Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) resin grades have been successfully incorporated into plastic ink supply cartridges, with 80% of cartridge products containing 45% to 70% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET). With this tremendously successful experience, incorporation of recycled polypropylene (rPP) into Injection Stretch Blow Molding (ISBM) bottles has been attempted to increase sustainability...
This study looks at the properties of glycerol/citric acid as they are affected by the
length and temperature of the bake used to facilitate the condensation reaction that creates
the polymer. In particular, the length of time required for the polymer to break down in
the presence of water, both...
The global motivation for this work comes from the desire to fabricate "plastic lumber" with improved mechanical properties (particularly creep resistance) from recycled plastics and wood composites. The present studies have utilized "virgin plastics" of polystyrene (PS), an amorphous, stiff material that exhibits brittle fracture, and high density polyethylene (HDPE),...
The goal of this thesis was to develop a process of producing small monodisperse
alginate gel beads. The phenomenon of controlled jet break-up of alginate solution jet
with assisted vibration was used to form uniform sodium alginate droplets which were
subsequently crosslinked with divalent calcium ion to form gel beads....
The natural gas industry has become essential in many areas in the United States. Currently there is over 37.5 million miles of natural gas distribution lines. A large majority of these lines are polyethylene pipes. With such a large percentage of polyethylene lines in use gas companies are continually looking...
Existing pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs) are mostly based on petrochemicals. In this study, a novel PSA based on a renewable material, methyl oleate, was prepared and characterized. Methyl oleate was first epoxidized to form epoxidized methyl oleate that was subsequently hydrolyzed and acidified to form epoxidized oleic acid (EOA) which...
The creation of new semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (semi-IPNs) was attempted using miscible blends of high molecular weight cellulose esters (CE) and low molecular weight polyvinylphenol (PVP) with various initiators for the crosslinking reaction. Blends of cellulose acetate (CA) or cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB), at 50/50, 70/30, and 90/10 wt%CE/wt% PVP...