scholarly journals Ground Tire Rubber Filled Flexible Polyurethane Foam—Effect of Waste Rubber Treatment on Composite Performance

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (14) ◽  
pp. 3807
Author(s):  
Paulina Kosmela ◽  
Adam Olszewski ◽  
Łukasz Zedler ◽  
Paulina Burger ◽  
Adam Piasecki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Polyurethane Foam ◽  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Reactive Extrusion ◽  
Waste Oil ◽  
Tire Rubber ◽  
Average Cell ◽  
Ground Tire Rubber ◽  
Application Range ◽  
Flexible Polyurethane

The application range of flexible polyurethane (PU) foams is comprehensive because of their versatility and flexibility in adjusting structure and performance. In addition to the investigations associated with further broadening of their potential properties, researchers are looking for new raw materials, beneficially originated from renewable resources or recycling. A great example of such a material is ground tire rubber (GTR)—the product of the material recycling of post-consumer car tires. To fully exploit the benefits of this material, it should be modified to enhance the interfacial interactions between PU and GTR. In the presented work, GTR particles were thermo-mechanically modified with the addition of fresh and waste rapeseed oil in the reactive extrusion process. The introduction of modified GTR particles into a flexible PU matrix caused a beneficial 17–28% decrease in average cell diameters. Such an effect caused an even 5% drop in thermal conductivity coefficient values, enhancing thermal insulation performance. The application of waste oil resulted in the superior mechanical performance of composites compared to the fresh one and thermo-mechanical modification without oils. The compressive and tensile performance of composites filled with waste oil-modified GTR was almost the same as for the unfilled foam. Moreover, the introduction of ground tire rubber particles enhanced the thermal stability of neat polyurethane foam.

scholarly journals Structural Changes and Their Implications in Foamed Flexible Polyurethane Composites Filled with Rapeseed Oil-Treated Ground Tire Rubber

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 90
Author(s):  
Paulina Kosmela ◽  
Adam Olszewski ◽  
Łukasz Zedler ◽  
Paulina Burger ◽  
Krzysztof Formela ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rapeseed Oil ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Reactive Extrusion ◽  
Solid Particles ◽  
Tire Rubber ◽  
Average Cell ◽  
Economic Point ◽  
Ground Tire Rubber ◽  
Flexible Polyurethane

The utilization of post-consumer car tires is an essential issue from an ecological and economic point of view. One of the simplest and the least harmful methods is their material recycling resulting in ground tire rubber (GTR), which can be further applied as fillers for polymer-based composites. Nevertheless, insufficient interfacial interactions implicate the necessity of GTR modification before introduction into polymer matrices. In this study, we investigated the influence of rapeseed oil-assisted thermo-mechanical treatment of GTR using a reactive extrusion process on the processing, structure, and performance of flexible polyurethane/GTR composite foams. Applied modifications affected the processing of polyurethane systems. They caused a noticeable reduction in the average cell size of foams, which was attributed to the potential nucleating activity of solid particles and changes in surface tension caused by the presence of oil. Such an effect was especially pronounced for the waste rapeseed oil, which resulted in the highest content of closed cells. Structural changes caused by GTR modification implicated the enhancement of foams’ strength. Mechanical performance was significantly affected by the applied modifications due to the changes in glass transition temperature. Moreover, the incorporation of waste GTR particles into the polyurethane matrix noticeably improved its thermal stability.

scholarly journals The Impact of Ground Tire Rubber Oxidation with H2O2 and KMnO4 on the Structure and Performance of Flexible Polyurethane/Ground Tire Rubber Composite Foams

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 499
Author(s):  
Aleksander Hejna ◽  
Adam Olszewski ◽  
Łukasz Zedler ◽  
Paulina Kosmela ◽  
Krzysztof Formela
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Hydroxyl Groups ◽  
Tire Rubber ◽  
Economic Implications ◽  
Ground Tire Rubber ◽  
Polyurethane Composite ◽  
Composite Foams ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Flexible Polyurethane ◽  
The Impact

