Method for recycling of polymer profiles

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a recycling method of a polymer profile (1) for the production of a new article (600), wherein the profile (1) has a core profile (10) which is a core profile having a polymer material A, wherein the core profile (10) is provided with a polymer coating (12) having a blend of polymer materials A and B, wherein in the coating (12) additionally a phase medium is contained which improves the connection of the materials A and B to each other in the blend, the polymer coating being in particular co-extruded with the core profile (10), wherein the profile (1) containing the materials A and B and the phase medium is comminuted into a first raw material (1'), wherein for the production of the article (600) a second raw material (200') is used which likewise has a polymer material B, wherein the new article (600) is produced using the first raw material (1') containing the materials A and B and the phase medium and the second raw material (200') containing the material B by means of a polymer melt forming process (500), and wherein the phase medium also contributes to the connection of the first raw material (1') at the second raw material (200') during the polymer melt forming process (500) for the production of the new article (600).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a method for recycling polymer profiles, preferably in the form of window or door profiles having at least one cavity, for the manufacture of new articles. - Wherein, the profile has a core profile, which has a polymer material A, preferably fiber reinforced core profile; - The core profile is provided with a polymer coating consisting of a blend of polymer material A and material B, which is in particular co-extruded with the core profile. Background Technology

[0002] Sustainable resource utilization is one of the major challenges facing us today, and this particularly involves recycling plastic waste. Polymer window and door profiles offer excellent thermal insulation properties, and their manufacturing process requires less energy compared to metal profiles. However, when recycling fiber-reinforced plastic profiles, particular care must be taken because the plastic fibers can potentially affect the surface quality of newly manufactured products made from the corresponding recycled materials. Therefore, within the scope of recycling, for example, fiber-reinforced plastic waste is processed into products where surface quality is secondary, for example, because these products are installed in a way that makes them invisible during normal use. This is the case, for example, with corner connectors in the window and door industry, which are installed end-to-end in the corresponding hollow frame profiles and "disappear" after the profiles are welded into a frame. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Against this backdrop, the object of the present invention is to propose a method for recycling plastic waste that, in principle, can produce new products with high surface quality.

[0004] The objective of this invention is achieved through a method for recycling polymer profiles, preferably in the form of window or door profiles having at least one cavity, for use in manufacturing new articles. - Wherein, the profile has a core profile, which is a fiber-reinforced core profile having polymer material A. - The core profile is provided with a polymer coating consisting of a blend of polymer material A and material B, which is particularly co-extruded with the core profile. - The coating additionally contains a phase medium that improves the bonding between material A and material B in the blend. - In this process, the profile containing material A, material B, and the phase medium is crushed into the first raw material. - Wherein, a second raw material is used in the manufacture of the product, and this second raw material also has polymer material B. - The new product is manufactured using a first raw material containing material A and material B as a phase medium, and a second raw material containing material B, through a polymer melt molding process. - In the polymer melt molding process used to manufacture new articles, the phase medium also helps to bond the first raw material to the second raw material.

[0005] According to the present invention, the phase medium originally contained in the profile to be recycled still serves as a medium between the two raw materials, even when the corresponding recycled material (referred to above as the first raw material) is combined with the second raw material, thus expanding the design possibilities in the manufacture of new articles. Therefore, the phase medium enables the manufacture of articles with high-value surfaces, particularly when the first raw material is coated with the second raw material, because the surface is formed by a coating containing the second raw material, and therefore fibers contained in, for example, the first raw material do not affect the surface of the new article. In this regard, the phase medium already contained in the first raw material facilitates good adhesion of the second raw material to the first raw material, which provides a significant advantage for the method of manufacturing new articles. Suitably, the average particle size of the pulverized first raw material is 1 mm to 6 mm, especially 2 mm to 5 mm. The above general inventive concept will then be described in more detail.

