Processing Plastics and Textiles: Deriving Circularity Through Improving Recyclate

This research project explores the mechanical and chemical recycling of waste plastics and textiles to both understand and optimise value in these materials to promote circularity. This involves both the separation of materials, the chemical depolymerisation of products and the mechanical processing and extrusion of commercially relevant plastics and textiles. The challenge is to understand how processing conditions can be optimised to create more consistent value in the recyclate quality in concert with improved sorting methods. The project has a strong sustainability and circular economy focus as well as targets on future manufacturing.