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Materials recycling: study of mechanical properties of the recycled polycarbonate from compact discs

The compact disc (CD) and digital video disc (DVD) are goods obtained from a thermoplastic polymer, the polycarbonate, metallized. Such discs are produced and commercialized in millions of units all over the world, and since their processing until their use by the final consumer, it is estimated that approximately that 10% of the production of CD and DVD is discarded. The polycarbonate can be separated from the other layers of these discs, through several methods, recovered and re-used, but in most of times, its destination is the landfill in the big cities, contributing to the increase of the environmental pollution. This work had as objective to study the mechanical properties of recycled polycarbonate from CD and DVD through the mechanical abrasion method, in order to make feasible its daily use, being able to substitute commodity polymers, as polystyrene (PS), or being used with the virgin PC in some applications. Specimens of PS and blends of virgin-PC/recycled-PC (in the ratios of 100/0, 70/30, 50/50, 30/70 and 0/100 in %w/w) were obtained by injection moulding for tests of tensile strength, Izod impact strength besides Shore hardness. It was observed that with the addition of up to 70% of recycled PC in the blends, there was a decrease of both the impact strength and the elongation while the tensile strength and surface hardness were unchangeable, with respect to the virgin PC. It was also noticed that the recycled PC could reach 79.2% of the maximum tensile strength and 60.8% of the impact strength of the virgin PC. When compared to PS, the recycled PC showed good mechanical performance, being similar in tensile strength, elongation and hardness but presenting better impact strength.

recycled polycarbonate; polystyrene; compact disc; mechanical properties


Laboratório de Hidrogênio, Coppe - Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, em cooperação com a Associação Brasileira do Hidrogênio, ABH2 Av. Moniz Aragão, 207, 21941-594, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil, Tel: +55 (21) 3938-8791 - Rio de Janeiro - RJ - Brazil
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