Sustainable Recycling of Mooring Ropes from Decommissioned Offshore Platforms: Development of New Products Based on Post-Consumer Polyethylene and Polyester Fibers

Decommissioning Offshore Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) platforms is a process that requires technical expertise in a variety of technical endeavors. The mooring systems of FPSO platforms use high-tenacity polyester yarn, which is based on high molecular weight polyethylene terephthalate (PET). They are of high value and shouldn't be thrown away like any other trash. The present study aims to evaluate the development of new materials based on post-consumer polyethylene with the addition of different content of PET fibers (0, 5, 10, and 15 wt.%) processed by fusion in a twin-screw extruder with a side feeder. The processing conditions were set so that the polyester remained in the fiber shape in the melt bulk. In a second step of the study, a compatibilizer agent (polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride-PE-g-MA) was added in the PE/PET fiber blends to evaluate the improvement in the interaction between phases. Mechanical, rheological, and morphological analyses were carried out and showed that PE/PET fiber blends are promising structured materials to be used for the development of new materials with different properties. This study is in line with the goals of the global circular economy.