The use of waste tires is a very critical issue, considering their environmental and economic implications. One of the simplest and the least harmful methods is conversion of tires into ground tire rubber (GTR), which can be introduced into different polymer matrices as a filler. However, these applications often require proper modifications to provide compatibility with the polymer matrix. In this study, we examined the impact of GTR oxidation with hydrogen peroxide and potassium permanganate on the processing and properties of flexible polyurethane/GTR composite foams. Applied treatments caused oxidation and introduction of hydroxyl groups onto the surface of rubber particles, expressed by the broad range of their hydroxyl numbers. It resulted in noticeable differences in the processing of the polyurethane system and affected the structure of flexible composite foams. Treatment with H2O2 resulted in a 31% rise of apparent density, while the catalytic activity of potassium ions enhanced foaming of system decreased density by 25% and increased the open cell content. Better mechanical performance was noted for H2O2 modifications (even by 100% higher normalized compressive strength), because of the voids in cell walls and incompletely developed structure during polymerization, accelerated by KMnO4 treatment. This paper shows that modification of ground tire rubber is a very promising approach, and when properly performed may be applied to engineer the structure and performance of polyurethane composite foams.

scholarly journals Effect of ground tire rubber on structural, mechanical and thermal properties of flexible polyurethane foams

2014 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Łukasz Piszczyk ◽  
Aleksander Hejna ◽  
Krzysztof Formela ◽  
Magdalena Danowska ◽  
Michał Strankowski
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Properties ◽  
Polyurethane Foams ◽  
Mechanical And Thermal Properties ◽  
Tire Rubber ◽  
Ground Tire Rubber ◽  
Flexible Polyurethane

scholarly journals Recycling Waste Tires into Ground Tire Rubber (GTR)/Rubber Compounds: A Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Fazli ◽  
Denis Rodrigue
Keyword(s):  
End Of Life ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Partial Replacement ◽  
Swelling Properties ◽  
Tire Rubber ◽  
Ground Tire Rubber ◽  
Waste Tires ◽  
Chemical Surface ◽  
Rubber Compounds

Recycling and recovery of waste tires is a serious environmental problem since vulcanized rubbers require several years to degrade naturally and remain for long periods of time in the environment. This is associated to a complex three dimensional (3D) crosslinked structure and the presence of a high number of different additives inside a tire formulation. Most end-of-life tires are discarded as waste in landfills taking space or incinerated for energy recovery, especially for highly degraded rubber wastes. All these options are no longer acceptable for the environment and circular economy. However, a great deal of progress has been made on the sustainability of waste tires via recycling as this material has high potential being a source of valuable raw materials. Extensive researches were performed on using these end-of-life tires as fillers in civil engineering applications (concrete and asphalt), as well as blending with polymeric matrices (thermoplastics, thermosets or virgin rubber). Several grinding technologies, such as ambient, wet or cryogenic processes, are widely used for downsizing waste tires and converting them into ground tire rubber (GTR) with a larger specific surface area. Here, a focus is made on the use of GTR as a partial replacement in virgin rubber compounds. The paper also presents a review of the possible physical and chemical surface treatments to improve the GTR adhesion and interaction with different matrices, including rubber regeneration processes such as thermomechanical, microwave, ultrasonic and thermochemical producing regenerated tire rubber (RTR). This review also includes a detailed discussion on the effect of GTR/RTR particle size, concentration and crosslinking level on the curing, rheological, mechanical, aging, thermal, dynamic mechanical and swelling properties of rubber compounds. Finally, a conclusion on the current situation is provided with openings for future works.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the Performance of Bio-Based Rigid Polyurethane Foam with High Amounts of Sunflower Press Cake Particles

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (19) ◽  
pp. 5475
Author(s):  
Agnė Kairytė ◽  
Sylwia Członka ◽  
Renata Boris ◽  
Sigitas Vėjelis
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Tensile Strength ◽  
Compressive Strength ◽  
Water Absorption ◽  
Polyurethane Foam ◽  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Press Cake ◽  
Rigid Polyurethane Foam ◽  
Average Cell

