PET preparation protocol:MOST: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 00:04, 14 March 2016

Template:Status-Model THIS METHOD IS CURRENTLY A WORK IN PROGRESS

Here is outlined the method to shred, clean and dry PET at the MOST lab at Michigan Technological University. For more information on PET mechanisms please see the PET Extrusion literature review.

Shredding and Cleaning

Any PET bottles or containers which are to be to be recycled need to be ground up into smaller pieces first. This is to speed up the drying process, and also, to fit the plastic into the RecycleBot hopper. Approximately 1/4 of the mass of an average water bottle is in the thred and cap region of the main body. This is because this region has to be very resistant to deformation so that the cap can correctly screw on.

The leftover glue from the label on this water bottle.

Shredding and Cleaning: Equipment

Shredder
Oil-based cleaner to remove glue, see step 2. Peanut butter, nail polish remover, and perfume are all recommended. (NO WD40)
Scissors or shears

Shredding and Cleaning: General Procedure

Peel any labels and/or different colored plastics off of the bottle.
Remove any glue from the wrappings off using your cleaner. MOST used => Duct tape. The sticky side, if repeatedly applied and removed, can pull of the glue. This process, however, takes a significant amount of time.
Rinse out your container, and dry, to remove any leftover beverages.
Cut apart bottles and containers to fit into your shredder. The threaded section will most likely need to be removed, until a total-shredder is developed.
Shred the PET chunks. MOST has used a "Chipper Joe", green wood-chipper and a disk shredder, from Staples. The disk shredder has worked the best so far, with consistent results. The wood chipper is not great for water bottles, it regularly becomes jammed, and has inconsistent sizes.
Collect the chunks and store somewhere cool and dry until the drying step, just as a preventative measure to moisture buildup.

Cutting Techniques

Some containers may be made of a thicker plastic than others, so different methods must be taken to prepare them.

Method 1 (Gatorade Bottles): Tested

Cut apart the bottle as shown in pictures.
1. Top and bottom off
2. Cut in half
3. Trim off curved pieces
Plug in and turn on disk shredder (NW corner of room)
Hold forwards button
Insert slightly curved section into disk shredder.
Losses of 14/24g:
- The thread
- Bottom
- Curved top

If using a small knife, firmly pressing it into the bottom edge is a good method. If force is applied near the line, the flashing, it may be easier.
After working up to the top of the bottom, slice the thread part off.
After cutting the opposite side and around the bottom.
One of the final halves, ready to be cut. Note the rounded part is missing.

Method 2 (Gatorade Bottle): Tested

NOTE: At MOST this doesn't really work, as the bottles decompress inside the wood chipper and jam.

Cut off top and bottom
Cut 1 slit in bottle lengthways
Turn on wood chipper
compress and slide into wood chipper
Losses of 10/24g:
- The thread
- Bottom

The top and bottom of the bottle are removed, and one cut has been made along the length.

Method 3 (Plastic Water bottle): Tested

Cut top off of bottle
Split into 4 sections
Plug in and turn on disk shredder, in NW corner of room
Hold forwards button
Insert sections lengthways
Losses of:
- The thread

Cut the top of the bottle off.
Cut the bottle into two halves. The base may be difficult to cut, as it is much thicker.
Cut the halves now, so that you have 4 quarters of the bottle.

Method 4 (Water Bottle Threads): Tested

Place a large plastic container under the output of the wood chipper. Alternatively, a cardboard box may be used, but pieces of the plastic may be lost in the seams of the box.
Take the threads from the water bottles that none of the other methods can shred.
Turn on the wood chipper, and WEAR SAFETY GLASSES.
Carefully insert them into the wood chipper.
Turn off the wood chipper when done, and collect the results.
Losses of:
- None, as we are able to use the losses of a previous method.

Carefully insert the tops of the bottles into the wood chippers. Never put your hands inside the wood chipper.

