Research and development at our Centre of Excellence for recycled plastics
At our own Competence Centre, accredited according to EN/ISO 17025 standard, we pool our research and development activities in the field of plastics recycling
Our experts at the state-of-the-art facility develop customer-specific formulations for high-quality recycled plastics. Combining multidisciplinary expertise with the development of new, sustainable products, we support our customers throughout Europe on the way to efficient recycling.
Internationally accredited Competence Centre
As the only recognised research facility in the EU specializing in the development and analysis of recycled plastics, Interzero Plastics Innovations obtained its accreditation according to EN/ISO 17025 laboratory standard in March 2020. Materials are tested in accordance with international standards and internal methodology. Technical evaluations of existing and newly developed plastics are prepared in compliance with the EU REACH chemicals regulation and EU directives.
We offer highly professional consulting and support:
- Development of new, customised materials made from recycled plastics (PCR, PCC, PIR) and compounds with a new polymer matrix
- Comprehensive consultancy services in the field of sustainable plastics recycling processes across various business sectors and applications.
- Accredited materials testing in accordance with the SIST EN ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standard, and analyses carried out using internally developed methods
- Analysis and assessment of the recyclability of packaging, with the possibility of awarding a label Made for Recycling
Laboratory equipment and analytical methods
The competence centre, comprising two process laboratories and three analytical laboratories, is equipped with state-of-the-art technical equipment for assessing the quality of materials – from mechanical, thermal and rheological properties to sensory characteristics and colour. In addition, there are machines for processing materials and an NIR separator for simulating the behaviour of packaging during sorting.
- Extrusion
- Injection moulding
- Agglomeration simulation
- Elutriation
- Determination of the hardness of plastics using the ball-indentation method
- Determination of impact strength using the Charpy method
- Determination of impact strength using the Izod method
- Determination of the tear resistance of film
- Determination of the impact resistance of bottles in a free-fall test
- Determining the resistance of bottles to top-down loading
- Determination of tensile properties
- Determination of the heat deflection temperature (HDT) under load
- Determination of the Vicat softening temperature (VST)
- Determination of flexural properties
- Determination of the mass flow rate (MFR) and the volume flow rate (MVR)
- Flammability testing of plastics – classes HB, V-0, V-1 and V-2
- Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy sorting simulation
- Mobile near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy
- Flotation test
- Ageing simulation under the influence of temperature and humidity
- Colorimetry
- Morphological examination (microscopy)
- Sieve analysis
- Determination of NaCl
- Specular gloss
- Clumping test
- Determination of density
- Determining the degree of cross-linking
- Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)
- Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)
- Analysis of elemental composition using X-ray fluorescence (XRF)
- Determination of water content using the Karl Fischer method
- Determination of moisture content
- Infrared spectrometric analysis (FT-IR ATR, FT-IR in transmission mode)
- GC-MS analysis
Our catalogue of services
Interzero Plastics Innovations: A centre of expertise in recycled plastics
The services catalogue provides a comprehensive overview of laboratory equipment and individual analytical methods, together with technical details.
Processing plastics into recycled plastics
Plastics can exhibit a wide range of properties – depending on the material’s composition. This is precisely what makes them so practical and versatile – whether as packaging, in the automotive industry, in the form of textiles, or as household items, ranging from mixing bowls to rubber rubber ducks for the bath.
So, whoever is able to alter the properties of a material also determines what can be made from recycled plastics. This not only broadens the range of applications, but also supports the circular economy.
At the Interzero Plastics Innovations competence centre, research is carried out into the effective use of our raw materials: formulations are developed to give the granules the properties required by customers in the plastics processing industry.
„In our view, sustainable innovation is the right way to achieve the objectives of the EU’s plastics strategy and to continue to develop the circular economy in Europe effectively.”
Dr Manica Ulcnik-Krump
Managing Director, Interzero Plastics Innovations
Interzero has been granted a patent for a mechanical recycling method that was previously impossible to implement – for the first time, the HDPE used to produce bottles is sourced entirely from used packaging collected in yellow bags
This patented recycling process was developed at our own plastics recycling centre of excellence and involves the production of recycled plastic material from light-weight packaging (LVP), containing at least 80% HDPE, which is used to manufacture blow-moulded products.
This is a mechanical recycling process in which a special combination of additives produces high-density polyethylene (HDPE) whose flow properties during processing are comparable to those of virgin plastic. The material used consists entirely of used packaging collected in yellow recycling bags in Germany. The new recycling method does not require the addition of newly produced plastic or the re-sorting of used packaging.
In accordance with individual requirements, we can manufacture, amongst other things, bottles that can be used for products such as laundry detergents, cleaning products and disinfectants.
Contact
biuro@interzero.pl
