SWEDEN – Chemical company Nexam Chemical has announced the second patent approval for its ‘Reactive Recycling’ technology.
The European Patent Office informed the company about this successful patent. This latest patent complements the one received by Nexam in July this year, regarding additives to help recycle polypropylene, with corresponding technology employed on polyethylene.
The patent is on a method that enables even better recycling, thereby increasing the use of recycled polyethylene in the process.
This method is suitable for mechanical recycling and will cut down virgin plastic usage in the manufacturing of new products.
By leveraging reactive chemistry, the company said it can now enhance the process properties even of recycled polyethylene.
Polyethylene is used in the manufacture of both packaging and technical products such as plastic bags, agricultural film, liquid containers, and soft and hard food packaging, as well as electrical cables and conduits.
Nexam CTO Christer Svanberg said: “Nexam once again breaks new ground and broadens the field of use for Reactive Recycling and thus contributes to more sustainable solutions.
“Together with the rest of Nexam’s portfolio of solutions for recycling plastics, the method means that even the largest recycling streams can be used in more products than was previously possible.”
The first patent for Reactive Recycling technology in July is applicable to businesses in Sweden.
A molecular tool, Reactive Recycling bolsters recycling and increases the use of recycled polypropylene.
It is claimed to be quicker, easier, and more cost-effective than many other traditional recycling methods.
Polyethylene is the most abundant plastic in the world, accounting for over 30% of the total global production.
For recycling companies, using Nexam’s additives reportedly tunes the flow characteristics of the rPE to fit application processing needs, enhances the processability of rPE, and increases its quality. The company describes the material as non-hazardous and peroxide free.
For converters, the solutions reportedly enable the use of higher amounts of recycled PE in the final applications. They also increase melt strength and improve the mechanical properties of the products.
In May this year, the company said that it succeeded in using additive technology to increase the overall amount of recycled polyethylene terephthalate in its offerings.
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