Hands-on Laboratory Experiments for Demonstrating Mixed Plastic Recycling

• Mikaela Sadri ^[1] ; Paul Smith ^[1] ; Samaria Spears ^[2] ; Jonathan Perkins ^[1] ; Carl Dewitt ^[3] ; Shane Savannah ^[4] ; Cameron Butler ^[2] ; Zhe Qiang ^[1]
  1. [1] University of Southern Mississippi

     University of Southern Mississippi

     Estados Unidos

     
  2. [2] Copiah-Lincoln Community College Natchez Campus, United States
  3. [3] Hind Community College, United States
  4. [4] Lanier High School, United States

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• Localización: Journal of chemical education, ISSN 0021-9584, Vol. 100, Nº 1, 2023, págs. 321-326
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • Plastic waste is a growing concern in recent years due to the massive increase in single-use plastic applications. Despite the ever-increasing amount of waste, recycling plastics is not a simple process due to difficulties in sorting, which results in significantly downgraded material properties. This hands-on lab experiment showcases the important knowledge steps in a typical recycling process, including waste collection, plastic separation and sorting methods, processing techniques, and characterization methods including scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and tensile testing. Additionally, this lab demonstrates the importance of miscibility between materials and provides evidence that small amounts of block copolymers (BCPs) can compatibilize immiscible mixed plastic waste, leading to enhanced material properties of recycled products. Through these engaging hands-on lessons, students can not only obtain a better understanding about the challenge and industrial solution of mixed plastic waste recycling, but also realize the importance for protecting environments through waste management.