In the current study, rigid polyurethane foam (PUR) was modified with 10–30 wt.% sunflower press cake (SFP) filler, and its effect on performance characteristics—i.e., rheology, characteristic foaming times, apparent density, thermal conductivity, compressive strength parallel and perpendicular to the foaming directions, tensile strength, and short-term water absorption by partial immersion—was evaluated. Microstructural and statistical analyses were implemented as well. During the study, it was determined that 10–20 wt.% SFP filler showed the greatest positive impact. For instance, the thermal conductivity value improved by 9% and 17%, respectively, while mechanical performance, i.e., compressive strength, increased by 11% and 28% in the perpendicular direction and by 43% and 67% in the parallel direction. Moreover, tensile strength showed 49% and 61% increments, respectively, at 10 wt.% and 20 wt.% SFP filler. Most importantly, SFP filler-modified PUR foams were characterised by two times lower water absorption values and improved microstructures with a reduced average cell size and increased content in closed cells.

scholarly journals Ground Tire Rubber Recycling in Applications as Insulators in Polymeric Compounds, According to Spanish UNE Standards

Recycling ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 16
Author(s):  
Marc Marín-Genescà ◽  
Jordi García-Amorós ◽  
Ramon Mujal-Rosas ◽  
Lluís Massagués Vidal ◽  
Jordi Bordes Arroyo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Polymer Blends ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene ◽  
Ethylene Vinyl Acetate ◽  
Industrial Applications ◽  
International Electrotechnical Commission ◽  
Tire Rubber ◽  
Ground Tire Rubber ◽  
Polymeric Blends ◽  
Standard Values

In the present research, we investigated the conceivable outcomes of using ground tire rubber (GTR) particle polymeric blends. Special methods of restoring tires that are no longer in use include GTR retreading, GTR blending destined for recycling to attain raw substances utilized in other industrial application production processes, and the valorization of GTR for power/energy generation. The recycling of end-of-life tires enables the recovery of rubber, steel, and fibers, all of which are valid on the market as raw materials to be used for other processes. There are methods to recycle GTRs in a clean and environmentally friendly way. In the present research, several industrial applications of GTR polymer blends were developed and compared with standard values from the Spanish Association for Standardization (UNE) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). In order to analyze the viability in many of the industrial applications selected, certain compounds obtained from the GTR polymer blends were analyzed regarding their use in nine low requirement insulator applications. The research and analysis developed in this manuscript used standard values from the UNE and IEC, and these standard values were compared with the test values. The obtained results were used to provide an application list that could be helpful for industrial applications. In this research, the pre-owned polymers were as follows: polypropylene (PP), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polystyrene (PS), acrylonitrile butadiene-styrene (ABS), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyamide (PA). The filler used was GTR with particle sizes lower than 200 microns. The amounts of GTR particles in the compound materials were 0% (raw polymer), 5%, 10%, 20%, 40%, 50%, and 70% (the latter being found in polymeric blends). We discovered six plausible modern applications of GTR polymer blends as indicated by the UNE and IEC standards.

scholarly journals On the Use of Mechano-Chemically Modified Ground Tire Rubber (GTR) as Recycled and Sustainable Filler in Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR) Composites

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier Araujo-Morera ◽  
Reyes Verdugo-Manzanares ◽  
Sergio González ◽  
Raquel Verdejo ◽  
Miguel Angel Lopez-Manchado ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Styrene Butadiene Rubber ◽  
Butadiene Rubber ◽  
Tire Rubber ◽  
Ground Tire Rubber ◽  
Elongation At Break ◽  
Chemical Treatments ◽  
Feasible Option ◽  
Styrene Butadiene ◽  
Recycled Material