[0006] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the polymer melt molding process is configured as co-extrusion, wherein a second raw material is co-extruded with a first raw material, and a phase medium ensures interfacial adhesion of the second raw material at the first raw material in the co-extruded article. Accordingly, the phase medium contained in the first raw material also acts as an adhesion promoter at the layer boundary of the two components in the co-extruded article, wherein one component is made from the first raw material and the other component is made from the second raw material. In this embodiment, the new article can be configured, in particular, as a door profile or window profile. In this case, the first raw material is preferably processed into, for example, a core extrusion having at least one cavity, which is then co-extruded to obtain a coating with the second raw material. In this variation, the weight ratio of the first raw material to the second raw material is suitably in the range of 2:1 to 4:1, i.e., in this case, 2 to 4 kilograms of the first raw material are required for processing per kilogram of the second raw material in the co-extrusion. Within the scope of the invention, it is generally recognized that the improved bonding of the two raw materials A and B in the blend of the profile to be recycled, and the phase medium already contained in the first raw material, also leads to improved adhesion at the layer boundary of the two components in the newly manufactured co-extruded article.

[0007] Within the scope of this invention, in principle, the weight ratio of material A to material B in the first raw material is in the range of 2:1 to 4:1, that is, 2 to 4 kilograms of material A per kilogram of material B. If the polymer profile to be recycled is a cavity profile for doors or windows, wherein the core profile having polymer material A (especially a fiber-reinforced core profile) is coated with a coating consisting of A and B and an additional phase medium during co-extrusion, then such a weight ratio can be naturally derived, for example, from the corresponding cross-sectional ratio of the fiber-reinforced core profile to the coating, wherein the reinforcing fibers in the core profile typically form the major weight part of the profile. For example, see patent document EP3529062B1 for the manufacture of such cavity profiles.

[0008] The second raw material can be composed of recycled and / or virgin materials. Preferably, the second raw material does not contain reinforcing fibers. This is particularly advantageous because, according to the preferred embodiment described above, the first and second raw materials are co-extruded, and the second raw material should provide a Grade A surface finish for new articles, such as those constructed as window or door profiles, by coating the first raw material. However, especially if the second raw material is also recycled, it may also contain reinforcing fibers. In this regard, it is suitable to apply another layer (e.g., also by co-extrusion) on top of the co-extruded coating containing reinforcing fibers, which does not contain reinforcing fibers (and is made, for example, from virgin PVC of material B), thereby ensuring that the desired outer surface of the corresponding article achieves Grade A quality. The second raw material may contain pigments, such as titanium dioxide, to color the new article accordingly.

[0009] The phase medium can be present in excess in the coating. That is, in this case, the amount of phase medium in the blend is greater than that required to achieve the desired improved bonding between the two materials A and B in the blend. This measure is beneficial for further improving the adhesion of the two components at the layer interface in newly manufactured co-extruded articles by means of the phase medium. Styrene-maleic anhydride (MAH) based and / or acrylonitrile-ethylene-styrene (AES)-MAH based polymers can be used in particular as phase mediums.

[0010] Within the scope of this invention, material A is specifically polyamide (PA). For example, this PA can be synthesized by reactive pultrusion during the manufacturing process of the core profile. Such reactive pultrusion is also described in patent document EP3529062B1. In this method, continuous reinforcing fibers are drawn into a pultrusion die, and a PA matrix is ​​embedded within the die. Low-viscosity monomers or oligomers are used for this purpose, which react during the reactive pultrusion process to form thermoplastic polyamide. Subsequently, the core profile is, for example, provided with a co-extruded coating consisting of a blend of material A and material B.

[0011] Material B can be, in particular, acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate (ASA). Suitably, the weight ratio of material A to material B in the blend is 1:2 to 2:1, i.e., 0.5 kg to 2 kg of material A per kg of material D. Therefore, the profile to be recycled can be, in particular, a continuous fiber reinforced window or door profile manufactured according to EP3529062B1, comprising continuous fiber reinforced PA as a core material, and in this case, according to the invention, a coating consisting of a blend of PA and ASA is provided, thereby giving the profile the desired weather resistance and unexpectedly significantly facilitating its recycling. In this case, the continuous fiber reinforced core material is processed into a first raw material by pulverization, which correspondingly comprises short fibers. Alternatively, within the scope of the invention, material B can be an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS).

[0012] As previously described, according to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the core profile can have a continuous fiber-reinforced structure and is manufactured by reactive pultrusion molding. This type of profile is characterized by its excellent mechanical properties. The weight percentage of continuous fibers in the core profile can be in the range of 60% to 90%, for example, 75% to 85%. Using the recycling method according to the invention, as described above, the waste materials of the corresponding window or door profiles can be easily reused and processed into high-quality new products.

