Innovative manufacturing process for hybrid pultruded products based on cork and polymeric pre-shapes

Pultruded products are being targeted by a growing demand due to its excellent mechanical properties and low chemical reactivity, ensuring a low level of maintenance operations and allowing an easier assembly operation process than equivalent steel bars. In order to improve the mechanical drawing process and solve some acoustic and thermal insulation problems, pultruded pipes of glass fibre reinforced plastics (GFRF) can be filled with special products that increase their performance regarding the issues previously referred. The great challenge of this work was drawing a new equipment able to produce pultruded pipes filled with cork or polymeric pre-shaped bars as a continuous process. The project was carried out successfully and the new equipment was built and integrated in the pultrusion equipment already existing, allowing to obtain news products with higher added-value in the market, covering some needs previously identified in the field of civil construction.

New end-use application for GFRP recyclates as reinforcement for concrete-polymer materials’

Glass fibre-reinforced plastics (GFRP), nowadays commonly used in the construction, transportation and automobile sectors, have been considered inherently difficult to recycle due to both: cross-linked nature of thermoset resins, which cannot be remolded, and complex composition of the composite itself, which includes glass fibres, matrix and different types of inorganic fillers. Presently, most of the GFRP waste is landfilled leading to negative environmental impacts and supplementary added costs. With an increasing awareness of environmental matters and the subsequent desire to save resources, recycling would convert an expensive waste disposal into a profitable reusable material. There are several methods to recycle GFR thermostable materials: (a) incineration, with partial energy recovery due to the heat generated during organic part combustion; (b) thermal and/or chemical recycling, such as solvolysis, pyrolisis and similar thermal decomposition processes, with glass fibre recovering; and (c) mechanical recycling or size reduction, in which the material is subjected to a milling process in order to obtain a specific grain size that makes the material suitable as reinforcement in new formulations. This last method has important advantages over the previous ones: there is no atmospheric pollution by gas emission, a much simpler equipment is required as compared with ovens necessary for thermal recycling processes, and does not require the use of chemical solvents with subsequent environmental impacts. In this study the effect of incorporation of recycled GFRP waste materials, obtained by means of milling processes, on mechanical behavior of polyester polymer mortars was assessed. For this purpose, different contents of recycled GFRP waste materials, with distinct size gradings, were incorporated into polyester polymer mortars as sand aggregates and filler replacements. The effect of GFRP waste treatment with silane coupling agent was also assessed. Design of experiments and data treatment were accomplish by means of factorial design and analysis of variance ANOVA. The use of factorial experiment design, instead of the one-factor-at-a-time method is efficient at allowing the evaluation of the effects and possible interactions of the different material factors involved. Experimental results were promising toward the recyclability of GFRP waste materials as aggregates and filler replacements for polymer mortar, with significant gain of mechanical properties with regard to non-modified polymer mortars.

Design of experiments applied to the mix design process of polymer mortar materials modified with GFRP recyclates

In this work, the effect of incorporation of recycled glass fibre reinforced plastics (GFRP) waste materials, obtained by means of shredding and milling processes, on mechanical behavior of polyester polymer mortar (PM) materials was assessed. For this purpose, different contents of GFRP recyclates (between 4% up to 12% in mass), were incorporated into polyester PM materials as sand aggregates and filler replacements. The effect of silane coupling agent addition to resin binder was also evaluated. Applied waste material was proceeding from the shredding of the leftovers resultant from the cutting and assembly processes of GFRP pultrusion profiles. Currently, these leftovers, jointly with unfinished products and scrap resulting from pultrusion manufacturing process, are landfilled, with supplementary added costs. Thus, besides the evident environmental benefits, a viable and feasible solution for these wastes would also conduct to significant economic advantages. Design of experiments and data treatment were accomplish by means of full factorial design approach and analysis of variance ANOVA. Experimental results were promising toward the recyclability of GFRP waste materials as aggregates and reinforcement for PM materials, with significant improvements on mechanical properties with regard to non-modified formulations.

