RECYCLED POLYOLEFIN COMPONENT FOR HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES

Abstract

A component for household appliances made of a plastic mixture comprising recycled polyolefin composition deriving from post-consumer plastic materials and/or post-industrial plastic materials and at least one filler. Also provided are a household appliance including the component and a method for manufacturing the household appliance by using the component.

Claims

1. A component for household appliances, the component being made of a plastic mixture comprising recycled polyolefin composition deriving from post-consumer plastic materials and at least one filler, wherein the recycled polyolefin composition contains at least one of: 7-1000 ppm of lead, 5-100 ppm of cadmium, 0.01-1000 ppm of mercury, 10-1000 ppm of chromium, and 5-400 ppm of bromine.

2. The component according to claim 1, wherein the recycled polyolefin composition contains at least one of: 7-90 ppm of lead, 5-40 ppm of cadmium, 0.01-10 ppm of mercury, 10-100 ppm of chromium, 5-100 ppm of bromine.

3. The component according to claim 1, wherein that said plastic mixture comprises: 10-60% recycled polyolefin; and 0.1-60% filler; the percentages being by weight of the total plastic mixture.

4. The component according to claim 1, wherein said recycled polyolefin composition comprises recycled polypropylene.

5. The component according to claim 1, wherein said recycled polyolefin composition comprises: 60-90% polypropylene; 0-20% polyethylene; 0-10% styrenic resin selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, high-impact polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and mixtures thereof; 0-10% other polymers selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephtalate, polyacrylate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyoxymethylene, poly(p-phenylene oxide) and mixtures thereof, the percentages being by weight of the total recycled polyolefin.

6. The component according to claim 1, wherein the plastic mixture further comprises 0 to 50% neat polypropylene by weight of the total plastic mixture.

7. The component according to claim 1, wherein said filler is selected from the group consisting of a mineral filler, a reinforcing filler and mixtures thereof.

8. The component according to claim 7, wherein said mineral filler is selected from calcium carbonate and talc.

9. The component according to claim 7, wherein said reinforcing filler is selected from the group consisting of glass fibers and natural fibers.

10. The component according to claim 1, wherein said plastic mixture further comprises from 0 to 1% additives by weight of the plastic mixture selected from the group consisting of antioxidants and lubricants.

11. The component according to claim 1, wherein said component is selected from the group consisting of structural component and non-structural component of the household appliance.

12. The component according to claim 11, wherein said structural component is made of a plastic mixture comprising: 10-60% recycled polyolefin; 0-50% neat polyolefin; 0-60% mineral filler; 0-40% reinforcing filler, the percentages being by weight of the total plastic mixture.

13. The component according to claim 12, wherein the structural component is selected from the group consisting of a washing machine tub, washer drier tub and drier tub.

14. The component according to claim 11, wherein said non-structural component is made of a plastic mixture comprising: 30-60% recycled polyolefin; 0-60% mineral filler; 0-20% reinforcing filler, the percentages being by weight of the total plastic mixture.

15. The component according to claim 14, wherein the non-structural component is selected from the group consisting of a washing machine rear panel, a washing machine softener case, a washer drier rear panel, a washer drier softener case, a drier rear panel, a drier base, a dish washer base, a dish washer shelf, a dish washer sump, a dish washer salt case, a dish washer softener case, a dish washer tank, a food preservation household appliance carters and conduit cover.

Description

EXAMPLE 1

[0072] In following table 1, there are illustrated five different plastic mixtures according to the invention.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Structural uses non-Structural uses Compositions compositions Component #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 Recycled 14.25 57.00 57.00 57.00 44.00 Polypropylene Neat Polypropylene 42.75 — — — — Additives  1.00 1.00  1.00  1.00  1.00 Polymer grafting — 2 3   — — Mineral filler 42.00 30.00 — 42.00 55.00 Reinforcement fiber — 10.00 30.00 — — Weight in parts hundred of compound (phc)

[0073] The mechanical properties of mixtures #1 and #4 of table 1 are illustrated in table 2.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Structural uses non-Structural uses Compositions compositions Mechanical property #1 #4 Density 1220 ± 12 kg/m.sup.3 1277 ± 12 kg/m.sup.3 Flexural modulus (1.3 mm/ >3500 MPa >2100 MPa min) at 23° C. Flexural modulus (1.3 mm/ >1000 >300 MPa min) at 80° C. Tensile stress at yield (50 >40 MPa >12 MPa mm/min) at 23° C. Strain at yield (50 mm/min) at >4% >4% 23° C. Resilience Izod A at 23° C. >5 kJ/m.sup.2 >4 kJ/m.sup.2 Resilience Izod E at 23° C. >20 kJ/m.sup.2 >50 kJ/m.sup.2