post-consumer TPU waste so that the material can be recycled back into the original product or upcycled into higher-value products.
We are looking for a scalable, ideally continuous process that can efficiently separate different inorganic and organic pigments and dye components from a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) matrix. This process should also maintain the basic macroscopic properties of TPU, such as tensile strength and resistance to abrasion.
- A high throughput separation process, specific for dyes and pigments
- A high throughput separation process, with minimum environmental impact
- Eventual solution must be capable of achieving >90% dye removal efficiency (delta E <3).
- For the eventual solution, the recycled TPU must retain >90% of its abrasion resistance and tensile properties.
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Process is capable of improving the tensile and abrasion resistance properties of upcycled TPU.
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Solution is capable of achieving 99% removal of pigments.
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Recycled TPU can be recycled multiple times without loss of physical properties
- Solvent based recycling process
- Chemical recycling
- Pyrolysis recycling approaches
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