Technological watch

Plates of polymers were ground in a hammer mill with different pretreatments. With the results, it is possible to create a better understanding of the comminution of polymers and transfer the results to a hybrid composite containing metal and polymer. Findings can contribute to a more successful recycling of hybrid components.ZusammenfassungTo increase the recycling rate of components used in electric vehicles, metal–polymer composites are to be separated. As a basis, samples of polymers are ground in a hammer mill to analyze the influence of various pretreatments. The resulting particle size distributions are related to the mechanical properties of the polymers. The results can be used for a comminution of a metal–polymer composite from an electric vehicle's battery housing and show that lower temperatures perform the best for individual materials and composites. The complexity of the components and the type of joining also influence the comminution success of composite components, as a separation of the materials is easier with low complexity and force closure.