Polymer Composites; Polypropylene; Charcoal Fines; Mechanical Properties; Circular Economy
Development of Recycled Polypropylene Composites Reinforced with Vegetable Charcoal Fines
Climate change has increasingly shown us the urgency of seeking sustainable, low-carbon materials. It is in this context that advanced composites stand out, as they are essential in sectors such as transportation, renewable energy, and civil construction. One of the most widely used polymers today is polypropylene (PP), but when recycled, it loses some of its thermal and mechanical properties. To overcome this limitation, one of the most promising approaches has been to reinforce this material with waste. At the same time, the charcoal industry generates a significant amount of charcoal fines – small particles resulting from the friable nature of charcoal, which account for between 25% and 35% of the total volume of charcoal produced. This waste has, for the most part, been discarded, with no technological application reported for it. With that in mind, this project proposes to develop composites made from recycled polypropylene reinforced with charcoal fines, combining a recycled matrix with an agro-industrial waste. The major differentiator lies precisely in the use of a residue that, until now, had never been applied to obtain technological materials. The resulting composite has great market potential and can be used in packaging, civil construction, transportation, consumer goods, and even medical devices.