Projects / Programmes
Analysis of separately collected packaging waste in Slovenia, possible applications and printability
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 2.22.01 |
Engineering sciences and technologies |
Communications technology |
Graphic technology |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| T390 |
Technological sciences |
Polymer technology, biopolymers |
packaging, recycling, polymers, printing, mechanical properties, printability
Researchers (10)
Organisations (1)
Abstract
Separate collection of packaging waste is one of the main area of strategy for sustainable development, which the countries of the European Union regard as one of the most important tasks till year 2014. According to the growing trend in using plastics for packaging manufacturing and considering the growing quantities of packaging waste intended to be reused, we can expect even higher quantities of separately collected plastic packaging waste, that will be processed and recycled. As the knowledge about the polymer properties is the basis of the product development, the starting point of our research will be the determination of the properties of recycled polymers. On the basis of the rheological properties of the polymer melts, the conditions at which melt film extrusion, drawing and rolling of recycled polymers will be determined. Recycled polymers that will be analysed are polypropylene, high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene and polyethylene-terephthalate. On the products made from the recycled polymers, i.e. films (foils) mechanical properties, defined structural characteristics, durability and dimensional stability will be determined. Further, dye ability and printability of recycled polymeric materials will be studied. On the basis of the surface properties determination of films (foils) and the quality of prints evaluation the optimisation of the printing process on the packaging materials produced from the recycled polymers will be performed. At the same time the possibility of implementation of eco-design of printed products made from polymers will be given. One of the important task of the countries of the European Union is also the use of eco-design (ISO/TR 14062), which includes: efficient use of materials, minimising energy consumption, minimising the use of substances harmful to health or the environment, optimising the product lifetime, improving recyclability. In our research the emphasis will be given on possibilities to optimise the technology processes, optimisation of material formats (sizes), optimisation of visual elements which include: arrangement of text, images and graphics on the printed place, and typography – choice of typeface and size.
Significance for science
Separate collection of packaging waste is one of the main areas of strategy for sustainable development, which the countries of the European Union regard as one of the most important tasks. According to the growing trend in using plastics for packaging manufacturing and considering the growing quantities of packaging waste intended to be reused, we can expect even higher quantities of separately collected plastic packaging waste, that will be processed and recycled. Consequently the need for the evaluation of these materials will grow, as the knowledge about the raw material (recycled polymer) properties, is the basis of the product development. Project results are mainly important for the progress of the applied and industrial research, where recycled materials from the packaging waste, are not only used as the additive to the virgin polymer, but as a raw material for a new product. As the research program had included analyses of different types of polymeric materials, virgin and recycled, and the study of the influence of different kinds of processing variables in the process of manufacturing filaments, plates and foil on the properties of the end product we have gained new insight in the field of manufacturing plastic packaging.
Great emphasize was given on the research of the printability of those materials. Because of a research lack between the properties and the structure of products manufactured from the recycled polymeric materials and the print quality on those materials, we obtained new data on the field of graphic technology. Digital printing, which is gaining ground, and especially UV Inkjet printing on plastic materials, is still poorly studied area. In the project collected information about the UV digital printing technology itself, printing on the recycled polymeric materials, as well as new and advanced evaluation techniques of print quality will result in scientific publications in the field of graphics and imaging science.
Significance for the country
The research was carried out with the goal to transfer gathered results into industrial usage.
In EU Directive of packaging handling and packaging waste is predicted, that in the following years the amount of recycled packaging waste made from the polymers will increase. In Republic of Slovenia a lot of small and middle size companies are involved in the production of packaging from the polymeric materials. The results of this project can give these companies some information about recycling of polymeric materials, some basic structural and mechanical properties and in connection to that, their possible application. The results about printability of recycled polymeric materials and print quality evaluation can give graphical companies that are involved in printing on polymeric materials, possibility to optimize the process of printing, to gain higher printing quality, to optimize material formats and whit that, they can increase competitive position of their products and services.
Project results have been and will be published as articles in scientific and professional periodicals. They have been and will be presented on the scientific and professional symposiums and meetings. After all, gathered knowledge will be presented to students via lectures.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2008,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2008,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
