The softened polycarbonate passes under a roller, is separated from the thermoset, formed into a sheet, and stamped. The remainder is thermoset, which cannot be softened, and would constitute the last stream. Although thermoset cannot be melted and reformed, it has some recycling value. It can be ground up and used as inert filler, for example. This approach offers several advantages for plastics recycling.
Thermoplastics lose some of their desirable properties when they are remelted.
Polymer degradation that results from shearing is avoided because thermoplastics sorted by Salyp's method only soften, and do not melt, according to Stricker. The avoidance of melting results in higher-quality recycled product, he said. He sees this as a key difference between his company's approach and a separation technology based on melting the plastic and extruding it. The components in a mixed plastic stream can vary, depending on the source of material. The modules in Salyp's sorting system can be switched on or off, depending on the availability of raw material.