Processing of Plastics and Rubber

Code

Course teacher

Associate teachers

Status of the course

Course objectives

- Understanding the modern methods of plastics and rubber processing
- Understanding the modern methods of recovery of plastic and rubber waste
- Implementation of the adopted basic knowledge in finding optimal solutions in the processing and recycling of plastics and rubber

Course enrolment requirements and entry competences required for the course

Enrolled in or passed the cours Exercises in Processing of Plastics and Rubber

Learning outcomes expected at the level of the course (4 to 10 learning outcomes)

After passing the exam, the student is expected to be able to:
- identify and compare the properties and behavior of the polymers during processing and application
- explain the importance of polymer additives
- explain the most important methods of polymer processing
- explain the difference between plastic and rubber
- choose the optimal method for recovery of plastic and rubber waste

Course content broken down in detail by weekly class schedule (syllabus)

1st week: Historical development plastics and rubber processing methods. The nomenclature of the polymer. Introduction to the structure and processing of polymers.
2nd week: Types of polymers: thermoplastics, thermosets, elastomers, thermoplastic elastomers.
3rd week: Mechanical and thermal properties of polymers.
4th week: The rheological properties of the polymers.
5th week: Additives to polymers. Processing procedures.
6th week: Primary shaping procedures. Continuous processes: calendering, continuous coating.
7th week: Primary shaping procedures. Continuous processes: extrusion. coextrusion.
8th week: Primary shaping processes. Discontinuous: casting, sintering, compression molding, transfer molding.
9th week: Primary shaping processes. Discontinuous: injection molding. Specific injection molding procedures (gas assisted injection moulding, inserts in plastic mouldings, structural foam, pultrusion).
10th week: Secondary shaping procedures: warm and cold secondary shaping, blowing, drawing, shrinkage.
11th week: Bonding, welding. Surface improvement of plastics.
12th week: Production of foamed and reinforced (composite) plastics.
13th week: Methods of recovery of plastic waste: material (mechanical, chemical, a solvent) and energy. Disposal of plastic waste.
14th week: Rubber, elastomeric material, vulcanisate. Natural and synthetic rubber. Methods of rubber processing: mastication, vulcanization.
15th week: Design and manufacture of rubber tires. Recycling of tires and rubber regeneration.

Format of instruction:

Student responsibilities

Attending lectures in the 80% amount of the total number of lessons.