Basque Enterprise Europe Network

Title

Finnish company offers a new thermomechanical process technology for recycling and converting fiber reinforced plastics (FRP) waste under a licensing agreement or a commercial agreement with technical assistance.

Reference

TOFI20210517001

Last update

Tue, May, 25, 2021

Deadline

Wed, May, 25, 2022

Abstract

A Finnish technology SME seeks new partners under a licensing agreement or a commercial agreement with technical assistance. It offers a low cost and up-scalable thermomechanical processing technique with commodity equipment to convert thermoset FRP waste from end-of-life products (EoL) into new circular raw materials and products in large volumes. The FRP waste of wind turbine blades, boats and manufacturing can be used. The technique has been demonstrated in a large scale H2020 project.

Description

The Finnish SME specialised in plastics processing invention and development was founded in 1995. It focused five years ago to resolve a global massive technical problem how to recycle FRP waste in a simple and low-cost process. The company had been active in R&D for over 15 years in process technique and commodity equipment used in production of wood-plastic-composites (WPC) for decking boards, fencing, siding etc. This technique was found suitable and was developed and demonstrated to fit for the purpose.

Now the company is offering the patented technology for a licensing agreement or a commercial agreement with technical assistance, for plastic recyclers, demolition companies, product manufacturers etc. The technical assistance can be given in the form of consulting in materials, equipment purchase and supply, training, and technical know-how. Exclusive purchase of the IPR is also negotiable. Downsizing/shredding of the FRP waste is not part of the company offering.

The process is using pre-shredded FRP waste (glass and/or carbon) from any type of wasted products, as well as from their manufacturing, in strand sizes anything say up to max. 100mm long without the need of grinding into dust while keeping the volume pre-processing costs down at low energy consumption. Possible harmful contaminants like wires, fixtures, metals etc. shall be parallel removed in the pre-shredding step.


Shredded FRP waste becomes in the thermomechanical agglomeration process mixed as reinforcement with widely available thermoplastic materials PE or PP (recycled or virgin) in a high intensity mixer in desired weight ratio e.g. 50/50. Together with chosen additives it forms 1..10 mm sized agglomerates in the semi-molten stage of the thermoplastic. The new fibre reinforced from recycled composite raw material in agglomerate form is ready to use e.g. in extrusions for panels, profiles etc. products for structural applications in construction and other. Agglomerates can also be compounded into standard sized pellets to sell the new composite material in different grades at international markets for their processors. The composites and products manufactured from them can be seen in the pictures of this profile.

The process is easily scalable with various size mixers from 200 litre size up to 2000 litre size and outputs exceeding well beyond 1000 kg/h. The process produces no waste, energy consumption is marginal low and needs just cooling water and preferably in closed loop with a chiller.

Typical material values (in extruded products):
• density 1.2 - 1.4 g/cm3
• moisture absorption & dimensional swelling (28d water soaking) +/- 0%
• surface hardness Brinell (HBS 10/3000) 60-100
• flexural strength (MOR) 30-50 MPa
• flexural modulus (MOE) 3-5 GPa
• EN fire rating class B-d0-s2 (with halogen free flame retardant)
• no rotting, no mould growth, no leaching, pesticide free, formaldehyde free.

Processing technique, materials, extrusion products and construction applications have been demonstrated and proven in large scale circular economy H2020 project in 4 European countries using shredded EoL wind turbine blade waste.

Technology Keywords

Building materials;Composite materials;Plastics, Polymers;Man-made fibres;Plastics and Rubber related to Chemical Technology

Keyword Codes:

02007002;02007005;02007014;03004005;03004008

Current Stage of Development

Intellectual Property Rights

Secret Know-how,Patents granted,Exclusive Rights

IPR Comments:

EU, US, CAN & CN process patents granted.

Exploitation of RTD Results

Organisation/Company Type

Organisation/Company Size

Organisation Comments

Detailed Market Application Codes (VEIC)

MA Keyword

Fibre-reinforced (plastic) composites;Processes for working with plastics;Polymer (plastics) materials;Chemical and solid material recycling

MA Keyword Codes:

08001004;08001006;08001018;08004002

Application Domain Description:

Collaboration Type

Comments:

The Finnish company is looking for a plastic recycler or a manufacturer of plastic compounds, an FRP waste owner and/or a recycler and/or a product manufacturer (wind turbines, boats, profiles, mats, any type of FRP pre-pregs etc.), a construction product manufacturer, demolition companies.

Downsizing/shredding of the FRP waste is not part of the company offering.

The partnership is under a licensing agreement or a commercial agreement with technical assistance. The technical assistance can be given in the form of consulting in materials, equipment purchase and supply, training, and technical know-how. Exclusive purchase of the IPR is also negotiable.

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