Blogs

1 Mechanical recycling (physical recycling)

Process:

Classification Collection: Recycle waste UHMWPE sheets and remove impurities (such as metals and oil stains).

Cleaning & drying: Use high-pressure water washing to remove surface contaminants and then dry.

Mechanical crushing: Use low-temperature freezing crushing technology (below -100℃) to crush UHMWPE sheets into small particles or powder.

Reprocessing into new products: Crushed UHMWPE particles can be used for recycling pressing, molding and other processes to manufacture low-end application products such as floor mats, support pads, sliding plates, etc.

Advantages: Environmentally friendly, efficient, and no chemical reagents are required.

Disadvantages: High requirements for equipment, unable to restore the original performance of UHMWPE, only suitable for secondary uses

2 Regeneration granulation & remolding

Process:

Crushing into micro-particles: Use low-temperature crushing equipment to grind UHMWPE sheets into fine particles.

Adding modifiers: Add low molecular weight PE, plasticizers, etc. to improve melt fluidity.

Extrusion granulation: Mix the powders and extrude them into granules under high temperature and high pressure as raw materials for modified PE composite materials.

Reprocessing: Used to produce non-structural products (such as road guardrails, filling materials, etc.).

Advantages: Can be re-injected to improve utilization.

Disadvantages: The original wear resistance and impact resistance of UHMWPE will be reduced.

3 Hot pressing recycling (compression molding)

Process:

Pretreatment: Crushing UHMWPE sheets into small pieces or granules.

Heating & Molding: Use a hot press to re-press the material into large plates at a high temperature of 200-250℃.

Cooling & Cutting: After cooling, secondary processing is carried out to manufacture industrial uses such as floor mats, fenders, and support pads.

Advantages: The finished product size is adjustable and can be recycled many times.

Disadvantages: The processing temperature is high, the energy consumption is high, and some material properties may be affected.

4 Chemical recycling (pyrolysis method)

Process:

High-temperature cracking: In an oxygen-free environment of 500-800℃, UHMWPE is pyrolyzed and converted into hydrocarbon gas or liquid fuel.

Separation and purification: Use a condensation tower to separate hydrocarbons of different molecular weights.

Reuse: The pyrolysis products can be used in the manufacture of fuel oil, paraffin, synthetic resin and other products.

Advantages: Ability to recycle hydrocarbon resources and achieve high-value reuse.

Disadvantages: High investment cost, high energy consumption, and certain impact on the environment.