C. Fitton-Gillen, A. Rivera, C. Pazmino-Izquierdo, C. Li
Hudson County Community College,
United States
Keywords: nanocomposite, recyclable, electrical, conductive, carbon black
Summary:
We developed an exciting environmentally conscious product, a completely recyclable wire. As stated by Climate our Future.org, “One of the most common materials used in many household and commercial products is plastic-coated wire”. While plastic coated wire can be recycled, it is a complex process that demands specialized equipment. In the National Library of Medicine (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) “A Systematic Review of E-Waste Generation and Environmental Management of Asia Pacific Countries” was published. The publishing states that “Due to the rapid increase in the use of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) worldwide, e-waste has become a critical environmental issue for many governments around the world. Several studies have pointed out that failure to adopt appropriate recycling practices for e-waste may cause environmental disasters and health concerns to humans due to the presence of hazardous materials”. We are currently in Phase One of our project, creating a nanocomposite wire that is conductive, using the nanoparticles of carbon black (BK 1200) and polyolefin powder. With further research, we will move into Phase Two; creating a die for the new recyclable wires to be extruded. The goal is to reduce e-waste around the world while saving money in manufacturing costs.