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Development of a fast and robust analysis technique for determining the key properties in PP-based recyclates and compounds by Crystex technology.

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Title: Development of a fast and robust analysis technique for determining the key properties in PP-based recyclates and compounds by Crystex technology.
Authors: Albrecht, Andreas1 (AUTHOR) andreas.albrecht@borealisgroup.com, del Hierro, Pilar2 (AUTHOR), Wolfger, Pia1 (AUTHOR), Vukušić, Lada1 (AUTHOR), Mileva, Daniela1 (AUTHOR), Jeremic, Ljiljana1 (AUTHOR)
Source: International Journal of Polymer Analysis & Characterization. May2026, Vol. 31 Issue 4, p505-527. 23p.
Subjects: Polyolefins, Intrinsic viscosity, Plastic recycling, Waste recycling, Ethylene compounds, Polymers, Polyethylene
Abstract: Polypropylene (PP)-based recyclates obtained specifically from mechanical recycling are increasingly used and visible in various application, e.g., bottles and containers in non-food applications. A big drawback of mechanical recyclates is that they contain besides the target polymer type, also other polymers and inorganic fillers, which are not soluble under the conditions required for polyolefins. These components make the analysis of recyclates with standard methods difficult. For virgin polypropylenes, it was shown that Crystex (CRYStallization EXtraction) analysis was capable of accurately determining the key properties for PP composition, like the amount of xylene cold soluble (XCS), the ethylene content, and the intrinsic viscosity (IV) of the whole material as well as of the crystalline and amorphous fractions. In this work, defined compounds with the same polypropylene composition but various filler contents were used for proving that the Crystex technique is a suitable analysis technique to determine the key properties of PP-based compounds in a fast and accurate way. Different types of sample preparation for removal of insoluble components prior to Crystex analysis were investigated and validated by different complex compounds, recycled PP, and PP-based compounds containing recycled material. It was concluded that by the usage of a newly developed online filter system, the key parameters in PP-based compounds and recycled PP can be determined without disturbance. Additionally, a new methodology was developed for a more accurate estimation of the non-intended polyethylene (PE) amount that does not originate from heterophasic PP (HECO-PP) in post-consumer recycled (PCR) PP material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Engineering Source
Description
Abstract:Polypropylene (PP)-based recyclates obtained specifically from mechanical recycling are increasingly used and visible in various application, e.g., bottles and containers in non-food applications. A big drawback of mechanical recyclates is that they contain besides the target polymer type, also other polymers and inorganic fillers, which are not soluble under the conditions required for polyolefins. These components make the analysis of recyclates with standard methods difficult. For virgin polypropylenes, it was shown that Crystex (CRYStallization EXtraction) analysis was capable of accurately determining the key properties for PP composition, like the amount of xylene cold soluble (XCS), the ethylene content, and the intrinsic viscosity (IV) of the whole material as well as of the crystalline and amorphous fractions. In this work, defined compounds with the same polypropylene composition but various filler contents were used for proving that the Crystex technique is a suitable analysis technique to determine the key properties of PP-based compounds in a fast and accurate way. Different types of sample preparation for removal of insoluble components prior to Crystex analysis were investigated and validated by different complex compounds, recycled PP, and PP-based compounds containing recycled material. It was concluded that by the usage of a newly developed online filter system, the key parameters in PP-based compounds and recycled PP can be determined without disturbance. Additionally, a new methodology was developed for a more accurate estimation of the non-intended polyethylene (PE) amount that does not originate from heterophasic PP (HECO-PP) in post-consumer recycled (PCR) PP material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:1023666X
DOI:10.1080/1023666X.2025.2582047