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E-Thesis 126 views

The upcycling of waste medical plastic from the health care sector / DANIEL HARMAN

Swansea University Author: DANIEL HARMAN

Abstract

The aim of this research is to find if it is possible to take a Confidence BE stoma bag, dissolve it in a solvent (or solvent mixture) and then use the resulting solution to synthesis carbon nanotubes. CNTs can have numerous applications but the aim is to convert them into electrical wires due to th...

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Published: Swansea 2022
Institution: Swansea University
Degree level: Master of Research
Degree name: MSc by Research
Supervisor: Orbaek White, Alvin
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa59818
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first_indexed 2022-04-13T14:27:20Z
last_indexed 2022-04-15T03:31:23Z
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fullrecord <?xml version="1.0"?><rfc1807><datestamp>2022-04-14T21:25:49.3514530</datestamp><bib-version>v2</bib-version><id>59818</id><entry>2022-04-13</entry><title>The upcycling of waste medical plastic from the health care sector</title><swanseaauthors><author><sid>b24866990483ddf6c7cd1be4c6fff057</sid><firstname>DANIEL</firstname><surname>HARMAN</surname><name>DANIEL HARMAN</name><active>true</active><ethesisStudent>false</ethesisStudent></author></swanseaauthors><date>2022-04-13</date><abstract>The aim of this research is to find if it is possible to take a Confidence BE stoma bag, dissolve it in a solvent (or solvent mixture) and then use the resulting solution to synthesis carbon nanotubes. CNTs can have numerous applications but the aim is to convert them into electrical wires due to the very high charge carrying capacity of CNTs1. The idea is to recycle the stoma bags to achieve a circular economy within SALTs healthcare. The recycling of the stoma bags will also help to start tackling the problem with plastic pollution. Toluene and M cresol were used as solvents to attempt to dissolve the different plastics the stoma bags are made up from. The temperature, stirring speed and particle size were manipulated to attempt to find the most suitable ways to complete dissolution of the stoma bag. COMSOL Multiphysics was utilised after the lab had to be closed to attempt to simulate the dissolution. Both the lamina flow and transport of dilute species modules were used in the simulations that were run to attempt to model dissolution. Carbon nanotubes have been synthesised from pure toluene, pure m-cresol, commercial grade toluene, and a solution of Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) dissolved in toluene. Various different growth conditions were used in the synthesis of the CNT and the highest mass produced was, 0.2674 g (EXP 3, Table 6). This mass of CNT was synthesised from toluene and LDPE. 3 different ways for calculating the heat of formation of the CNTs were used, the answers are vastly different as are the methods and it is difficult to determine which value is the most accurate. A SEM and Raman spectroscopy have been used to attempt to find the quality and quantity of some of the CNT samples, the results can be seen in Appendix I &amp; II to draw proper conclusions about the quality and quantity of CNTs produced more analysis would be needed. The overall conclusion that I have been able to draw from the research that I have completed for this thesis is that the dissolution of the stoma bag and then the conversion of the resulting solution into CNTs is a viable method of recycling the stoma bag. While there are still some creases that need to be ironed out with regards to the best method for scale up and the most effective temperatures and either flow velocities or agitation speeds for the dissolution, it is clear to see that CNTs can and have been produced and these CNTs can be used for a vast range of different applications. The initial aim of the research was to upcycle waste medical plastic, and this has been completed throughout the course of this research so I can conclude that this method of upcycling the stoma bags supplied by SALTs Healthcare is a valid method.</abstract><type>E-Thesis</type><journal/><volume/><journalNumber/><paginationStart/><paginationEnd/><publisher/><placeOfPublication>Swansea</placeOfPublication><isbnPrint/><isbnElectronic/><issnPrint/><issnElectronic/><keywords/><publishedDay>8</publishedDay><publishedMonth>4</publishedMonth><publishedYear>2022</publishedYear><publishedDate>2022-04-08</publishedDate><doi/><url/><notes>Due to Embargo and/or Third Party Copyright restrictions, this thesis is not available via this service.</notes><college>COLLEGE NANME</college><CollegeCode>COLLEGE CODE</CollegeCode><institution>Swansea University</institution><supervisor>Orbaek White, Alvin</supervisor><degreelevel>Master of Research</degreelevel><degreename>MSc by Research</degreename><degreesponsorsfunders>Salts Healthcare</degreesponsorsfunders><apcterm/><lastEdited>2022-04-14T21:25:49.3514530</lastEdited><Created>2022-04-13T15:16:05.3911472</Created><path><level id="1">Faculty of Science and Engineering</level><level id="2">School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Uncategorised</level></path><authors><author><firstname>DANIEL</firstname><surname>HARMAN</surname><order>1</order></author></authors><documents/><OutputDurs/></rfc1807>
spelling 2022-04-14T21:25:49.3514530 v2 59818 2022-04-13 The upcycling of waste medical plastic from the health care sector b24866990483ddf6c7cd1be4c6fff057 DANIEL HARMAN DANIEL HARMAN true false 2022-04-13 The aim of this research is to find if it is possible to take a Confidence BE stoma bag, dissolve it in a solvent (or solvent mixture) and then use the resulting solution to synthesis carbon nanotubes. CNTs can have numerous applications but the aim is to convert them into electrical wires due to the very high charge carrying capacity of CNTs1. The idea is to recycle the stoma bags to achieve a circular economy within SALTs healthcare. The recycling of the stoma bags will also help to start tackling the problem with plastic pollution. Toluene and M cresol were used as solvents to attempt to dissolve the different plastics the stoma bags are made up from. The temperature, stirring speed and particle size were manipulated to attempt to find the most suitable ways to complete dissolution of the stoma bag. COMSOL Multiphysics was utilised after the lab had