HDPE, analysis

This paper describes a life eyele analysis study eondueted to determine the environmental impaet of meehanieal recycling in comparison to, or in conjunction with, other post-consumer HDPE disposal options - landfill, incineration, and energy reeovery. The results are presented and discussed in full. 

Applications The method is in use for the determination of water extractable organics in PA6 and PA4.6, and for alkane extraction of waxes from HDPE (in nitrogen atmosphere to prevent oxidation) [156]. Ethylene-bis-stearamide (EBA) can be extracted from ABS in 30 min using intermittent extraction in this case quantitative Soxhlet extraction was not possible. Nelissen [157] has used intermittent extraction with MTBE for the analysis of the flame retarder system of Tribit 1500 GN30. 

Although PFE lacks a proven total concept for in-polymer analysis, as in the case of closed-vessel MAE (though limited to polyolefins), a framework for method development and optimisation is now available which is expected to be an excellent guide for a wide variety of applications, including non-polyolefinic matrices. Already, reported results refer to HDPE, LDPE, LLDPE, PP, PA6, PA6.6, PET, PBT, PMMA, PS, PVC, ABS, styrene-butadiene rubbers, while others may be added, such as the determination of oil in EPDM, the quantification of the water-insoluble fraction in nylon, as well as the determination of the isotacticity of polypropylene and of heptane insolubles. Thus PFE seems to cover a much broader polymer matrix range than MAE and appears to be quite suitable for R D samples. 

Oligomeric hindered amine light stabilisers, such as Tinuvin 622 and Chimassorb 944, resist satisfactory analysis by conventional HPLC and have required direct UV spectroscopic analysis of a polyolefin extract [596], PyGC of an extract [618,648], or SEC of an extract [649]. Freitag et al. [616] determined Tinuvin 622 in LDPE, HDPE and PP by saponification of the polymer dissolution in hot toluene via addition of an... 

Various additives in PE (Santonox, Nonox DPPD, Neozone A, Ionol and Agerite White) were determined by conventional TLC [507]. Other additives in PE, studied by means of TLC, were Tinuvin P 120/326/327/770, Cyasorb UV531, Anti UV P (2-hydroxy-4-n-octyloxybenzophenone), Irganox 1076, Sanduvor EPU, AO-4 and Dastib 242/263 [508], TLC has also been used in the analysis of additives in polyurethanes [509,510] as well as of slip additives (ethoxylated amines and amides) in HDPE extracts... 

Many analytical techniques are in use for the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of monomers and oligomers extracted from PA6 (GC, differential refrac-tometry, IR, PC, SEC, HPLC, RPLC, etc.). FTIR has been used for quantitative analysis of caprolactam oligomer content (extract %) in polyamide-6 [113], The method, which involves a 3h extraction in boiling methanol, is suitable for process control and plant environment. Kolnaar [114] has used FTIR characterisation of fractional extracts with pentane, hexane, and heptane of HDPE for blow moulding applications. Vinyl acetate in packaging film has similarly been determined by quantitative FUR. 

Applications Off-line SFE-HPLC appears to be applicable and quantitative for a variety of samples in many real -world matrices. The main challenge lies in the use of this technique for the more polar compounds. Quantitative off-line SFE-SFC-UV analysis of HDPE/Ethanox 330 was described after extensive method development (varying modifiers, modifier concentration, temperature) [129]. Soxhlet extraction and SFE-RPLC-UV of PE samples were compared [127]. A sample size (inhomogeneity) problem was pointed out when a SFE reproducibility study was performed on five 3-mg samples of PE. This points to limits... 

Contaminants in recycled plastic packaging waste (HDPE, PP) were identified by MAE followed by GC-MS analysis [290]. Fragrance and flavour constituents from first usage were detected. Recycled material also contained aliphatic hydrocarbons, branched alkanes and alkenes, which are also found in virgin resins at similar concentration levels. Moreover, aromatic hydrocarbons, probably derived from additives, were found. Postconsumer PET was also analysed by Soxhlet extraction and GC-MS most of the extracted compounds (30) were thermally degraded products of additives and polymers, whereas only a few derived from the original contents... 

Thermal analysis No test Same as USP stds. endotherm and exotherm units — 6° (HDPE), and 8° (LDPE) Same as USP stds. endo and exo limits—9((PET), none for PETG, glass transition within 4° (PET), 6° (PETG)... 

As part of a multi-technique investigation (see also discussion under mid-infrared spectroscopy later), Corrales et al. [13] plotted the carbonyl index for films prepared from three grades of polyethylenes a high-density PE (HDPE), a linear low-density PE (LLDPE) and a metallocene PE (mPE) (see Figure 5). In this study, the data trend shown in Figure 5 correlated well with activation energies derived from the thermal analysis, which showed that the thermal-oxidative stability followed the order LLDPE > mPE > HDPE, whereas the trend... 

The ATR-FTIR spectrum of the middle opaque polyethylene layer of the "bad" sample is shown in Figure 70. This spectrum was acquired from the fracture surface where the outer polyester film and tie layer delaminated from the polyethylene layer. The highest-scoring library match in Figure 70 indicates that the middle layer is a polyethylene with a low branch content, most likely a HDPE or a LLDPE, although a much more detailed spectral analysis would be required to confirm this. 

Commercial plastics HDPE, PP, PS and PVC in granulate form have been used as model feed. The degradation of pure polymers was followed using either at thermoanaly-tical method (MOM Derivatograph Q) or in a laboratory batch reactor system with gaschromatographic product analysis. 

All of the organohalogen compounds studied were commercial products obtained from various manufacturers and used as received. Only the DBDPO was purified further by recrystallization for some of the chromatography and thermal analysis experiments. Samples of antimony trioxide and antimony pentoxide were also obtained from commercial sources. The ultrapure antimony trioxide, bismuth trioxide, bismuth metal, antimony metal, dibenzofuran and diphenyl ether were all obtained from Aldrich Chemicals. The poly(propylene) (PP) resin was 0.7 mfi, food grade from Novamont and the poly(ethylene) was unstabilized, high molecular weight, HDPE from American Hoechst. 

---