Abstract To recycle post-consumer HDPE contaminated with waste lubricating oils, companies include prior washing and drying in the process. This consumes large amounts of water and energy, generates significant effluent requiring treatment. This study assesses lubricating oil influence on HDPE properties to evaluate the feasibility of its direct mechanical recycling without washing. The current lubricating oil packaging reverse logistics in Rio de Janeiro municipality is also analyzed. HDPE bottle samples were processed with seven oil contents ranging from 1.6-29.4 (wt%). The results indicated the possibility to reprocess the polymer with oily residue not exceeding 3.2%. At higher levels, the external oil lubricating action affects the plastic matrix processing in the extruder and injection, and the recycled material has a burnt oil odor and free oil on the surface. Small residual oil amounts retain the plastic properties comparable to the washed recycled polymer and exhibited benefits associated with the oil plasticizer action. However, oil presence above 7.7% significantly changes the properties and reduces the elasticity and flexural modulus and the plastic matrix crystallinity.

O comportamento reológico da polpa de cupuaçu integral foi determinado na faixa de temperatura de 10 a 60ºC. Os efeitos da temperatura e da taxa de deformação foram avaliados por meio de testes em cisalhamento estacionário. As análises reológicas foram conduzidas num reômetro Thermo Haake RheoStress 1. Os reogramas foram descritos pelos modelos reológicos de Ostwald-de-Waelle e o de Herschel-Bulkley. As curvas de escoamento mais bem ajustadas pelo modelo de Ostwald-de-Waelle. O produto apresentou comportamento pseudoplástico, e o índice de comportamento de fluxo (n) decresceu com o aumento da temperatura. O efeito da temperatura sobre a viscosidade aparente foi descrita por uma equação tipo Arrhenius e discutida em termos de energia de ativação. Essa energia aumentou com o aumento da taxa de deformação, sendo obtidos valores na faixa de 1 a 2 kcal/gmol.

The rheological behavior of the entire cupuassu pulp was determined in the temperature range 10 - 60ºC. The effects of temperature and deformation rate were evaluated by means of shear flow tests. Rheometry analyses were conducted with a Thermo Haake RheoStress 1 system. Rheograms were described by models by Ostwald-of-Waelle and Herschel-Bulkley. The Ostwald-of-Waelle model successfully represented pulp flow behavior. The product presented shear-thinning behavior and the flow behavior index (n) decreased with the increase of temperature. The effect of temperature on the apparent viscosity in cupuassu pulp was described by an Arrhenius equation and discussed in terms of activation energy. The increase in shear rate caused an energy increase, and values were obtained in the range of a line from 1 to 2 kcal/gmol.