The study used a technology called flash joule heating, which was first shown in 2020
The waste is ground into a powder, then subjected tohigh voltage to heat up to 2027°C to 2727°C. This quickly turns the carbon in the material into graphene flakes while other elements evaporate into gases that can be collected and used in other industrial processes.
Researchers from Ford contacted the laboratoryJames Tour at Rice University to test whether this method could be used to recycle mixed plastic waste from end-of-life vehicles. The company shipped more than 10 pounds of shredded plastic from bumpers, gaskets, carpets, seats and door trims from older F-150 pickups.
Rice's team first crushed the material.It was then heated with a low current for 10–16 seconds, resulting in a highly charred plastic material. Only 30% of the original mass of the material remains in solid form. A large proportion releases gases or turns into waxes and oils rich in hydrocarbons. These are, according to the team, useful industrial materials.
Then the carbonized plastic was treated with a strong current. As a result, 85% of its mass turned into graphene. The rest, as before, forms hydrogen, oxygen, chlorine, silicon and trace elements.
The resulting graphene can be used in variousareas. Rice's team gave the graphene back to the Ford team, which used it to strengthen its polyurethane foam. This material is used to insulate cars from noise and vibration. In foam containing 0.1% graphene, strength increases by 34% and noise absorption increases by 25%.
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