Detailed description (English): Plastic is an important and ubiquitous material in our economy and daily lives. It has multiple functions that help tackle a number of the challenges facing our society. Light and innovative materials in cars or planes save fuel and cut CO2 emissions.
However, too often, the way plastics are currently produced, used and discarded fails to capture the economic benefits of a more “circular” approach and harms the environment. For this reason, there is an urgent need to tackle the environmental problems that today cast a long shadow over the production, use and consumption of plastics.
An R&D strategy is necessary to be able to use recycled plastic while maintaining quality and processability in all production steps and retaining the material’s mechanical properties.
Recycled plastic is currently being used in some automotive exterior components, but it is being used in very few vehicle interior components.
This reduced use can be explained by the fact that automotive manufacturers have to comply with very strict requirements in terms of volatile compound emissions and odours from plastic materials inside the vehicle. Individuals spend approximately 5.5% of their day in a vehicle, where they can be exposed to contaminants from outside the vehicle.
The QOCTEL project will work on developing a technology that improves the recyclability and recovery of polypropylene plastic waste so it can be used to make parts and components for vehicle interiors.
Detailed description (original language): An analysis methodology will also be developed that will involve using an emission chamber to analyse the decontaminated materials in more realistic conditions in terms of humidity, temperature and airflow in accordance with car manufacturer specifications.
This analysis methodology, as well as post-consumer PP decontamination, could be used in other sectors that require control of air quality and volatiles emitted by plastic materials.
Target group(s): Automotive industry
Objectives: The QOCTEL project will work on developing a technology that improves the recyclability and recovery of polypropylene plastic waste so it can be used to make parts and components for vehicle interiors. The main goal is to eliminate the volatile substances in recycled PP that currently cause it to produce unpleasant odours and prevent it from being reused for automotive interior components. This will make it possible to comply with the vehicle interior air quality requirements established by vehicle manufacturers.
Partner: AIMPLAS