Case Study: Separation of Materials

Dibon John H. Seron

Mechanical Engineering Department, Univeristy of Cebu – Lapu-lapu and Mandaue
Lilo-an Cebu, Philippines
dibonjohnseron@gmail.com
Objective/s
Because of the amount of handling that occurs during
material production, within warehouses, and during
manufacturing operations, along with the handling of loading,
unloading, and shipping, material mix-ups and mixed materials
are not an uncommon occurrence. Mixed materials also occur
when industrial scrap is collected or when discarded products are
used as raw materials through recycling. Assume that you have
equipment to perform each of the tests described in this chapter
(as well as access to the full spectrum of household and
department store items and even a small machine shop). For each
of the following material combinations, determine a procedure
that would permit separation of the mixed materials. Use
standard data-source references to help identify distinguishable
properties.
I. DISCUSSION AND RESULTS
1. Steel and aluminum cans that have been submitted for
recycling
Properties of Materials
 Steel – is an alloy of iron and carbon and other
elements. Because of its high tensile strength and low
cost, it is a major component used in buildings,
infrastructure, tools, ships, automobiles, machines,
appliances and weapons.[1]
 Aluminum - is a shiny, silvery white colored metal
that is light in weight and strong. It has a density of
2.7 g/mL, which means the metal will sink in water,
but is still relatively light.[2]
Method of Separation
In separating these two materials for recycling, we could
use a magnet. The steel cans will be attracted to the magnet
since they possess magnetic properties, while the aluminum
cans don’t.
2. Stainless steel sheets of Type 430 ferritic stainless and
Type 316 austenitic stainless.
Properties of Materials
 Stainless steel sheets of Type 430 ferritic stainless -
is a non-hardenable steel containing straight
chromium and belongs to the ferritic group of steels.
This steel is known for its good corrosion resistance
and formability, coupled with practical mechanical
properties. It can be used in certain chemical
applications due to its resistance to nitric acid.[3]
 Type 316 austenitic stainless - is a chromium-
nickel-molybdenum austenitic stainless steel with
good strength and excellent corrosion resistance, as
supplied in the annealed condition with a typical
brinell hardness of 175.Characterised by high
corrosion resistance in marine and industrial
atmospheres, it exhibits excellent resistance to
chloride attack and against complex suphur
compounds employed in the pulp and paper
processing industries. [4]
Method of Separation
In separating these two materials, we could use a magnet.
The type 430 ferrictic stainless steel will be attracted to the
magnet while the type 316 austenitic stainless steel don’t.
3. 6061-T6 aluminum and AZ91 magnesium that have
become mixed in a batch of machine shop scrap.
Properties of Materials
 6061-T6 aluminum - is a precipitation-hardened
aluminum alloy, containing magnesium and silicon as
its major alloying elements. It has good mechanical
properties, exhibits good weldability, and is very
commonly extruded. It is one of the most common
alloys of aluminum for general-purpose use.[5]
  AZ91 strength steel manganese
magnesium - is  Polypropylene - with good containing low
the most widely is one of those tensile strength. alloy steel. It
used magnesium rather versatile Suitable for has high fatigue
die cast alloy polymers out shafts, stressed strength,
and has an there. It serves pins, studs, keys abrasion and
excellent double duty, etc. We can impact
combination of both as a plastic supply AISI resistance,
mechanical and as a fiber. 1040 as round toughness, and
properties, As a plastic it's drawn/turned, torsional
corrosion used to make round hot rolled, strength.[11]
resistance, and things like hexagon, square,
castability.[6] dishwasher-safe flats and plate. Method of Separation
food containers. [10]
Method of Separation The two materials
Method of Separation Method of Separation could be separated
To separate these through melting them.
materials, a magnet will The way to separate The materials could Since they have different
be used. Since aluminum these two materials is by be separated through melting points, the one
does not attract with boiling them in a Laser-induced that will melt first would
magnets, the AZ91 container, polyethylene breakdown spectroscopy. be the 4140-steel rolled
magnesium will stick softens at around 80 The laser is focused to bar.
with the magnet and will degrees Celsius while the form a plasma, which
be separated from the polypropylene softens at atomizes and excites
other substance. 140 degrees Celsius. samples II. CONCLUSION
From that, the ones that
will soften first are the From this study, I
4. Transparent bottles
polyethylene bottles learned that, knowing
of polyethylene and 6. Hot-rolled bars of
while you will be left about the properties of
polypropylene (both AISI 1040 (plain-
with polypropylene the materials, will let us
thermoplastic carbon) steel and
bottles that are not yet know how we could deal
polymers) that have 4140 steel (a
deformed. with them, we could also
been collected for molybdenum-
differentiate and separate
recycling. containing alloy)
them from other
5. Hot-rolled bars of
materials and lastly, we
Properties of Materials AISI 1008 and 1040 Properties of Materials could alter the properties
steel.
it possesses and
 Polyethylene -  AISI 1040 Steel transform them to
light, versatile Properties of Materials – An unalloyed become a new material
synthetic resin medium carbon with better properties.
made from the  AISI 1008 Steel steel. AISI 1040
polymerization - It has the is a medium
of ethylene. highest thermal strength steel REFERENCES
Polyethylene is conductivity with good
a member of the among wrought tensile strength. [1]

important family carbon or non- Suitable for https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St

of polyolefin alloy steels. In shafts, stressed eel
[2]
resins. It is the addition, it has a pins, studs, keys
etc. We can http://chemistry.elmhurst.edu/vc
most widely fairly low hembook/102aluminum.html
used plastic in electrical supply AISI [3]
the world, being conductivity and 1040 as round https://www.azom.com/article.a
made into can have a fairly drawn/turned, spx?ArticleID=996
products ranging low tensile round hot rolled, [4]

from clear food strength. hexagon, square, http://www.interlloy.com.au/our

-products/stainless-steel/316-
wrap and flats and plate.
austenitic-stainless-steel-
shopping bags  1040 Steel – An [10] bar/
to detergent unalloyed [5]

bottles and medium carbon  4140 Steel - is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/60

automobile fuel steel. AISI 1040 chromium, 61_aluminium_alloy
tanks.[7] is a medium molybdenum,
[6]

https://www.dynacast.com/az91
d
[7]

https://www.britannica.com/scie
nce/polyethylene
[8]

http://www.pslc.ws/macrog/pp.
htm
[9]

https://www.makeitfrom.com/m
aterial-properties/SAE-AISI-
1008-
G10080-Carbon-Steel
[10]

https://www.steelexpress.co.uk/
engineeringsteel/AISI-
1040.html
[11]

https://www.azom.com/article.a
spx?ArticleID=6769