Switchable adhesives for carpet tiles: a breakthrough in sustainable flooring

Transcription

1 Switchable adhesives for carpet tiles: a breakthrough in sustainable flooring Dr. Peter Shuttleworth peter.shuttleworth@york.ac.uk Carpet Recycling UK Annual conference, 6th July 2011

2 Content Introduction Background Carpet tile construction (typical) Project objective Supply chain Materials & process Application & testing Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC) Summary

3 Introduction: Background Carpet tiles: ~45M m 2 y -1 (10M kg Nylon, 50M kg Bitumen) carpet tile produced in Europe Nylon: 3.43 KWh/ kg 0.58 kg CO 2 electrical energy per kg nylon Adipic acid used to manufacture Nylon 6, 6 generates NO x (GWP equivalents kg CO 2 ) S. L. Baggott, L. Cardenas, E. Garnett, J. Jackson, D. C. Mobbs, T. Murrells, N. Passant, A. Thomson and J. D. Watterson, UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory, 1990 to 2005: Annual Report for submission under the Framework Convention on Climate Change, AEA Technology plc., Oxon, J. Potting and K. Blok, J. Cleaner Production, 1995, 3, M. H. Thiemens and W. C. Trogler, Science, 1991, 251,

4 Introduction: carpet tile (Nylon) (Dimensional stability)

5 Project objective RECYCLABLE Switchable adhesive layer

6 Supply chain Nylon reuse Carpet tiles User

7 Polysaccharide - starch Advantage: Renewable material with assured supply Biodegradable Inexpensive It s white! Organised structured polymer Disadvantage: Properties affected by water Biodegradable Mechanically unstable with time Difficult to process/ modify

8 Polysaccharide Expanded starch Slow release media for drugs Encapsulation media for metals etc. Cooking Chromatography Plastics/ Adhesives

9 N2 Isotherm & Pore size distribution N 2 Isotherm PSD hysteresis loop mesopores 2 50 nm Increase in Pore volume Type IV Type III

10 Modification: Hydrophobic GPC results: Little or no Degradation of material Product for prototype carpet tile 20 L scale

11 Adhesive formulation Homogeniser Final product

12 Adhesive application Adhesive on back of fabric layer Drying tray Adhesive application with doctor blade

13 Adhesive testing - Martindale Press 140 mm Clamped in place

14 Adhesion testing - Martindale 500 cycles (Lissajous loop) 3.6 kg weights Test samples Rubber pads

15 Carpet tile grading - Martindale Grade 1-2 Grade 3 Pass Fail More complicated pattern

16 Adhesive bitumen backing doctor blade Switchable adhesive Grade 2 - Pass bitumen

17 Carpet tile grading - Hexapod Impact test Pass

18 Accredited tests prototype tile Test Loop withdrawal Martindale Castor chair Dimensional stability Grade (Pass fail ) Comment Similar to commercial adhesives suitable for commercial use Flammability Switchability Excellent no need for added flame retardants Strength reduced no adhesive contamination

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20 Standard & Novel Technologies Standard Technologies Shredder Macerator Pelletising Novel Technologies Supercritical CO 2 AFEX Continuous Microwave Fermentation

21 Summary Switchable renewable adhesive successfully produced from starch. Adhesive suitable for binding carpet tiles Results similar or better than current adhesives Industrial manufacture trials successful industrial application of adhesive still needs to be optimised.

22 Acknowledgments Prof. James Clark, University of York Miss Jo Parker, University of York Dr. Avtar Matharu Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence, York Interface Europe Ltd. Contract Chemicals Ltd. ITAC Ltd NNFCC Technology Strategy Board