PET Drying

PET needs to be dried prior to extrusion in a Recyclebot as otherwise it will undergo rapid hyrdolyzation at high temperatures, and reduce the molecular mass.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{MOST}}
 [[category:MOST methods]]
-Here is outlined the method to dry shredded PET in a Precision Oven in the MOST lab at Michigan Technological University. PET needs to be dried prior to extrusion in a [[Recyclebot]] as otherwise it will undergo rapid hyrdolyzation at high temperatures, and will reduce the molecular mass.
+{{Template:Status-Model}}
+'''THIS METHOD IS CURRENTLY  A WORK IN PROGRESS'''
-==Equipment==
+Here is outlined the method to shred, clean and dry PET at the MOST lab at Michigan Technological University. For more information on PET mechanisms please see the [[PET Extrusion]] literature review.
-*Precision Scientific, Economy Oven. Serial Number:9509-403. 65-210°C
-*Shredded PET
-*Drying tray (Any metal tray to hold the PET shreds)
-==Procedure==
+==Shredding and Cleaning==
-. Plug in the Precision Oven (The Oven). Ensure that the cable is not too taut, nor too slack, and poses a trip hazard.
+Any PET bottles or containers which are to be to be recycled need to be ground up into smaller pieces first. This is to speed up the drying process, and also, to fit the plastic into the RecycleBot hopper. Approximately 1/4 of the mass of an average water bottle is in the thred and cap region of the main body. This is because this region has to be very resistant to deformation so that the cap can correctly screw on.
+[[Image:WaterBottleSticker.jpg|thumb|The leftover glue from the label on this water bottle.]]
-. Evenly distribute the shredded PET in the drying tray. This exposes more surface area to enhance evaporation speed.
+===Shredding and Cleaning: Equipment===
+*Shredder
+*Oil-based cleaner to remove glue, see step 2. Peanut butter, nail polish remover, and perfume are all recommended. (NO WD40)
+*Scissors or shears
-. Open the oven by firmly opening the door. It may take a quick jerk, but be careful not to topple it.
+===Shredding and Cleaning: General Procedure===
+# Peel any labels and/or different colored plastics off of the bottle.
+# Remove any glue from the wrappings off using your cleaner. MOST used => Duct tape. The sticky side, if repeatedly applied and removed, can pull of the glue. This process, however, takes a significant amount of time.
+# Rinse out your container, and dry, to remove any leftover beverages.
+# Cut apart bottles and containers to fit into your shredder. The threaded section will most likely need to be removed, until a total-shredder is developed.
+# Shred the PET chunks. MOST has used a "Chipper Joe", green wood-chipper and a disk shredder, from Staples. The disk shredder has worked the best so far, with consistent results. The wood chipper is not great for water bottles, it regularly becomes jammed, and has inconsistent sizes.
+# Collect the chunks and store somewhere cool and dry until the drying step, just as a preventative measure to moisture buildup.
-. Place the tray inide the oven.
+===Cutting Techniques===
+Some containers may be made of a thicker plastic than others, so different methods must be taken to prepare them.
-. Close the oven door. If the door seems unable to be closed, check on the bottom right of the doorway. There is a metal piece there, desinged to provide for a tight fit. As such, the door may need to be slightly pushed up as it is closed, to overcome the metal piece.
+====Method 1 (Gatorade Bottles): Tested====
+#Cut apart the bottle as shown in pictures.
+##Top and bottom off
+##Cut in half
+##Trim off curved pieces
+#Plug in and turn on disk shredder (NW corner of room)
+#Hold forwards button
+#Insert slightly curved section into disk shredder.
+#Losses of 14/24g:
+#*The thread
+#*Bottom
+#*Curved top
-.Set the temperature control knob to the desired temperature. The numbers on the knob and the temperatures which they correspond to, are listed below:
+<gallery mode=packed>
+File:PETBottleM1_1.jpg|If using a small knife, firmly pressing it into the bottom edge is a good method. If force is applied near the line, the flashing, it may be easier.
+File:PETBottleM1_2.jpg|After working up to the top of the bottom, slice the thread part off.
+File:PETBottleM1_3.jpg|After cutting the opposite side and around the bottom.
+File:PETBottleM1_4.jpg|One of the final halves, ready to be cut. Note the rounded part is missing.
+</gallery>
-(Not yet)
+====Method 2 (Gatorade Bottle): Tested====
+NOTE: At MOST this doesn't really work, as the bottles decompress inside the wood chipper and jam.
-. Turn on the oven. If the temperature control light does not come on, there is potentially a short in the system. If the light flashes when turning on, there is also a short, but it can be overcome. Turning the power switch on and off rapidly and in a controlled manner can result in the temperature control light staying on, whcih means the oven is warming up.
+#Cut off top and bottom
+#Cut 1 slit in bottle lengthways
+#Turn on wood chipper
+#compress and slide into wood chipper
+#Losses of 10/24g:
+#*The thread
+#*Bottom
-. Wait for 4 hours while the PET dries.
+<gallery mode=packed>
+File:PETBottleM2_1.jpg|The top and bottom of the bottle are removed, and one cut has been made along the length.
+</gallery>
-. Switch off the oven then carefully open the door after letting it cool for a few minutes.
+====Method 3 (Plastic Water bottle): Tested====
+#Cut top off of bottle
+#Split into 4 sections
+#Plug in and turn on disk shredder, in NW corner of room
+#Hold forwards button
+#Insert sections lengthways
+#Losses of:
+#*The thread
-. Quickly place the PET in an airtight container, such as inside two (2) layers of plastic bags that are twisted and tied shut. As long as the PET is not allowed to reabsorb water from the air, any arrangement will work.
+<gallery mode=packed>
+File:PETBottleM3_1.jpg|Cut the top of the bottle off.
+File:PETBottleM3_2.jpg|Cut the bottle into two halves. The base may be difficult to cut, as it is much thicker.
+File:PETBottleM3_3.jpg|Cut the halves now, so that you have 4 quarters of the bottle.
+</gallery>
-. Store PET in a cool dry place until it is to be used.
+====Method 4 (Water Bottle Threads): Tested====
+#Place a large plastic container under the output of the wood chipper. Alternatively, a cardboard box may be used, but pieces of the plastic may be lost in the seams of the box.
+#Take the threads from the water bottles that none of the other methods can shred.
+#Turn on the wood chipper, and WEAR SAFETY GLASSES.
+#Carefully insert them into the wood chipper.
+#Turn off the wood chipper when done, and collect the results.
+#Losses of:
+#*None, as we are able to use the losses of a previous method.
+<gallery mode=packed>
+File:PETBottleM4_1.jpg|Carefully insert the tops of the bottles into the wood chippers. Never put your hands inside the wood chipper.
+</gallery>
+==[[Polymer drying protocol:MOST|PET Drying]]==
+PET needs to be dried prior to extrusion in a [[Recyclebot]] as otherwise it will undergo rapid hyrdolyzation at high temperatures, and reduce the molecular mass.