Experimental study on polyester based concretes filled with glass fibre reinforced plastic recyclates – a contribution to composite materials sustainability

The development and applications of thermoset polymeric composites, namely fibre reinforced plastics (FRP), have shifted in the last decades more and more into the mass market [1]. Despite of all advantages associated to FRP based products, the increasing production and consume also lead to an increasing amount of FRP wastes, either end-of-lifecycle products, or scrap and by-products generated by the manufacturing process itself. Whereas thermoplastic FRPs can be easily recycled, by remelting and remoulding, recyclability of thermosetting FRPs constitutes a more difficult task due to cross-linked nature of resin matrix. To date, most of the thermoset based FRP waste is being incinerated or landfilled, leading to negative environmental impacts and supplementary added costs to FRP producers and suppliers. This actual framework is putting increasing pressure on the industry to address the options available for FRP waste management, being an important driver for applied research undertaken cost efficient recycling methods. [1-2]. In spite of this, research on recycling solutions for thermoset composites is still at an elementary stage. Thermal and/or chemical recycling processes, with partial fibre recovering, have been investigated mostly for carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) due to inherent value of carbon fibre reinforcement; whereas for glass fibre reinforced plastics (GFRP), mechanical recycling, by means of milling and grinding processes, has been considered a more viable recycling method [1-2]. Though, at the moment, few solutions in the reuse of mechanically-recycled GFRP composites into valueadded products are being explored. Aiming filling this gap, in this study, a new waste management solution for thermoset GFRP based products was assessed. The mechanical recycling approach, with reduction of GFRP waste to powdered and fibrous materials was applied, and the potential added value of obtained recyclates was experimentally investigated as raw material for polyester based mortars. The use of a cementless concrete as host material for GFRP recyclates, instead of a conventional Portland cement based concrete, presents an important asset in avoiding the eventual incompatibility problems arisen from alkalis silica reaction between glass fibres and cementious binder matrix. Additionally, due to hermetic nature of resin binder, polymer based concretes present greater ability for incorporating recycled waste products [3]. Under this scope, different GFRP waste admixed polymer mortar (PM) formulations were analyzed varying the size grading and content of GFRP powder and fibre mix waste. Added value of potential recycling solution was assessed by means of flexural and compressive loading capacities of modified mortars with regard to waste-free polymer mortars.

An experimental study on recycling and reuse of pultruded composite material wastes

Glass fibre-reinforced plastics (GFRP) have been considered inherently difficult to recycle due to both: cross-linked nature of thermoset resins, which cannot be remoulded, and complex composition of the composite itself. Presently, most of the GFRP waste is landfilled leading to negative environmental impacts and supplementary added costs. With an increasing awareness of environmental matters and the subsequent desire to save resources, recycling would convert an expensive waste disposal into a profitable reusable material. In this study, efforts were made in order to recycle grinded GFRP waste, proceeding from pultrusion production scrap, into new and sustainable composite materials. For this purpose, GFRP waste recyclates, were incorporated into polyester based mortars as fine aggregate and filler replacements at different load contents and particle size distributions. Potential recycling solution was assessed by mechanical behaviour of resultant GFRP waste modified polymer mortars. Results revealed that GFRP waste filled polymer mortars present improved flexural and compressive behavior over unmodified polyester based mortars, thus indicating the feasibility of the GFRP industrial waste reuse into concrete-polymer composite materials.

A case study undertaken recycling & reuse of glass fiber reinforced thermoset polumer wastes of composite materials industry

Glass fibre-reinforced plastics (GFRP) have been considered inherently difficult to recycle due to both: crosslinked nature of thermoset resins, which cannot be remoulded, and complex composition of the composite itself. Presently, most of the GFRP waste is landfilled leading to negative environmental impacts and supplementary added costs. With an increasing awareness of environmental matters and the subsequent desire to save resources, recycling would convert an expensive waste disposal into a profitable reusable material. In this study, efforts were made in order to recycle grinded GFRP waste, proceeding from pultrusion production scrap, into new and sustainable composite materials. For this purpose, GFRP waste recyclates, were incorporated into polyester based mortars as fine aggregate and filler replacements at different load contents and particle size distributions. Potential recycling solution was assessed by mechanical behaviour of resultant GFRP waste modified polymer mortars. Results revealed that GFRP waste filled polymer mortars present improved flexural and compressive behaviour over unmodified polyester based mortars, thus indicating the feasibility of the GFRP industrial waste reuse into concrete-polymer composite materials.

