FTIR Analysis of Recycled Plastics Using the Spectrum Advisor Function

User Benefits

- FTIR spectrophotometers are useful for qualitative analysis of a wide variety of plastics. - With FTIR, it is possible to measure and analyze black or dark-colored plastics that cannot be measured by plastic automatic sorting devices that utilize near-infrared light. - The Spectrum Advisor function ensures the acquisition of high-quality data.

Introduction

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in plastic recycling internationally. The United States announced its National Recycling Strategy on November 15, 2021, aiming to increase the recycling rate to 50% by 2030. In Europe, an amendment to Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste was announced on November 30, 2022, which proposes packaging waste reduction targets by 2040, the introduction of a common material labeling system, and a minimum recycled plastic content in plastic packaging. In Japan, the Plastic Resource Circulation Promotion Law came into effect on April 1, 2022. Various sorting technologies, such as density separation, electrostatic separation, near-infrared/infrared sorting, Raman spectroscopy sorting, and X-ray transmission density sorting are utilized in the process of plastic recycling. In particular, FTIR spectrophotometer used for infrared sorting, allows for accurate qualitative analysis of polymers and can identify polymers regardless of their color or form (powder/solid), making it useful for sorting a variety of plastics. Moreover, FTIR can be used not only for qualitative analysis during collection but also for confirming the ratios of different plastic types during the acceptance of recycled plastics and for detecting contaminants after molding.

December 6, 2023 GMT