[0013] Suitably, the profiles to be recycled, especially their core profiles (composed of a first material), have at least two cavities. The coating of the core profile (composed of a second material) is preferably made of an unreinforced material to ensure a flawless outer surface. However, this does not preclude the use of reinforcing structures in the coating, such as reinforcing fibers. The cavity profiles to be recycled (e.g., window or door profiles) can be, in particular, frame or sash profiles.

[0014] The subject matter of this invention also relates to a polymer profile suitable for the recycling method according to the invention, particularly a polymer profile in the form of a window profile or door profile having at least one cavity, the polymer profile comprising: - A core profile having a PA matrix, preferably a continuous fiber-reinforced PA matrix; and - A coating applied to the core profile, preferably co-extruded with the core profile, and having a polymer matrix composed of a PA-ASA blend. - Wherein, the coating additionally contains a phase medium that improves the connection between material A and material B in the blend.

[0015] The present invention also claims protection for an article manufactured using the recycling method described above according to the present invention. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show only one embodiment. In the drawings: Figure 1 A method for manufacturing a cavity profile for a window, which is to be supplied, for example, to a recycling method according to the invention at the end of its life cycle; is shown. Figure 2 It shows that according to Figure 1 A transverse sectional view of the fabricated cavity profile; and Figure 3 An example of the invention is shown for use in... Figure 2 The method for recycling the cavity profile shown. Detailed Implementation

[0017] Figure 1 A method for manufacturing a thermoplastic cavity profile 1 for windows is shown, wherein the cross-section of the cavity profile for windows is... Figure 2 As shown in the diagram. The window cavity profile 1 should be supplied to the recycling method according to the invention at the end of its intended service life as a window assembly. Furthermore, waste generated during manufacturing, such as waste generated during the cutting of profile 1 (especially during beveling to assemble profile 1 into a frame), can also be recycled in this way. Figure 1 In the manufacturing method shown, a continuous extrusion molding process 3 is used to manufacture a structure with multiple cavities 2 (see...). Figure 2 The hollow profile 1 is formed by continuously reinforcing glass fibers 5 into a thermoplastic matrix 4 of the hollow profile 1 during the continuous extrusion molding process 3. This is achieved by first unwinding the continuous reinforcing glass fibers from a roll 6 and preheating them in a preheating station 7. In this embodiment, the continuous extrusion molding process 3 is configured as reactive pultrusion molding. Here, the freshly formed hollow profile 1 is pulled from a heated pultrusion die 9 along the production direction x using a traction tool 8 via the continuous reinforcing fibers 5. Reactive pultrusion molding 3 is used to manufacture a continuously fiber-reinforced thermoplastic core profile 10 (see also) of the hollow profile 1 having multiple cavities 2. Figure 2(The black portion). Here, the thermoplastic matrix 4 of the core profile is made of low-viscosity monomers and / or reactive oligomers (collectively referred to as MO), which polymerize into thermoplastic during reactive pultrusion 3. In addition to the monomers and / or reactive oligomers MO, an initiator I and a catalyst K are added to the reactive pultrusion 3 to guide the chemical reaction occurring therein. In this embodiment, to polymerize the thermoplastic, the monomer or oligomer labeled MO is supplied to the reactive pultrusion in the form of two components a' and b'. Component a' contains the monomer / oligomer MO and the initiator I, while component b' contains the catalyst K in addition to the monomer / oligomer MO. This ensures that the reaction mixture containing the monomer / oligomer MO, the initiator I, and the catalyst K is only present in the pultrusion mold 9, and thus the polymerization reaction only begins in the pultrusion mold 9. The polymerization rate can also be controlled by heating the pultrusion mold 9. In this embodiment, the thermoplastic matrix 4 is constructed as a PA matrix, particularly a PA6 matrix. To improve the surface quality of the cavity profile 1, an external polymer coating 12 is provided on the core profile 10 made by reactive pultrusion molding 3 through co-extrusion 11. In this embodiment, the external polymer coating is composed of a blend of PA and ASA, wherein the weight ratio of PA to ASA in the blend is in the range of 0.8 to 1.2 (1.2 means that 1.2 kg of PA corresponds to 1 kg of ASA). Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, co-extrusion 11 is performed immediately following reactive pultrusion 3. At this time, the co-extrusion die 13 is correspondingly arranged directly after the exit of the die 9 used for reactive pultrusion 3, and wraps the core profile 10 in-line. The co-extruded cavity profile 1 is then cooled in a cooling device 14 (e.g., a water bath). Alternatively, reactive pultrusion 3 and co-extrusion 11 can be performed, for example, in a common die. An extruder 16 is provided to apply the coating 12 made of coating material 15.

