idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
idw - Informationsdienst
Wissenschaft
Hof – The plastics industry faces a major challenge: it must use more recycled materials while delivering the same quality as newly produced plastics. This is exactly where the “SmartReUSE” project comes in. Funded by the European Union and the Free State of Bavaria, it pursues a clear goal: to process plastic waste in such a way that it can be reliably and effectively used in new products.
Recyclates are plastics recovered either from production residues or from used products. A distinction is made between “post-industrial recyclates” (PIR), which originate from industrial production waste, and “post-consumer recyclates” (PCR), which come from previously used products such as packaging. Both types are to be used more extensively in the project in order to reduce dependence on crude oil and lower CO₂ emissions. “We want to demonstrate that recycled plastics do not have to be a compromise, but can be a genuine alternative to virgin materials,” explains Michael Nase, project manager and head of the Institute for Circular Economy of Bio:Polymers (ibp) at Hof University of Applied Sciences.
Data Analysis Instead of Lengthy Testing
In practice, the use of recycled plastics is often challenging because their properties can vary. Sometimes they are particularly strong, sometimes less resilient; sometimes they react differently to heat than expected. These so-called thermal properties describe behavior under temperature changes. Rheological properties indicate how well a plastic flows in its molten state and how easily it can be processed. Physico-chemical properties relate, for example, to the composition and structure of the material. In addition, there are mechanical properties, such as the strength or flexibility of the finished component. All these properties are closely examined and documented within the project.
The resulting material and process data are analyzed using pattern recognition software. In other words, a computer program searches large datasets for recurring relationships between the material condition, processing parameters, and the quality of the final product. Based on this, concrete recommendations are developed—for example, regarding the mixing ratio of different plastics or the use of additives and stabilizers. Additives are substances that improve specific properties, such as durability. Stabilizers help ensure that the material ages more slowly when exposed to heat or light.
“Our goal is to provide companies with clear and practical recommendations,” says Michael Nase. “They should be able to decide more quickly which material mix and machine settings will lead to the desired results.”
Close Collaboration with Regional Companies
The project is being carried out at Hof University of Applied Sciences in close cooperation between the ibp and the Institute for Information Systems (iisys), along with several industry partners. These include the recycling company KomRec-ReCond GmbH; the plastics processing companies Kirschneck GmbH, BKW Kunststoff GmbH, WIKUTEC GmbH, and Kunststofftechnik Schnitzler GmbH & Co. KG; the analytical instrument manufacturer Erich Netzsch B.V. & Co. Holding KG; and the software company smartlytic GmbH. Through recycling projects tailored to the participating companies, the developed pattern recognition software is validated and made usable for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The project runs from 2025 to 2028. In the first sub-project, various streams of post-consumer HDPE packaging plastics are being investigated. HDPE stands for “high-density polyethylene,” a particularly durable and widely used plastic commonly employed for bottles and canisters. The aim is to process this material so that high-quality films can once again be produced from it.
Funding
“SmartReUSE” is a technology transfer program co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) of the European Union and the Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy.
Prof. Dr. Michael Nase
Criteria of this press release:
Business and commerce, Journalists, Scientists and scholars, Students, Teachers and pupils, all interested persons
Economics / business administration, Environment / ecology, Materials sciences
transregional, national
Cooperation agreements, Research projects
English
You can combine search terms with and, or and/or not, e.g. Philo not logy.
You can use brackets to separate combinations from each other, e.g. (Philo not logy) or (Psycho and logy).
Coherent groups of words will be located as complete phrases if you put them into quotation marks, e.g. “Federal Republic of Germany”.
You can also use the advanced search without entering search terms. It will then follow the criteria you have selected (e.g. country or subject area).
If you have not selected any criteria in a given category, the entire category will be searched (e.g. all subject areas or all countries).
