Résumé
New recycling method for PET is investigated by manufacturing thermoplastic tapes using recycled PolyEthylene Terephthalate (PET) as matrix. PET, which is widely used in the packaging industry, especially for bottles, remains a challenge due to the degradation of its properties during mechanical recycling. Faced with these challenges, a new recycling method for PET is investigated by manufacturing recycled and recyclable thermoplastic tapes using recycled PET as matrix. The process is based on a dissolution-precipitation method inspired by the phase inversion membrane technique. A solubility theory have been used to identify the best solvent/non-solvent combinations.Experimental results show the efficiency of three solvents: Trifluoroacetic Acid (TFA) , Hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) and Gamma-Valerolacone (GVL) combined with water and ethanol as non-solvent and evaporation to dissolve and precipitate PET in the fibrous reinforcement to create the thermoplastic tape. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analyses show that the chemical structure of PET has been preserved. SEM images reveal the influence of the choice of solvent/non-solvent combination on porosity and pore distribution in the material.Proof-of-concept studies carried out with TFA and HFIP suggest that the HFIP/ethanol combination is the most suitable for minimizing degradation and maximizing the matrix content in the fibrous reinforcement. This work therefore lays the foundations for the development of this new recycling method as part of a move towards a circular economy and a reduction in the impact of composite materials, which are difficult to recycle.