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Applied Sciences
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Recent Advances in the Plastics Recycling and Upcycling
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Recent Advances in the Plastics Recycling and Upcycling

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Green Sustainable Science and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 August 2023) | Viewed by 3609

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Justin M. Miller

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN 37132, USA
Interests: biophysical chemistry; enzymes; biodegradation mechanisms; polymer hydrolases; fluorescence; thermodynamics; kinetics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plastic products are routinely deposited into the environment because of a broad range of human activities. Sources of plastic pollution include industrial waste, personal care products, littering, etc. The accumulation of plastics in the environment is associated with negative effects that include the harmful release of chemicals, the alteration of soil systems leading to negative agricultural effects, unknown effects on the digestive tracts of wildlife, and alterations in species diversity. Additional concern relates to microplastics, which are defined as plastic particles under 5 mm in diameter that provide novel microbial growth environments and related shifts in microbial species diversity towards the colonization of microplastic surfaces with known human pathogens. For both macroscopic plastics and microplastics, advancements in plastic recycling and upcycling are critically needed to combat their continued accumulation in aquatic and soil environments. In addition, knowledge of plastic biodegradation processes will also allow for the rational design of improved recycling and upcycling processes. This Special Issue brings together perspectives from a diverse range of authors that broadly discuss recent advances in the field.

Dr. Justin M. Miller
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • plastics
  • plastic recycling and/or upcycling
  • biodegradation
  • microplastics
  • biodegradable polymers
  • sustainability
  • green chemistry

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 2567 KiB  
Article
Advancing Plastic Waste Classification and Recycling Efficiency: Integrating Image Sensors and Deep Learning Algorithms
by Janghee Choi, Byeongju Lim and Youngjun Yoo
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(18), 10224; https://doi.org/10.3390/app131810224 - 12 Sep 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2687
Abstract
Plastics, with their versatility and cost-effectiveness, have become indispensable materials across various industries. However, the improper disposal and mismanagement of plastic waste have led to significant environmental issues, including pollution, habitat destruction, and threats to wildlife. To address these challenges, numerous methods for [...] Read more.
Plastics, with their versatility and cost-effectiveness, have become indispensable materials across various industries. However, the improper disposal and mismanagement of plastic waste have led to significant environmental issues, including pollution, habitat destruction, and threats to wildlife. To address these challenges, numerous methods for plastic waste sorting and recycling have been developed. While conventional techniques like near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) have been effective to some extent, they face difficulties in accurately classifying chemically similar samples, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and PET-glycol (PET-G), which have similar chemical compositions but distinct physical characteristics. This paper introduces an approach that adapts image sensors and deep learning object detection algorithms; specifically, the You Only Look Once (YOLO) model, to enhance plastic waste classification based on the shape of the waste. Unlike conventional methods that rely solely on spectral analysis, our methodology aims to significantly improve the accuracy and efficiency of classifying plastics, especially when dealing with materials having similar chemical compositions but differing physical attributes. The system developed using image sensors and the YOLO model proves to be not only effective but also scalable and adaptable for various industrial and environmental applications. In our experiments, the results are strikingly effective. We achieved a classification accuracy rate exceeding 91.7% mean Average Precision (mAP) in distinguishing between PET and PET-G, surpassing conventional techniques by a considerable margin. The implications of this research extend far and wide. By enhancing the accuracy of plastic waste sorting and reducing misclassification rates, we can significantly boost recycling efficiency. The proposed approach contributes to a more sustainable and efficient plastic waste management system, alleviating the strain on landfills and mitigating the environmental impact of plastic waste, contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in the Plastics Recycling and Upcycling)
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18 pages, 4976 KiB  
Article
Analysis and Test of the Tillage Layer Roll-Type Residual Film Recovery Mechanism
by Zenglu Shi, Xuejun Zhang, Xiaopeng Liu, Mengchen Kang, Jieting Yao and Lei Guo
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7598; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13137598 - 27 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 715
Abstract
With the extensive use of plastic film mulching in planting, the amount of residual plastic film in soil has been increasing, causing soil and water pollution, harming crop growth, and reducing agricultural product quality and yield. In response to this issue, this study [...] Read more.
With the extensive use of plastic film mulching in planting, the amount of residual plastic film in soil has been increasing, causing soil and water pollution, harming crop growth, and reducing agricultural product quality and yield. In response to this issue, this study proposes a roll-type residual film recovery mechanism using the tillage layer method. The structure and operation principles of this system are discussed, and a detailed analysis of its key components and working process is provided. The lifting cutter operates at a speed of 22.37 rad/s, the pick-up drum at 4.58 rad/s, the roll forward rotation picks up the film at 13.74 rad/s, and the roll reverse film rotation unloads the film at 17.57 rad/s, with the unloading wheel rotating at a speed of 4.5 rad/s. ADAMS (software of automatic dynamic analysis of mechanical systems) Version No.2019 is used for modeling and analysis, and the displacement and velocity change patterns of MARKER_499, MARKER_500, and MARKER_505, which are marked points of the spring-tooth tips and are found to be the same. The maximum resultant displacement of MARKER_499 and MARKER_500 is 22.146 mm when picking up plastic film and 17.047 mm when unloading plastic film. Meanwhile, the maximum resultant displacement of MARKER_500 and MARKER_505 is 231.715 mm in the film-picking area and 234.028 mm in the film-unloading area. After analyzing the velocity of MARKER_499 during picking and unloading of the film, it was determined that the absolute velocity for the picking direction was 79,809.407 mm/s, and for the unloading direction it was 10,2266.168 mm/s. Bench tests show a tillage gathering rate of 71.6% and a surface gathering rate of 83.4%, meeting the performance requirements of the roller-type residual film recovery mechanism. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the design of the structure and operational parameters for the roll-type residual film recovery mechanism using the tillage layer method. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in the Plastics Recycling and Upcycling)
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