"AVI-METNET" AVI - METNET - INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH OF NEW SOLUTIONS FOR CLEAN ETCHING WITHOUT GENERATION OF HAZARDOUS WASTE DESCRIPTION During the last decades, plastic metallization processes have gained strength in sectors such as automobiles, white goods, electronics, bathroom accessories, cosmetics, etc. The search for lightweight materials to reduce the weight of automobiles has generalized the use of resins such as ABS, ABS/PC, and polyamides that have good mechanical qualities, with metallic finishes obtained through such metallization processes. The conventional metal plating process for plastics is carried out using electrolytic deposition technologies, which involve a conductive material; In order for the surface of the plastic to present sufficient conductivity for the galvanic processes to take place, the plastic must undergo a series of pre-treatments that culminate in the chemical reduction of nickel or copper on the surface, providing the necessary metallic layer for subsequent deposition. electrolysis of metals. The preparation stages begin with the Etching of the plastic, immersing plastic parts in a hot concentrated solution of chromic and sulfuric acid. The chromic oxidizes the surface of the plastic, producing microcaves that will house palladium nuclei in a later stage, which will promote the chemical reduction of nickel or chemical copper. This stage constitutes the biggest environmental and occupational safety problem in the process. Hexavalent chromium exhibits severe toxicity and carcinogenicity characteristics. For this reason, the REACH regulation has included chromium oxide among the substances to be restricted. Today, chemical companies that develop products for metallizing ABS are trying to replace chromic etching with one based on potassium permanganate. This compound, although less dangerous, is also toxic, irritating and can produce explosive mixtures. Its use and handling are dangerous to health and the environmental impact is also pernicious. OBJECTIVES The project aims to address the solution for the elimination of chromic and potassium permanganate from three approaches. In the first two, emphasis will be placed on the metallizing treatment and the plastic injection process will be noted with a view to simplifying the later stages of metallizing. In the third, the problem of chemical etching will be directly attacked, obviating the need to modify the injection process. The alternatives will be the following: -ABS Compounding with a conductive layer on the surface: the aim is to eliminate the need for pre-treatments aimed at producing the metallic layer necessary for the subsequent electrolytic deposition of metals. Parts will be produced by bi-material injection where the body of the parts will be made of conventional ABS and a superficial layer of conductive plastic. -ABS Compounding with a superficial layer with sacrificial fillers: the aim is to reproduce the etching effect on the surface of the plastic, producing microcaves that will house palladium nuclei at a later stage, as in the conventional process, but eliminating the use of dangerous oxidants such as chromic and permanganate. For this, bimaterial injection will also be used in which the surface will be made of ABS with "sacrificial" nanoparticle loads, such as zinc oxide and/or calcium carbonate. The surface thus formed will be attacked with an acid pickling that will dissolve the nanoparticles, leaving microcaverns in the dislodged sites ready to adsorb the palladium nuclei. -Clean etching without generating residues using ozone in aqueous solution: different ozone formulations will be tested, in combination with other chemical compounds under different operating conditions, and it will be determined if they produce the necessary modification of the ABS surface so that in the the palladium nuclei that will promote the subsequent deposition of chemical nickel are adsorbed. Project Number: 22200067 Grant Agreement: INNEST / 2022/89 Duration: From 01/10/2022 to 30/09/2024 Coordinated at AIDIMME by: LUJAN GARCIA, PEDRO TOMAS R&D Line: CIRCULAR ECONOMY RESULTS OBTAINED Year 2023: The project has planned to address the solution of the elimination of chromic and potassium permanganate in the ABS Mordentation process. In the alternative developed, the chromic acid of that stage is replaced by a combination of ozone in a slightly acidic medium, with another auxiliary oxidant, prior to the activation and chemical nickel treatments prior to the electrolytic processes of metal plating of plastics. The new process is aimed at obtaining an etching with the same chemical deposit adhesion performance as the conventional process, but without using hexavalent chromium in any of the stages. In the new designed process, practically all stages of the conventional process are respected, which will mean that industries do not have to make excessive changes in their production process. The different formulations of the processes to be tested in the experiments have been defined and the characteristics that must be tested in the Etching and chrome coating obtained through the new process have been defined, to establish a comparison with those obtained through the conventional process. A small pilot reactor has been designed and has begun to be built where the Mordentado stage tests will be carried out, designing a configuration to carry out treatment with dissolved ozone supplied in the form of gas nanobubbles. PUBLISHED NEWS general broadcast https://actualidad.aidimme.es/2023/04/04/proyectos/ (...) https://actualidad.aidimme.es/2023/02/01/metnet-mordenta (...) Dissemination companies https://actualidad.aidimme.es/2023/03/07/satis-coating-p (...) PARTNERS AIDIMME - METAL MECHANICAL, FURNITURE, WOOD, PACKAGING AND RELATED TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE, AIJU-ASOC FOR RESEARCH OF THE TOY, RELATED AND RELATED INDUSTRY, UPV - VALENCIA POLYTECHNICAL UNIVERSITY, SATIS COATING, SLU - COORDINATOR, AQUASOLVENT, SL, GRANT 139.852,01 € € TARGET AUDIENCE AND IMPACT MEASUREMENT 1301 Access to the project website 515 Access to news published on own websites. Total Accesses: 1816 Objective Sectors by CNAE CNAE: 2011 - Manufacture of industrial gases - Number of target companies: 5 (2 from the Valencian Community) CNAE: 2222 - Manufacture of containers and packaging of pl - Number of target companies: 341 (99 of the Valencian Community) CNAE: 2223 - Manufacture of even plastic products - Number of target companies: 45 (24 from the Valencian Community) CNAE: 2229 - Manufacture of other plastic products - Number of target companies: 350 (176 from the Valencian Community) CNAE: 2561 - Treatment and coating of metals - Number of target companies: 102 (62 from the Valencian Community) CNAE: 2640 - Manufacture of electronic products of - Number of target companies: 9 (8 from the Valencian Community) CNAE: 2751 - Manufacture of household appliances - No. of target companies: 20 (5 from the Valencian Community) CNAE: 2752 - Manufacture of domestic appliances not the - Number of target companies: 6 (3 from the Valencian Community) CNAE: 2910 - Manufacture of motor vehicles - Number of target companies: 15 (9 from the Valencian Community) CNAE: 2931 - Manufacture of electrical and elec equipment - No. of target companies: 17 (7 from the Valencian Community) CNAE: 2932 - Manufacture of other components, parts - No. of target companies: 118 (52 from the Valencian Community) CNAE: 3102 - Manufacture of kitchen furniture - Number of target companies: 666 (155 from the Valencian Community) CNAE: 3109 - Manufacture of other furniture - No. of target companies: 5579 (1327 in the Valencian Community) CNAE: 3240 - Manufacture of games and toys - Number of target companies: 22 (17 from the Valencian Community) TRACTOR COMPANIES Thanks to its support and signature of the "declaration of participation" the project has been funded. COMPANIES DIFFUSION R&D PROJECTS They want to know first-hand the evolution of the project, and its progress to the final result. COMPANIES TRANSFER KNOWLEDGE They will implement technologies, develop strategies or look for new models based on the results.