Enhancing the Quality of Polypropylene Recyclates: Predictive Modelling of the Melt Flow Rate and Shear Viscosity

The extensive use of polypropylene (PP) in various industries has heightened interest in developing efficient methods for recycling and optimising its mixtures. This study focuses on formulating predictive models for the Melt Flow Rate (MFR) and shear viscosity of PP blends. The investigation involv...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polymers 2024-08, Vol.16 (16), p.2326
Main Authors: Seifert, Lukas, Leuchtenberger-Engel, Lisa, Hopmann, Christian
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Copolymers
Design of experiments
EU directives
Flow velocity
Impact strength
Industrial development
Injection molding
Investigations
Machine learning
Manufacturing
Mixing rules
Mixtures
Noise prediction
Plastics
Polymer blends
Polymer industry
Polypropylene
Prediction models
Process controls
Recipes
Recycled materials
Recycling
Rheological properties
Shear flow
Shear viscosity
Viscosity
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Summary:The extensive use of polypropylene (PP) in various industries has heightened interest in developing efficient methods for recycling and optimising its mixtures. This study focuses on formulating predictive models for the Melt Flow Rate (MFR) and shear viscosity of PP blends. The investigation involved characterising various grades, including virgin homopolymers, copolymers, and post-consumer recyclates, in accordance with ISO 1133 standards. The research examined both binary and ternary blends, utilising traditional mixing rules and symbolic regression to predict rheological properties. High accuracy was achieved with the Arrhenius and Cragoe models, attaining R values over 0.99. Symbolic regression further enhanced these models, offering significant improvements. To mitigate overfitting, empirical noise and variable swapping were introduced, increasing the models' robustness and generalisability. The results demonstrated that the developed models could reliably predict MFR and shear viscosity, providing a valuable tool for improving the quality and consistency of PP mixtures. These advancements support the development of recycling technologies and sustainable practices in the polymer industry by optimising processing and enhancing the use of recycled materials.
ISSN:2073-4360
2073-4360
DOI:10.3390/polym16162326