Investigation of Screw Configuration of A Tandem Thermoplastic Recycling System with Co-Rotating Twin Screw Extruders

Polymers have rapidly replaced the utilization of glasses, ceramics, metals, and organic textiles due to their cost-effectiveness, lightweight nature, and enhanced functionality. Nevertheless, as a consequence of their chemical composition, polymers undergo a protracted degradation process in natural environments, resulting in a significant accumulation of plastic waste since their inception. This accumulation has now reached a critical threshold, posing a substantial risk to both human well-being and the preservation of natural ecosystems. In the recycling process of thermoplastic wastes, it is necessary to subject them to two rounds of melting in order to obtain compounds. This practice results in a reduction of the recycling numbers associated with thermoplastics, which possess a finite recycling lifespan, by 50%. The present work involved the construction of a tandem recycling process, wherein molten waste polymers were immediately introduced into a co-rotating twin screw extruder. In contrast to alternative approaches, a processdependent screw configuration has been devised for the twin-screw system employed in the delivery of molten material. The product derived from 80% waste thermoplastic was thereafter compared to the original product as an outcome of the aforementioned procedure. Properties similar to those of pure Polypropylene were seen in some physical and chemical characteristics.