MARCAÇÃO FLUORESCENTE PARA VISUALIZAÇÃO DA DISTRIBUIÇÃO DE PET RECICLADO EM ESPUMAS DE POLIURETANO

The production of flexible polyurethane foams uses 98% commodity products and 2% specialty chemicals. As a consequence, commodities represent more than 90% of the raw material costs. Historically, the industry has always procured alternatives to replace them, at least partially. Therefore, for decades, different mineral fillers were used to replace commodities, but these were prohibited by the 2011 ABNT standardization of mattresses that stipulated an ash content equal to zero. The use of micronized recycled PolyEthylene Terephthalate (PET) as an organic filler is technically feasible up to at least 21.9%, representing a cost reduction of 5 to 10% per foam block produced, in addition to the ecological appeal of offering a more noble destination for recycled material. The fluorescent marking of PET permits the visualization of the three-dimensional distribution of recycled PET in Polyurethane Foams and relate it to the maintenance of the standard physical properties when an adequate surfactant is employed.