Enhancing Plastic Recycling Through Nano-Scale Structure Analysis in Custom Block Copolymer Filaments (Rev.1)
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Univ. of Oregon, Eugene, OR (United States)
As plastic production continues to increase, new methods to combat plastic waste are needed. This paper explores upcycling, a way to increase the utility or value of waste plastic. This can be done using block copolymers as compatibilizers. Block copolymers are made of two immiscible polymer blocks that phase separate on the nanoscale, forming small structures. The orientation of these nano-scale structures influences mechanical properties, and we show that orientation can be controlled by directional 3D (three dimensional) printing. Using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), we analyze block copolymer filaments extruded at varying speeds. The SAXS data provide a baseline understanding of nano-scale structure in these unique filaments for future use in 3D printing experiments.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- 89233218CNA000001
- OSTI ID:
- 2000869
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR--23-29774
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English