Hero - Thermoplastic elastomers made from recycled polyolefins and car tyres
The annual global production of synthetic and natural rubber is estimated at 30 million tonnes and rising. This increase is accompanied by a sharp rise in the amount of waste produced, which poses a serious environmental problem. The vast majority of elastomers are cross-linked and therefore cannot be processed using conventional melting technologies, which makes recycling them a challenge. The development of new, economically favourable methods for the treatment of rubber waste is urgently needed, as the European Union's waste management directives will not allow waste to be landfilled from 2030 in order to create a circular economy.
HERO aims to produce recyclable thermoplastic elastomers from recycled polyolefins (polyethylene and polypropylene) and car tyres (TPE) with tailored thermal and mechanical properties for technical applications in transport and construction. HERO will thus support the further transition to a circular economy in the European Union. HERO utilises surface activation of recycled materials as well as new design and recycling strategies for polymer-containing composites.
Funding
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 958174 and is supported by SMWK (Germany), NKFIH (Hungary) and UEFISCDI (Romania).
Project Partners
- Dresden University of Applied Sciences (HTWD)
- Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME)
- National Research and Development Institute for Textiles and Leather (INCDTP/ICPI)
- S.C. Monofil S.R.L.
Project Duration
01.05.2023 - 31.03.2027
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