All-Polymer aims at enhancing recycled plastics by means of cost- and energy-efficient unidirectional fiber reinforced tapes (UD-Tapes). The potential to use the recyclates from one application in a new application was investigated in various industries.

By investigating the adhesion of tapes to different components as well as by characterizing the mechanical properties of the UD tapes the specific requirements could be met and the component properties could be adapted accordingly.

The tapes were applied to the components either by welding or pressing. Both processes led to significant improvements by realizing the specific requirements of the different components. Stable processes leading to well adhering tapes were realized. The technical development was accompanied by a study of ecological and economic conditions. A circularity assessment was carried out to determine the status quo of the participating companies with regard to the circular economy. This revealed the vast potential on which the project participants could further build to reach higher sustainability. A life cycle analysis, including the carbon footprint, was also carried out for one of the use cases.
The technical, ecological and economic results show that several kinds of product upgrades can be realized. The use of fiber-reinforced tapes can increase the recyclate content. It also can compensate the loss of performance common in recycled materials. Thus new areas of high-grade applications can be opened up for components that are already 100% recyclable. Another possibility is to reinforce components, which can then be made lighter in design. This not only saves plastic, but also saves energy during the life cycle of the product at every transport stage.