Recycled HDPE Composition for Container Moldability and Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Secondary battery separators are difficult to recycle due to their poor processability and mechanical properties, such as low elongation, flexural modulus, and melt index, which hinders their conversion into new materials.
Innovation Solution
A polymer composition combining a first high-density polyethylene (HDPE) recovered from secondary battery separators with a second HDPE, where the HDPEs satisfy specific weight percentage and melt flow index conditions, enhancing the mechanical properties and processability of the resulting material for manufacturing small to medium-sized containers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If HDPE is recovered from secondary battery separators, then environmental friendliness is improved through recycling, but processability deteriorates due to low melt index
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines recovered HDPE from secondary battery separators with virgin HDPE in a blended composition. This merging of materials allows the recovered polymer to be reused while compensating for its poor processability through the addition of virgin material with appropriate melt flow characteristics, thus resolving the contradiction between environmental benefits and manufacturing ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adjusts the composition parameters by controlling the weight ratio of recovered HDPE to virgin HDPE, and by selecting virgin HDPE with specific melt flow index ranges. This parameter optimization enables the final composition to achieve both environmental sustainability and adequate processability for container manufacturing.
2Ease of repair
If HDPE is recovered from secondary battery separators, then recycling is achieved, but mechanical properties deteriorate due to low elongation at break and low flexural modulus
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite polymer composition by blending recovered HDPE with virgin HDPE. This composite approach allows the final material to exhibit enhanced mechanical properties compared to using recovered HDPE alone, while still maintaining the recycling benefit. The virgin HDPE component compensates for the mechanical deficiencies of the recovered material.
Solution Approach 2:
By merging recovered and virgin HDPE in controlled proportions, the patent achieves a material that combines the environmental advantages of recycling with the mechanical performance requirements for container applications.
3Productivity
If pure recovered HDPE from separators is used, then maximum recycling rate is achieved, but tensile strength and elongation are insufficient for container manufacturing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the compositional parameters by determining the appropriate weight percentage of recovered HDPE (balance with virgin HDPE) to achieve both high recycling utilization and sufficient mechanical strength for container manufacturing applications.
Data Source
AI summary
A polymer composition for manufacturing a small to medium-sized container and which includes a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) recovered from a secondary battery separator. A polymer composition having excellent processability may be prepared by recycling a secondary battery separator. The polymer composition may be molded to manufacture an environmentally friendly small to medium-sized container, such as a small to medium-sized container, having excellent flexural strength, elongation, impact strength, and environmental stress crack resistance.