[0018] Figure 2 It shows, for example, that can be adopted Figure 1 The method described above is used to manufacture a cavity profile 1 for windows. Figure 2 The enlarged portion schematically shows continuous reinforcing fibers 5 embedded in the thermoplastic PA matrix 4 of the core profile 10 and a coating 12 co-extruded with the core profile 10 (its thickness is exaggerated in this figure), which is made of unreinforced coating material 15, which is composed of a PA-ASA blend. In this embodiment, the reinforcing fibers 5 in the core profile 10 comprise 75% to 85% by weight, with the remainder being PA, and the weight ratio of PA in the core profile 10 to the PA-ASA blend in the coating is 0.8:1 to 1:1. In particular, the weight ratio of PA to ASA is in the range of 2:1 to 4:1. The cavity profile 1 also includes functional members 18, 18' in the form of receiving grooves for sealing or locking (not shown in the figure). Figure 2In this design, the cavity profile 1 of the window is constructed as a window sash profile. Correspondingly, each core profile 10 has a groove bottom 19 for accommodating at least one glass pane (not shown in the figure). A coating 12 is applied almost entirely to the outer surface of the core profile 10. Only the groove bottom of the right-side receiving groove 18' is entirely formed by the core profile 10. Furthermore, the protrusion 20 of the European standard groove 21 in the cavity profile 1 for accommodating the locking element (not shown in the figure) is formed solely by the coating 12. To optimize the bonding of ASA and PA in the blend, the blend may additionally contain a phase medium in the form of a styrene-maleic anhydride (MAH) based polymer and / or an acrylonitrile-ethylene-styrene (AES)-MAH based polymer (not shown in detail in this figure). The weight percentage of the phase medium in the blend in this embodiment is 0.5% to 10%, for example 1 to 8%, for example 2 to 4%, where other weight percentages are not excluded.

[0019] Figure 3 A polymer cavity profile 1 (e.g., in the form of a window profile or door profile) according to the present invention is shown. Figure 2 A recycling method for the cavity profile shown. The cavity profile 1 correspondingly has a continuous fiber-reinforced core profile 10, the polymer of which is composed of material PA. The core profile 10 is provided with a polymer coating 12 composed of PA-ASA blend 15, which additionally contains the phase medium described above.

[0020] exist Figure 3 In the recycling method shown, the hollow profile 1 containing material PA and material PA-ASA in the blend, as well as the phase medium, is pulverized in a pulverizing device 100 (e.g., a plastic crusher). This pulverization occurs, for example, as cut-off end scrap or beveled waste, generated during the manufacturing process of the frame assembled from the hollow profile 1, or particularly during the complete recycling process at the end of the service life of the hollow profile 1. The first raw material 1' has an average particle size in the range of 2 mm to 5 mm, and because the continuous fibers 5 are pulverized in the pulverizing device 100, this raw material 1' contains corresponding short fibers (not shown in detail in the figure).

