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Design and Characterization of a New Food Packaging Material by Recycling Blends Virgin and Recovered polyethylene terephthalate |
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| Authors: | Fatma Masmoudi Sébastien Alix Stéphane Buet Afef Mehri Atef Bessadok Mohamed Jaziri Emna Ammar |
| Affiliation: | 1. Laboratory of Environmental Sciences and Sustainable Development, University of Sfax, National Engineering School of Sfax, BP 1173, 3038 Sfax, Tunisia
Packaging Technical Centre (PACKTEC), Tunisia Preparatory Institute for Engineering Studies of Gafsa, Gafsa, Tunisia;2. Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, LISM EA 4695, IFTS/7 Boulevard Jean de Lautre - BP 50028 - 08005 Charleville-Mezières Cedex, France;3. Packaging Technical Centre (PACKTEC), Tunisia;4. Preparatory Institute for Engineering Studies of Gafsa, Gafsa, Tunisia;5. Electrochemistry and Environment Laboratory, University of Sfax, National Engineering School of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia;6. Laboratory of Environmental Sciences and Sustainable Development, University of Sfax, National Engineering School of Sfax, BP 1173, 3038 Sfax, Tunisia |
| Abstract: | This research is dealing with plastic wastes recycling environmental problem. The objective is the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) valorization from postconsumer bottles by the optimization of the most suitable virgin and recycled PET mixture to be used as food contact packaging. Mixtures of these materials were elaborated by extrusion and injection molding using different recycled PET rates. Rheological, mechanical, and thermal analyses were achieved, and then migration tests were investigated to assess the recycled PET compatibility for food contact packaging. The rheological analysis showed a PET degradation after the mechanical recycling, with PET viscosity decrease, compared to that of the virgin material. The blends properties showed that at low deformation, mechanical properties were significantly improved by adding recycled PET. Consequently, the new material was more rigid with a crystallinity degree improvement, increasing the materials resistance that enhanced their tenacity. However, at great deformations, the PET mixed materials were deteriorated through drastic ductility losses. The mixture 30/70 recycled/virgin PET seems to be the best blend. For all the studied mixtures, the overall migrations conformed the European Standard, allowing the use of the recycled PET for packaging as an issue in circular economy principles for a sustainable development. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 60: 250–256, 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers |
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