Strategies for improving product properties of thermoformed multilayer cups with contents of post‐consumer polypropylene recyclates

Thermoformed products bear great potential for the application of recycled materials when using multilayer structures incorporating post-consumer recyclates. For this study, four different commercially available polypropylene recyclates are selected as possible core layers processing thermoformed with top virgin polypropylene. Tests performed on material level well product level. At level, exhibit mechanical property profiles lower stiffness but higher toughness values due to polyethylene contamination. cups recyclate show shrinkage than made from only. Most content achieve load control cup. Based these results, three strategies improving performance defined and tested. Namely, (i) use a share layers, (ii) blending layer stiffness, (iii) increase in overall film thickness. All adjust structure better results terms behavior load. However, strategy that focuses increasing thickness is not economically feasible.