So-called recyclates made from recycled plastics can be found in more and more products of our daily use. Scientists from the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF are investigating how these can also be used for highly stressed components.

Reliable sustainable plastic components made from recycled plastics

At the Fraunhofer LBF, property-optimized technical product solutions are created that function reliably, sustainably and can be manufactured efficiently and affordably. The expertise lies in the complete material development of recyclates, from regrind to additivation and interfacial consideration, analytics and material characterization, to service life estimation and component release. Using appropriate methods of testing and analysis, the researchers have derived the necessary parameters for reliable assurance of the service life of plastic recyclates.

New method for validating the service life of plastic recyclates

Thanks to a new material formulation, the substitution of virgin material for recyclate could be used on a complex component of white goods. In this way, approximately 1.5 kilograms of CO₂ are saved for every kilogram of recycled polypropylene used. The central idea of efficient and environmentally friendly use of resources while avoiding greenhouse gases has thus been realized and is available for industrial application.