Projects
PlasticoLight
PlasticoLight
Low-density fillers for plastic formulations
In the plastics industry, the use of fillers makes it possible to improve the final material’s mechanical performance with concomitant reduction in production cost. Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is one of the most used fillers due to its low cost, good stability and non-toxicity. Usually, between 20 and 40 % is used in plastic formulation. However, its high density (2.73 g/cm3) compromises some applications in which polymers need to be lightweight and greatly conditions savings in the polymer percentage.
Isolago – Indústria de Plásticos, S. A. (Pontével), whose activity focuses on the production of plastic compounds, is the project’s leading company. The University of Aveiro is the copromoting entity, providing a multidisciplinary team covering the areas of Polysaccharide Chemistry, Organic/Inorganic Chemistry and Materials Science and Engineering.
When transposing the technology to the pilot/semi-industrial scale, the eggshells will be supplied by the Derovo group (Pombal), pectate will be recovered from apple pomace, a by-product of Indumape - Industrialização de Fruta, S. A. (Pombal) and alginate will be supplied by ALGAplus (Ílhavo), so these companies will be partners in this project.
In turn, a selected Isolago customer will perform the final assessment of the low density fillers produced, focusing the resulting materials thermomechanical and structural properties.
Objectives
1.
MODIFICATION OF CaCO3 PARTICLES
Incorporation of polysaccharides such as pectate and alginate.
2.
DEVELOPMENT OF POROUS STRUCTURES FROM EGG SHELLS
Via complexation reactions or coating processes, in the presence/absence of supercritical carbon dioxide.
3.
PURIFICATION AND MORPHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF CaCO3 RECOVERED FROM EGG SHELLS
Activities
1.
Development of polysaccharide-calcium carbonate hybrids
2.
Extrusion and injection of polysaccharide-calcium carbonate hybrids incorporated in polypropylene and polystyrene-based formulations
3.
Development of bioplastic compound formulations
4.
Prototype and pre-series testing
5.
Promotion and dissemination of results
Technical Data Sheet
Project name
PlasticoLight - Low-density fillers for plastic formulations
Project code
POCI-01-0247-FEDER-33848
Main Purpose
Strengthen research, technological development and innovation
Beneficiary Entities
Isolago - Indústria de Plásticos, S.A. | University of Aveiro
Approval date
05/04/2018
Start date
01/09/2018
End date
31/08/2021
Total eligible cost
EUR 696.631,92
European Union financial support | FEDER
EUR 479.548,92
Beneficiary Entities
Cofinanced by
