Recyclate verification

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016202233-A1
Application number	US-201514682147-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 9, 2015
Priority date	Jan 14, 2015
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A composition for recyclate verification is produced by adding a predetermined quantity of one or more verification compounds to a base resin. Each of the verification compounds is thermally stable over a range of temperatures that includes the maximum processing temperature of the base resin but is less than the degradation temperature of the base resin. In some embodiments, a thermoplastic material provided for verification as a recyclate is analyzed to detect the presence (and, optionally, the loading level) of one or more verification compounds associated with the base resin of the thermoplastic material. In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method for recyclate verification is performed using a computer program product. In some embodiments, a thermoplastic material verified as a recyclate is heated to drive off the verification compound(s), then a known quantity of the verification compound(s) is added to the recyclate, which is then blended with virgin base resin material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A composition for recyclate verification, comprising:
a base resin, wherein the base resin is capable of being injection molded at a maximum processing temperature; one or more verification compounds added to the base resin in a predetermined quantity, wherein each of the verification compounds is thermally stable over a range of temperatures that includes the maximum processing temperature but is less than a degradation temperature of the base resin.

2 . The composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises a set of two or more of the verification compounds.

3 . The composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein the base resin is a blend of polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and wherein the one or more verification compounds comprises at least one long chain, mono- or di-carboxylic acid.

4 . The composition as recited in claim 3 , wherein the at least one long chain, mono- or di-carboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of azelaic acid and sebacic acid.

5 . The composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein the base resin is acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and wherein the one or more verification compounds comprises 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid.

6 . A composition for recyclate verification, comprising:
a base resin comprising a blend of polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS); one or more verification compounds added to the base resin in a predetermined quantity, wherein the one or more verification compounds comprise at least one of azelaic acid and sebacic acid.

7 . The composition as recited in claim 6 , wherein the one or more verification compounds comprise azelaic acid.

8 . The composition as recited in claim 6 , wherein the one or more verification compounds comprise sebacic acid.

9 . The composition as recited in claim 6 , wherein the one or more verification compounds comprise azelaic acid and sebacic acid.

10 . A composition for recyclate verification, comprising:
a base resin comprising acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS); one or more verification compounds added to the base resin in a predetermined quantity, wherein the one or more verification compounds comprise 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Hebig Travis R
• Kuczynski Joseph
• Nickel Steven R

Classifications

• C08J11/04

  of polymers · CPC title

• C08J2369/00

  Characterised by the use of polycarbonates; Derivatives of polycarbonates · CPC title

• C08J2355/02

  Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene [ABS] polymers · CPC title

• G01N33/442 Primary

  Resins; Plastics · CPC title

• C08L2666/02

  Organic macromolecular compounds, natural resins, waxes or and bituminous materials · CPC title