Overmolded Thermoplastic Articles Using High-Purity Recovered TPE

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies face difficulties in obtaining high-purity thermoplastic elastomer materials from post-consumer and post-industrial recycling of multicomponent thermoplastic articles, leading to contaminated recovered materials that affect the properties of recycled thermoplastic elastomer fractions.

Innovation Solution

A method is developed to separate antecedent thermoplastic elastomer material from rigid thermoplastic material using magnetic and density separation additives, resulting in an overmolded thermoplastic article with a recovered thermoplastic elastomer component comprising greater than 97 wt% antecedent thermoplastic elastomer and less than 3 wt% antecedent rigid thermoplastic material.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If conventional recycling methods are used to recover thermoplastic elastomer from multicomponent thermoplastic articles, then the quantity of recovered material increases, but the purity of the recovered thermoplastic elastomer decreases due to contamination with rigid thermoplastic material

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequantity of recovered thermoplastic elastomerVSAvoidpurity of recovered thermoplastic elastomer

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

A density separation medium (water or salt solution) is introduced as an intermediary to facilitate separation between thermoplastic elastomer and rigid thermoplastic materials. The medium enables differential buoyancy-based separation, allowing high-purity recovery of thermoplastic elastomer while maximizing the quantity of recovered material from multicomponent articles

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If high-purity recovered thermoplastic elastomer is obtained through advanced separation processes, then the purity of recovered material increases, but the complexity of the separation process increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepurity of recovered thermoplastic elastomerVSAvoidcomplexity of separation process

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention utilizes changes in density parameters to achieve separation. By adjusting the density of the separation medium (using water or salt solutions with varying densities), the process achieves high-purity separation of thermoplastic elastomer from rigid thermoplastic materials through simple buoyancy-based separation, avoiding complex equipment while maintaining high manufacturing precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional recycling processes are used, then the ease of manufacture is maintained, but the properties of recovered thermoplastic elastomer deteriorate due to contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of recycling processVSAvoidproperties of recovered thermoplastic elastomer

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The recycling process is segmented into distinct stages: initial shredding of multicomponent articles, density-based separation in water or salt solution, and final drying. This segmentation allows simple, easy-to-implement steps that collectively achieve high-purity recovery, maintaining ease of manufacture while preserving the mechanical and physical properties of the recovered thermoplastic elastomer

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method achieves high-purity recovered thermoplastic elastomer materials, suitable for forming new articles without the need for mixing with large amounts of virgin resin, thereby enhancing the properties and purity of recycled materials.

Implementation Method 1

The recovered thermoplastic elastomer material may be obtained from an antecedent separation process in which the antecedent thermoplastic elastomer material is separated from at least a portion of the antecedent rigid thermoplastic material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMagnetic separation: Magnetism

Implementation Method 2

A method is developed to separate antecedent thermoplastic elastomer material from rigid thermoplastic material using magnetic and density separation additives

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDensity separation: Density Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS20260049189A1Overmolded thermoplastic articles formed from high-purity recovered thermoplastic elastomer materials

Publication Date: 2026.02.19 AVIENT CORP

AI summary

Overmolded thermoplastic articles include a base component comprising rigid thermoplastic material and an overmold component comprising recovered thermoplastic elastomer material. The recovered thermoplastic elastomer material includes, based on weight of the recovered thermoplastic elastomer material, greater than or equal to about 97 wt % of antecedent thermoplastic elastomer material and less than or equal to about 3 wt % of antecedent rigid thermoplastic material. The recovered thermoplastic elastomer material is obtained from an antecedent separation process in which the antecedent thermoplastic elastomer material is separated from at least a portion of the antecedent rigid thermoplastic material.