The management of end-of-life tires (ELTs) is one of the main environmental issues that society faces nowadays. Recycling of ELTs appears as one feasible option for tackling the problem, although their incorporation as ground tire rubber (GTR) in other rubber matrices is limited due to poor compatibility. In this research, we report a successful combination of a cryo-grinding process with a chemical treatment for modifying the surface of GTR. Various cryo-grinding protocols were studied until a particle size of 100–150 µm was achieved. Chemical treatments with different acids were also analyzed, resulting in the optimal modification with sulfuric acid (H2SO4). Modified GTR was added to a styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) matrix. The incorporation of 10 phr of this filler resulted in a composite with improved mechanical performance, with increments of 115% and 761% in tensile strength and elongation at break, respectively. These results validate the use of a recycled material from tire waste as sustainable filler in rubber composites.

scholarly journals Advances in Low-Density Flexible Polyurethane Foams by Optimized Incorporation of High Amount of Recycled Polyol

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 1736
Author(s):  
Gabriel Kiss ◽  
Gerlinde Rusu ◽  
Geza Bandur ◽  
Iosif Hulka ◽  
Daniel Romecki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Polyurethane Foam ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Polyurethane Foams ◽  
Low Density ◽  
Emission Data ◽  
Polyurethane Waste ◽  
Volatile Organic ◽  
Foam Properties ◽  
Flexible Polyurethane ◽  
First Time

An industrially manufactured recycled polyol, obtained by acidolysis process, was for the first time proved to be a possible replacement of the reference fossil-based polyol in a low-density formulation suitable for industrial production of flexible polyurethane foams. The influence of increasing recycled polyol amounts on the properties of the polyurethane foam has been studied, also performing foam emission tests to evaluate the environmental impact. Using 10 pbw recycled polyol in the standard formulation, significant differences of the physical properties were not observed, but increase of the recycled polyol amount to 30 pbw led to a dramatic decrease of the foam air flow and a very tight foam. To overcome this drawback, N,N′-bis[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]urea was selected as tertiary amine catalyst, enabling the preservation of foam properties even at high recycled polyol level (30 pbw). Foam emission data demonstrated that this optimized foam formulation also led to an important reduction of volatile organic compounds. The results open the way for further optimization studies in low-density flexible polyurethane foam formulations, to increase the reutilization of the polyurethane waste and reduce the amount of petroleum-based raw materials.

Optimization of Foamed Polyurethane/Ground Tire Rubber Composites Manufacturing

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 12
Author(s):  
Adam Olszewski ◽  
Paulina Kosmela ◽  
Łukasz Zedler ◽  
Krzysztof Formela ◽  
Aleksander Hejna
Keyword(s):  
Functional Groups ◽  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Polyurethane Foams ◽  
Rubber Composites ◽  
Covalent Bonds ◽  
Tire Rubber ◽  
Ground Tire Rubber ◽  
Composites Manufacturing ◽  
Enormous Amount ◽  
Fire Threat

The development of the automotive sector and the increasing number of vehicles all over the world poses multiple threats to the environment. One of them, probably not so emphasized as others, is the enormous amount of post-consumer car tires. Due to the potential fire threat, waste tires are considered as dangerous waste, which should not be landfilled, so it is essential to develop efficient methods of their utilization. One of the possibilities is their shredding and application of resulting ground tire rubber (GTR) as filler for polymer composites, which could take advantage of the excellent mechanical performance of car tires. Nevertheless, due to the poor compatibility with majority of polymer matrices, prior to the application, surface of GTR particles should be modified and activated. In the presented work, the introduction of thermo-mechanically modified GTR into flexible foamed polyurethane matrix was analyzed. Isocyanates can be found among the compounds applied during manufacturing of polyurethane foams, which are able to react and generate covalent bonds with the functional groups present on the surface of modified GTR. Such an effect can noticeably enhance the interfacial interactions and boost up the mechanical performance. Nevertheless, it requires the adjustment of formulations used during manufacturing of foams. Therefore, for better understanding of the process foams with varying isocyanate index (from 0.8 to 1.2) were prepared with and without taking into account the possible interactions with functional groups of GTR. For comparison, an unfilled matrix and composite containing deactivated GTR were also prepared.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document