NSF Award
2414963
The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of consumer products based on common recycled materials. The initial solution creates recycled plastic pallets composed of single-use polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) polyolefins, and post-consumer PET and PP carpet using compression molding. The goal of the project is to offer value-added products using less expensive, sturdier, and repairable recycled materials. The recycled plastic products may be more durable in wet environments and easier to clean, which may make them a better value than wood products, especially in the food industries. In addition, the materials may have a positive impact on the environmental due to reduced landfilling and plastics disposal. Other potential applications include acoustic panels for housing and office markets.<br/><br/>This I-Corps project is based on the development of a combination material composed of post-consumer polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), PP carpet, and single-use polyolefins such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE). These materials may be molded into composite panels using low-cost fabrication techniques such as compression molding. The goal is to provide low-cost, sustainable composites with strengths (<20 MPa) and stiffnesses (<750 MPa) that would contribute to commercial products such as pallets and acoustic panels. The composites, which contain up to 70% landfill carpet and 30% recycled resin, have been shown to surpass the strength of commercialized thermoplastics, making them suitable for structural applications. These findings present a promising approach to address recycling of post-consumer carpet and other plastic materials sustainably.<br/><br/>This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