Desenvolvimento do Filme Plástico Paper Like

A indústria de transformação de material plástico contribui de forma relevante para o desenvolvimento da economia mundial. Com o objetivo de desenvolvimento dessa indústria, a empresa Pentaplast S. A., situada em Água Longa, Santo Tirso, desenvolve a conceção de novos produtos para novas aplicações. Esta empresa para continuar na posição de destaque que possui, tem que conduzir a sua existência na melhoria contínua e atualização fase ao mercado. Na indústria termoformadora existe uma procura constante de novos materiais, visto ser um mercado muito competitivo. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo desenvolver um filme plástico com o aspeto de papel para a indústria termoformadora, criando desta forma um impacto no consumidor para a preocupação ambiental. De forma a encontrar soluções para o problema mencionado, conduziu-se ao estudo e desenvolvimento de um novo produto – Paper Like, sendo este, um produto reciclável e adotado às necessidades da termoformação. Para isso, desenvolveu-se o projeto utilizando o processo de termolaminação, com a adição de um aditivo na camada externa, permitindo incorporar ao filme plástico, o aspeto e textura de papel. Foram testados, separadamente, dois aditivos, X e Y, base PET e PE, respetivamente, com diferentes percentagens de incorporação. O aditivo X foi desenvolvido especialmente para este projeto, tendo como base politereftalato de etileno, no entanto com a sua incorporação não se obteve os resultados esperados, somente dava um aspeto mate ao filme extrudidos. O aditivo Y, já existe no mercado mas nunca utilizado em extrusão plana, tem como base polietileno e a sua incorporação permitiu obter um filme com aspeto de papel, comprovando-se a sua compatibilidade com pigmentos, os quais dão diversas cores aos filmes, permitindo assim competir com os filmes tradicionais. Infelizmente a termolaminação do filme com o aditivo Y não foi possível, o que inviabiliza a selagem da embalagem.

Projecto de molde para peça para a indústria automóvel

A realização deste trabalho teve por base uma solicitação por parte de uma empresa dedicada ao projecto e fabrico de moldes, assim como à injecção de plásticos, no sentido de projectar um molde para a injecção de uma peça em plástico (PP-Polipropileno +20% ) para a indústria automóvel, segundo os requisitos de qualidade exigidos pelo cliente Assim, atendendo a esses requisitos, foi planeado e elaborado o projecto do respectivo molde para a injecção, tendo em consideração todos os factores que contribuem de forma activa para a obtenção das peças desejadas, com a qualidade exigida e com o tempo de vida desejado para o molde. Tendo início na definição das cavidades e movimentos do molde, passando pela selecção dos materiais mais adequados a cada um dos componentes do molde, selecção de componentes normalizados para o molde, simulação do enchimento e necessidades de arrefecimento, até à execução do molde e análise de possíveis não conformidades nas peças nele injectadas, o trabalho acompanhou todo o processo de criação do molde, desde a recepção das especificações emanadas pelo cliente, até ao teste e realização das correcções finais. Constatou-se que o molde, após ligeiras afinações finais, cumpriu com os objectivos inicialmente traçados, permitindo a obtenção de peças com o formato e qualidade exigidas pelo cliente final.

Re-Use Assessment of Thermoset Composite Wastes as Aggregate and Filler Replacement for Concrete-Polymer Composite Materials: A case study regarding GFRP pultrusion wastes

Glass fibre-reinforced plastics (GFRP), nowadays commonly used in the construction, transportation and automobile sectors, have been considered inherently difficult to recycle due to both the cross-linked nature of thermoset resins, which cannot be remoulded, and the complex composition of the composite itself, which includes glass fibres, polymer matrix and different types of inorganic fillers. Hence, to date, most of the thermoset based GFRP waste is being incinerated or landfilled leading to negative environmental impacts and additional costs to producers and suppliers. With an increasing awareness of environmental matters and the subsequent desire to save resources, recycling would convert an expensive waste disposal into a profitable reusable material. In this study, the effect of the incorporation of mechanically recycled GFRP pultrusion wastes on flexural and compressive behaviour of polyester polymer mortars (PM) was assessed. For this purpose, different contents of GFRP recyclates (0%, 4%, 8% and 12%, w/w), with distinct size grades (coarse fibrous mixture and fine powdered mixture), were incorporated into polyester PM as sand aggregates and filler replacements. The effect of the incorporation of a silane coupling agent was also assessed. Experimental results revealed that GFRP waste filled polymer mortars show improved mechanical behaviour over unmodified polyester based mortars, thus indicating the feasibility of GFRP waste reuse as raw material in concrete-polymer composites.

