I-Corps: Carpet-Polyolefin Recycled Composites

Oklahoma State University, Stillwater OK

Investigators

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of consumer products based on common recycled materials. The initial solution creates recycled plastic pallets composed of single-use polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) polyolefins, and post-consumer PET and PP carpet using compression molding. The goal of the project is to offer value-added products using less expensive, sturdier, and repairable recycled materials. The recycled plastic products may be more durable in wet environments and easier to clean, which may make them a better value than wood products, especially in the food industries. In addition, the materials may have a positive impact on the environmental due to reduced landfilling and plastics disposal. Other potential applications include acoustic panels for housing and office markets. This I-Corps project is based on the development of a combination material composed of post-consumer polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), PP carpet, and single-use polyolefins such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE). These materials may be molded into composite panels using low-cost fabrication techniques such as compression molding. The goal is to provide low-cost, sustainable composites with strengths (<20 MPa) and stiffnesses (<750 MPa) that would contribute to commercial products such as pallets and acoustic panels. The composites, which contain up to 70% landfill carpet and 30% recycled resin, have been shown to surpass the strength of commercialized thermoplastics, making them suitable for structural applications. These findings present a promising approach to address recycling of post-consumer carpet and other plastic materials sustainably. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.