to be closed to attempt to simulate the dissolution. Both the lamina flow and transport of dilute species modules were used in the simulations that were run to attempt to model dissolution. Carbon nanotubes have been synthesised from pure toluene, pure m-cresol, commercial grade toluene, and a solution of Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) dissolved in toluene. Various different growth conditions were used in the synthesis of the CNT and the highest mass produced was, 0.2674 g (EXP 3, Table 6). This mass of CNT was synthesised from toluene and LDPE. 3 different ways for calculating the heat of formation of the CNTs were used, the answers are vastly different as are the methods and it is difficult to determine which value is the most accurate. A SEM and Raman spectroscopy have been used to attempt to find the quality and quantity of some of the CNT samples, the results can be seen in Appendix I & II to draw proper conclusions about the quality and quantity of CNTs produced more analysis would be needed. The overall conclusion that I have been able to draw from the research that I have completed for this thesis is that the dissolution of the stoma bag and then the conversion of the resulting solution into CNTs is a viable method of recycling the stoma bag. While there are still some creases that need to be ironed out with regards to the best method for scale up and the most effective temperatures and either flow velocities or agitation speeds for the dissolution, it is clear to see that CNTs can and have been produced and these CNTs can be used for a vast range of different applications. The initial aim of the research was to upcycle waste medical plastic, and this has been completed throughout the course of this research so I can conclude that this method of upcycling the stoma bags supplied by SALTs Healthcare is a valid method. E-Thesis Swansea 8 4 2022 2022-04-08 Due to Embargo and/or Third Party Copyright restrictions, this thesis is not available via this service. COLLEGE NANME COLLEGE CODE Swansea University Orbaek White, Alvin Master of Research MSc by Research Salts Healthcare 2022-04-14T21:25:49.3514530 2022-04-13T15:16:05.3911472 Faculty of Science and Engineering School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Uncategorised DANIEL HARMAN 1
title The upcycling of waste medical plastic from the health care sector
spellingShingle The upcycling of waste medical plastic from the health care sector
DANIEL HARMAN
title_short The upcycling of waste medical plastic from the health care sector
title_full The upcycling of waste medical plastic from the health care sector
title_fullStr The upcycling of waste medical plastic from the health care sector
title_full_unstemmed The upcycling of waste medical plastic from the health care sector
title_sort The upcycling of waste medical plastic from the health care sector
author_id_str_mv b24866990483ddf6c7cd1be4c6fff057
author_id_fullname_str_mv b24866990483ddf6c7cd1be4c6fff057_***_DANIEL HARMAN
author DANIEL HARMAN
author2 DANIEL HARMAN
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publishDate 2022
institution Swansea University
college_str Faculty of Science and Engineering
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hierarchy_top_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
department_str School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Uncategorised{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Science and Engineering{{{_:::_}}}School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Uncategorised
document_store_str 0
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description The aim of this research is to find if it is possible to take a Confidence BE stoma bag, dissolve it in a solvent (or solvent mixture) and then use the resulting solution to synthesis carbon nanotubes. CNTs can have numerous applications but the aim is to convert them into electrical wires due to the very high charge carrying capacity of CNTs1. The idea is to recycle the stoma bags to achieve a circular economy within SALTs healthcare. The recycling of the stoma bags will also help to start tackling the problem with plastic pollution. Toluene and M cresol were used as solvents to attempt to dissolve the different plastics the stoma bags are made up from. The temperature, stirring speed and particle size were manipulated to attempt to find the most suitable ways to complete dissolution of the stoma bag. COMSOL Multiphysics was utilised after the lab had to be closed to attempt to simulate the dissolution. Both the lamina flow and transport of dilute species modules were used in the simulations that were run to attempt to model dissolution. Carbon nanotubes have been synthesised from pure toluene, pure m-cresol, commercial grade toluene, and a solution of Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) dissolved in toluene. Various different growth conditions were used in the synthesis of the CNT and the highest mass produced was, 0.2674 g (EXP 3, Table 6). This mass of CNT was synthesised from toluene and LDPE. 3 different ways for calculating the heat of formation of the CNTs were used, the answers are vastly different as are the methods and it is difficult to determine which value is the most accurate. A SEM and Raman spectroscopy have been used to attempt to find the quality and quantity of some of the CNT samples, the results can be seen in Appendix I & II to draw proper conclusions about the quality and quantity of CNTs produced more analysis would be needed. The overall conclusion that I have been able to draw from the research that I have completed for this thesis is that the dissolution of the stoma bag and then the conversion of the resulting solution into CNTs is a viable method of recycling the stoma bag. While there are still some creases that need to be ironed out with regards to the best method for scale up and the most effective temperatures and either flow velocities or agitation speeds for the dissolution, it is clear to see that CNTs can and have been produced and these CNTs can be used for a vast range of different applications. The initial aim of the research was to upcycle waste medical plastic, and this has been completed throughout the course of this research so I can conclude that this method of upcycling the stoma bags supplied by SALTs Healthcare is a valid method.
published_date 2022-04-08T04:17:24Z
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