Bumpers recycling

PP from bumpers Recycled end-of-life (10 years old) bumpers made of glass ... 

PP/EPDM automotive bumpers since the early 1990 s, bumper recycling has been commercial in Europe)... 

Subam was the first manufacturer to offer fuUy recyclable PP/TPE bumpers for all car models. To recycle, the bumpers are chopped into sections and placed between rollers rotating at different speeds. This removes 99% of paints and coatings. The sections are then re-stabihzed and granulated, ready for re-use. Similarly, Nissan aims for 100% bumper-to-bumper recycling of PPE/PA. Fiat has a policy of 100% recycling its TPO bumpers into automotive parts that do not demand similar level of performance, viz. air ducts, liners, etc. The PP battery cases are being recycled as fender liners. 

T. Books, Post-consumer bumper recycling, SAE Technical Paper, 950554, 1995. 

Toyota CRDL and Toyota Motor Company have developed a Tjumper to bumper recycling system for painted thermoplastics (elastomer modified polypropylene and Toyota Super Olefin Polymer (TSOP), hereeifter referred to as TP) bumpers. 

For the post-consumer bumper recycling, the collection of the bumpers from the dealers is done by the Toyota Motor Company. Among the recovered bumpers, bumpers of TP and pol5mrethane RIM (PU-RIM) are mixed. Furthermore, nonrepaired bumpers and repaired ones are also involved. For bumper to bumper recycling, however, only the nonrepaired TP bumpers are suitable, so that those have to be sorted out. To do this, bumper discrimination methods were developed. One of them is used for the discrimination between TP and PU-RIM bumpers, while the other makes a distinction between nonrepaired and repaired TP ones. 

The bumper to bumper recycling system based on the pressurized hydrolysis technology and bumper discrimination technology has been... 

Figure 5 Post-consumer bumper recycling system.

Typical products are elastomer modified heterophasic copolymers (heco), as compounded or reactor TPOs. Talc, typically below 20%, is added for higher stiffness and lower coefficient of thermal expansion (LCTE). The latter is an important condition for zero-gap concepts, in which the bumper follows very closely the line of the body fascia. Now that bumpers painted in body colors have become a standard feature, paint adhesion and enhanced surface finish have become important criteria. These can be influenced by optimizing the polymer structure and rubber content. The recycling aspects are treated in the chapter on Bumper recycling technology in this book. 

For example, post-stabilizing allows to increase the long-term heat stabilization of a PP/EPDM bumper recyclate considerably, so that common requirements for these applications are met easily. Fig. 3.22 [533]. 

Important markets for TPE s include shoe soles, pressure sensitive adhesives, insulation, and recyclable bumpers. 

Recovery and reuse of synthetic polymers is by far the most acceptable way of dealing with the problem of waste. Items can rarely be reused as such but instead the polymers from which they are fabricated can be recycled. In principle, polymers can be recycled without any significant loss of their properties. For example, polycarbonate bottles can be recycled into automobile bumpers and then into articles for high performance housing. 

Lower cost and recyclability are the primary reasons for the rapid growth of TPOs in bumper applications, relative to SMC, polyurethane RIM and steel. Typical properties of TPOs used in bumper applications [Evans, 1991] ... 

There is considerable competition between materials in automotive markets. For example, a major shift is taking place from polyurethanes to TPO for bumper fascia. The TPOs, with molded-in color capability, light weight, relatively low cost, and ease of recycling, are poised to capture a large share of the fascia market both in North America and Europe. A significant cost saving is possible with a TPO fascia, especially if it is not painted. A polyurethane fascia, by contrast, must always be painted, which adds some 60% to the cost of a fascia. 

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