BASF's trinamiX adds a new PE application for plastic sorting to its mobile NIR spectroscopy solution. #Polyolefin

The distinction between HDPE and LDPE at the push of a button is the latest plastic sorting application added to the mobile near-infrared spectroscopy solution of trinamiX GmbH in Germany. Germany-based trinamiX GmbH (trinamixsensing.com) was established in 2015 and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BASF. It develops and sells cutting-edge 3D vision and infrared sensing solutions for consumer electronics and industrial design.

A BASF source pointed out that the production of single-grade polyethylene recycled materials has become very attractive in recent months in view of rising polyethylene prices. By launching two applications for its mobile NIR spectroscopy solution, trinamiX is improving on-site sorting of popular plastics. In addition to the quick distinction between HDPE and LDPE, it is reported that the ratio of PE to PP in mixed plastics can be precisely determined as simply as pressing a button. Thanks to the flexibility of the handheld measuring equipment, the process of obtaining high-quality PE and PE/PP recyclates has now been significantly improved.

Polyethylene is the most widely produced plastic in the world and the most popular thermoplastic used in foils and packaging. PE can be divided into HDPE (high density polyethylene) and LDPE (low density polyethylene) according to its density. Although the similar properties of HDPE and LDPE cause their respective applications to overlap, the difference in their mechanical properties will affect their processing and subsequent recycling processes. In the context of recycling, separation by type has a beneficial effect on the quality of the recyclables.

In addition, when it comes to the recycling of mixed plastics made of PE and PP, trinamiX's solutions now provide valuable insights. By determining the percentage of PE/PP mixed plastics, recyclers can more accurately classify incoming commodity streams. In this way, the different specifications and quality requirements of the recyclables can be more accurately achieved.

“The current lack of supply in the PE market and the related price increases we have observed on our digital trading platform have opened up new opportunities for recycling companies,” explains Florian Hüter, sales director of cirplus, the global recycled plastics market. "The application of trinamiX makes their classification process of different commodity streams fast and simple, thereby improving their ability to recycle PE recyclables."

Since the launch of plastic sorting applications last year, trinamiX's solutions have enabled users to quickly identify common plastics, including the classic polyolefins PE and PP. Since then, trinamiX has worked closely with customers to continuously expand its broad product range. As recently reported, an application that can quickly distinguish engineering plastic nylon 6 and 66 has been introduced.

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