Recyclable Structurally-Colored Thermoplastics via Optical Element Segregation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional colored articles recycled from thermoplastic materials often retain colorants, which can be environmentally unfriendly and require additional handling and disposal concerns, and existing methods do not effectively address the recyclability of structurally-colored materials that rely on optical elements for color.
Innovation Solution
The development of recyclable structurally-colored articles and components using thermoplastic materials with integrated optical elements that lose their optical effects during recycling, allowing for the creation of recycled thermoplastic compositions with minimal impact on reflectance, transmittance, or color, enabling their reuse without the need for colorant removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If colorants (dyes or pigments) are used to color thermoplastic materials, then the materials can achieve desired color effects, but the recycled materials retain colorants which create environmental concerns and require additional handling and disposal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the color function from chemical colorants (dyes/pigments) and transfers it to physical optical elements. These optical elements are separate components that can be removed during recycling, leaving the thermoplastic material free of harmful colorants. The optical elements provide color through structural optical effects rather than chemical absorption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of color generation from chemical composition (colorants) to physical structure (optical elements). This parameter change allows the color function to be achieved without incorporating persistent chemical substances into the polymer matrix, enabling easier recycling without colorant removal.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If optical elements are integrated into thermoplastic materials to produce structural color, then environmental concerns are reduced, but the recycled materials retain optical effects that may interfere with reuse applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the colored article into two distinct parts: the thermoplastic material matrix and the integrated optical elements. During recycling, these segments can be separated through mechanical processes like grinding and sorting, allowing the optical elements to be removed while the thermoplastic material is recycled for reuse without optical interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the optical elements to be discarded (removed) during the recycling process while recovering the thermoplastic material in a neutral, reusable form. The optical elements can be sorted out based on their density, size, or optical properties, leaving clean recycled plastic that can be repurposed without color or optical constraints.
3Adaptability or versatility
If colorants are removed from recycled thermoplastic materials to enable reuse, then the recycled materials become more versatile, but additional handling steps and disposal concerns are created
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of starting with colored material and removing colorants (subtraction approach), the patent inverts the approach by starting with neutral thermoplastic material and adding separate optical elements (addition approach). This inversion makes the recycling process simpler because the optical elements can be mechanically separated without complex chemical or physical treatment of the polymer matrix.
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 solution enables the recycling of structurally-colored thermoplastic materials into compositions that maintain their suitability for further manufacturing applications, reducing environmental concerns and handling complexities associated with colorant removal, while ensuring the recycled materials do not retain significant optical effects.
Implementation Method 1
structural colors are visible colors produced, at least in part, through optical effects imparted by the optical element
Implementation Method 2
the recycled thermoplastic composition can be characterized by one or more of a visible light reflectance or transmittance or color measurement that is within about 10 percent
Implementation Method 3
the optical element or fragments thereof that are deteriorated and do not retain the ability to produce the same optical effects as the initial optical elements
Data Source
Figure 1A~1M
Figure 1N(a)~1N(b)
Figure 1O(a)~1O(b)
AI summary
In one aspect, a method includes forming an article comprising a first composition comprising from about 1 weight percent to about 100 weight percent of a recycled thermoplastic composition that comprises a first thermoplastic material and a plurality of first optical elements or fragments thereof. Other aspects include an article formed by the method, methods of recycling structurally-colored articles, as well as a recyclable structurally-colored component or article.