Page 69 - Plastics News Issue November - 2024
P. 69
IN THE NEWS
Recyclable Thermoset Plastics:
Challenges and Opportunities
features are, what difficulties arise in their recy-
cling, and what further directions in the develop-
ment of recyclable materials may be expected.
Understanding Thermoset Plastics
Thermoset plastics are those plastics which are
cured and set at a polymer which undergoes
chemical change that cannot be reversed and
thus the developed shapes are fixed and resist-
ant to heat and wear. In the production process
of thermosets, cross-linking forms solid like net-
work structures which are hardened into a par-
ticular shape or formation. This curing that is nor-
mally accelerated by heat or a chemical reagent
fixes the polymer and the other molecules in a
rigid manner. Epoxy polymers, polyurethanes
and phenolic resins are common examples of
n the world of plastics, two main types domi-
nate: Polymer and plastics: Thermoplastics thermoset plastics which are extensively used
Iand Thermosets are some of the polymers across automotive, aviation, electronics and
and plastics that are well understood. Since construction sectors because of their superior
thermoset plastics need heat and must be re- strength, low density and high resistance to cor-
mould they are more difficult to recycle than rosion and high temperature.
polyethylene and polypropylene, both ther- This is because thermosetting plastics are non-
moplastics. Thermosets are famous with high melt, and therefore they are quite suitable for
strength, thermal stability and stiffness compar- use in those places that require stability and
ing with thermoplastics that can be recycled by strength of a material. For example, automo-
heat. Nevertheless, such properties of plastic biles, electric generators, computers, and pro-
make its recycling a problem because once plas- tective covers apply thermosets in their manu-
tic has set it cannot be easily remoulded. Since facture. Their performance advantages are
industries and organizations that focus on the enumerative, but the weakness experienced
environment have realized the issue with non- with thermosets is that they are hard to recycle
recyclable thermoset plastics, there is a steady since they cannot be remelted once they have
trend towards making usable recycled thermo- been cured. This unfortunately decreases their
set plastics. In this article, it is proposed to con- reusability and contributes to the fast growing
sider what thermosets are and what their main problem of the disposal of plastics.
November 2024 PLASTICS NEWS 69