[0021] To manufacture the new article 600 using the first raw material 1', a second raw material 200' is additionally used, which also contains material ASA. The new article 600 is thus manufactured using a polymer melt molding process 500 with the first raw material containing materials PA and ASA, as well as a phase medium (and pulverized reinforcing fibers) and the second raw material containing material ASA. According to the invention, during the polymer melt molding process for manufacturing the new article 600, the phase medium also contributes to improved bonding of the first raw material 1' at the second raw material 200'. In this embodiment, the polymer melt molding process 500 is configured as a co-extrusion, wherein the second raw material 200' is co-extruded with the first raw material 1', and the phase medium contained in the first raw material ensures that the two co-extruded components adhere to each other. In this embodiment, the raw material 200' is a virgin material in the form of particulate ASA. The second raw material 200' also contains pigments, such as titanium dioxide, to color the new article 600 accordingly. Overall, the phase medium contained in the first raw material 1' acts as an adhesion promoter at the phase interface of the two co-extruded components 10' and 15' in the newly manufactured article 600. Component 10', manufactured from the first raw material 1', has PA and ASA, while component 15', manufactured from the second raw material 200', has material PA with additionally added pigments. In this embodiment, the new article 600 is constructed as a co-extruded door or window profile. Figure 3 As shown, a first raw material 1' is processed into a core extrusion 10' having multiple cavities, which is then co-extruded to obtain a coating 15' having a second raw material 200'. The weight ratio of the first raw material 1' to the second raw material 200' is suitably in the range of 2:1 to 4:1, that is, 2 to 4 kilograms of the first raw material 1' are required for processing each kilogram of the second raw material 200' in the co-extrusion. According to the invention, the phase medium contained in the PA-ASA blend ensures the adhesion of the coating 15' to the co-extruded component 115' in all the above-mentioned weight parts. Since the first raw material 1' is obtained from a pulverized continuous fiber reinforced cavity profile 1, the core extrusion 10' contains correspondingly pulverized short fibers (not shown in detail in the figure), while the coating 15' is composed of ASA virgin material without reinforcing fibers, thereby enabling the provision of a Grade A surface for the newly manufactured cavity profile 600.

Claims

1. A method for recycling a polymer profile (1) for manufacturing a new article (600), wherein the polymer profile is preferably in the form of a window profile or door profile having at least one cavity (2), - in, The profile (1) has a core profile (10), which is a core profile having polymer material A, preferably fiber reinforced. - Wherein, the core profile (10) is provided with a polymer coating (12) having a blend of polymer material A and polymer material B, the polymer coating being co-extruded in particular with the core profile (10). - Wherein, the coating (12) additionally contains a phase medium that improves the connection between material A and material B in the blend, - Wherein, the profile (1) containing material A and material B and the phase medium is crushed into the first raw material (1'). - Wherein, a second raw material (200') is used to manufacture the article (600), and the second raw material also has polymer material B. - Wherein, the new article (600) is manufactured using a polymer melt molding process (500) using a first raw material (1') containing material A and material B and the phase medium, and a second raw material (200') containing material B. - In the process of polymer melt molding (500) for manufacturing the new article (600), the phase medium also facilitates the bonding of the first raw material (1') to the second raw material (200').

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The polymer melt molding process (500) is configured as a co-extrusion, wherein the second raw material (200') is co-extruded with the first raw material (1'), and the phase medium ensures the interfacial adhesion of the second raw material (200') to the first raw material (1') in the co-extruded part.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The new product (600) is constructed as a door profile or window profile, and preferably the first raw material (1') is processed into a core extrusion (10'), which is obtained by co-extrusion to have a coating (15) of the second raw material (200').

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The weight ratio of the first raw material (1') to the second raw material (200') is in the range of 2:1 to 4:

1.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, In the first raw material (1'), the weight ratio of material A to material B is in the range of 2:1 to 4:

1.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The second raw material (200') is composed of virgin material and preferably has no reinforcing fibers.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The phase medium exists in excess in the coating.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, Styrene-maleic anhydride (MAH) based and / or acrylonitrile-ethylene-styrene (AES)-MAH based polymers are used as phase media.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, Material A is polyamide (PA).

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, Material B is acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate (ASA).

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The weight ratio of material A to material B in the blend is 1:2 to 2:

1.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that, The core profile (10) has a continuous fiber-reinforced structure (5) and is made by reactive pultrusion (3).

13. A polymer profile (1) suitable for the recycling method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, particularly a polymer profile in the form of a window profile or door profile having at least one cavity (2), said polymer profile comprising: - Core profile (10), the core profile having a PA matrix, preferably a continuous fiber reinforced PA matrix; as well as - A coating (12) applied to the core profile (10), the coating preferably being co-extruded with the core profile (10) and having a polymer matrix (15) composed of a PA-ASA blend. - wherein the coating (12) additionally contains a phase medium that improves the connection between materials A and materials B in the blend.

14. An article (600) manufactured by the recycling method according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

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