Innovation at Polisport: Discoverding the drivers and impact on performance at a Portuguese SME

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Food waste valorization through the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates by mixed microbial cultures

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Química e Bioquímica

Investigation of the regulation mechanisms for bioplastics production from industrial residues

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Biotecnologia

Logoplaste: Conquering the world one bottle at a time

The “Logoplaste: Conquering the world one bottle at a time” case is based on the real story of the Botton family and their journey to build the globally known company Logoplaste. Famous for its “hole in the wall” strategy within the plastics industry, Logoplaste is not only one of the major plastic bottles manufacturers in the world, but also a company which has been proving us that a shared leadership system can be successful within a family business. This case intendeds to demonstrate the dynamics of a family business, illustrating the complexity of the decision making process and how they have successfully mastered dual management in a family firm. Moreover, it also aims to demonstrate that a family firm can be managed in such way that sustainable growth, as a key pillar, can be enabled through a strong focus on internationalization and innovation. A teaching note is available at the end of the case in order to guide students and teachers in their readings. Discussions questions, for debate in class environment, are also provided together with suggested answers drawn together to increase the critical sense and theoretical application of the themes studied in class.

Canada Starch Company (CASCO) Fonds, 1980-1987, n.d.

CASCO (Canada Starch Company) began operations in 1982 and was officially opened in May of 1983. Premier William Davis was in attendance. CASCO is a company whose roots can be traced back to 1858 when it was founded by W.T. Benson in Cardinal, Ontario. The company grew as corn uses were developed. Corn derived products now include: corn oil, liquid sweetener and feed for dairy and cattle. Starch is used as a finish for fine papers, a component in dry cell batteries, pharmaceuticals, wallpaper, film, tires, surgical dressings, plastics and plywood. Corn syrup is used in beverages, canned fruit, frozen seafood, licorice, ice cream and baking products. Corn solubles are used in animal feed, rubber substitutes, soap, paint and varnish. There are more than 250 industrial and food uses for corn

Les effets de revêtements de surface sur la dissolution et la bioaccumulation de nanoparticules d'oxyde de zinc par l'algue unicellulaire, C. reinhardtii

Au cours de la dernière décennie, les nanoparticules ont connu un essor sans précédent dans plusieurs domaines. On peut retrouver ces nanoparticules dans des secteurs aussi variés tels que la médecine, l’électronique, les écrans solaires, les cosmétiques et les plastiques, pour ne nommer que ceux-là. Cette utilisation massive a eu un effet pervers sur l’environnement, sachant qu’une grande partie de ces produits se sont retrouvés inévitablement dans les milieux naturels. Plusieurs études révèlent qu’autant la présence des nanoparticules que leurs produits de dissolution sont à prendre en considération lorsque des travaux toxicologiques ou le devenir de ces matériaux sont étudiés. Il est désormais clair que les propriétés de surface de ces nanoparticules jouent un rôle central sur leur comportement dans les solutions aqueuses; que ce soit les interactions avec des organismes ou entre les particules elles-mêmes. Afin d’évaluer le devenir de nZnO, une étude sur la dissolution ainsi que la bioaccumulation a été réalisée avec l’algue modèle Chlamydomonas reinhardtii en présence de nanoparticules ayant différents enrobages. Les nanoparticules d’oxyde de zinc suivantes ont été étudiées : (i) nZnO sans enrobage (nZnO); (ii) nZnO avec enrobage d’acide polyacrylique (nZnO-PAA) et (iii) nZnO avec enrobage d’hexamétaphosphate de sodium (nZnO-HMP). La dissolution était mesurée à l’aide de trois techniques : ultrafiltration par centrifugation (CU); technique potentiométrique (scanned stripping chronopotentiometry, SSCP) et spectrométrie de masse – plasma à couplage inductif couplé à une résine échangeuse d’ions (resin-based inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, resin-based ICP-MS). Les résultats obtenus démontrent une grande tendance à la dissolution pour le nZnO (presque totale) tandis que pour le nZnO-PAA et le nZnO-HMP, la dissolution est dépendante de la nature de l’enrobage le composant. Pour la bioaccumulation sur l’algue testée, les données montrent une grande dépendance au zinc libre issu de la dissolution pour nZnO et nZnO-PAA. À l’inverse, le nZnO-HMP démontre une bioaccumulation plus élevée par comparaison aux mêmes concentrations d’expositions du zinc libre, expliquée par la stimulation de l’internalisation du zinc provoqué par la présence de phosphate constituant l’enrobage de nZnO-HMP.