𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲'𝐬 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐋𝐄𝐃𝐆𝐄 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 : 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 — 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐲.

𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲'𝐬 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐋𝐄𝐃𝐆𝐄 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞

𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 — 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐲.
NIR sorting systems identify polymers by recording how light scatters off a sample. Carbon black absorbs too much of that light, leaving detectors without a usable signal. The result: black plastics are routinely diverted to incineration or landfill, even when the underlying polymer would otherwise hold value.

Raman spectroscopy offers a different approach. A small fraction of scattered light undergoes an energy shift that reveals molecular bond structure. Because Raman scattering occurs at a different wavelength than the incident laser, it can be distinguished and measured even in black and transparent plastics.

Canon's TR-A100 applies this principle as a desktop instrument for material verification and purity checking — not inline sorting. It is designed for quality teams evaluating batch samples after sorting, with the goal of supporting more consistent material quality and higher-value end applications.

Current limitations include additive quantification and interference from strongly fluorescing colorants.

Read the full piece for a technical breakdown of the instrument and its role in the recycling workflow. https://lnkd.in/eke5yP2R

source : Plastics Technology