{"id":14063,"date":"2026-10-06T11:52:21","date_gmt":"2026-10-06T09:52:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ikv-aachen.de\/rp\/reduction-of-gel-formation-in-polyethylene-film-recyclates\/"},"modified":"2026-10-07T11:56:37","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T09:56:37","slug":"reduction-of-gel-formation-in-polyethylene-film-recyclates","status":"publish","type":"cpt_ikv_rp","link":"https:\/\/ikv-aachen.de\/en\/rp\/reduction-of-gel-formation-in-polyethylene-film-recyclates\/","title":{"rendered":"Reduction of gel formation in polyethylene film recyclates"},"content":{"rendered":"<style type=\"text\/css\">\n    #single-header-block_9a71c0a5ad798e2d23f5d17e1bd3004f .swiperThumbsNavi .swiper-slide {\n        opacity: 0.4;\n    }\n\n    #single-header-block_9a71c0a5ad798e2d23f5d17e1bd3004f .swiperThumbsNavi .swiper-slide-thumb-active {\n        opacity: 1;\n    }\n<\/style>\n    <section id=\"single-header-block_9a71c0a5ad798e2d23f5d17e1bd3004f\" class=\"block-single-header theGridWrapper \">\n        <div class=\"theGrid12\">\n            <div class=\" col-start-2 col-span-10 md:col-start-3  md:col-span-8\">\n                <h2 class=\"font-serif font-semibold text-blue text-sm w-4\/5\">\n                    Optimized melt filtration to reduce gels in PCR-grade polyethylene                <\/h2>\n                                    <div class=\"mt-base text-blue text-sm font border-l-8  border-blue pl-base my-12 leading-normal \">\n                        When using polyethylene recyclates in film applications, degradation due to crosslinking often leads to the formation of specks, so-called gels, in the extrudate. Gel formation is strongly influenced by the compound composition. Gels can quickly cause scrap or film breakage and negatively affect downstream processing steps (e.g. printing, lamination). Despite the importance of melt filtration in recycling, knowledge about the influence of melt filters on the production process (e.g. pressure drop, dissipation due to shear and elongational stresses) as well as their efficiency in reducing gels, especially in PCR processing, remains limited.                    <\/div>\n                                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n\n\n<figure class=\" relative flex flex-col gap-2xs mb-xs md:mb-l xl:mb-xl\"><img decoding=\"async\"  class=\" w-full  \"  src=\"https:\/\/ikv-aachen.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/24658N.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ikv-aachen.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/24658N-748x499.jpg 748w, https:\/\/ikv-aachen.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/24658N-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/ikv-aachen.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/24658N-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1024\" alt=\"24658N\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><span class=\" text-copyright order-3 justify-end text-right w-full  w-full \">&copy; IKV<\/span><figcaption class=\" w-full  text-figcaption justify-end text-right \">Fig. 1: To develop an understanding of material behaviour and processing in gel filtration polyolefin materials contaminated with gels as well as multiply design recyclates, are filtered using different strategies and then analysed.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The aim of this research project is to reduce gels in polyolefin (PO) compounds by developing an optimized filtration strategy to improve PCR material quality for film applications. For this purpose, PO materials contaminated with gels of varying degrees of crosslinking, as well as multiply extruded representative PO compounds (design recyclates), are filtered using different filter media and combinations. The materials are then analysed with respect to gel number and size. Considering pressure drop, throughput, melt temperature increase, material properties (e.g. viscosity, contamination level), and filter media, a suitable filtration strategy is developed, along with an improved understanding of material behaviour and processing in gel filtration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Project data and Funding<\/summary>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We would like to thank the BMWE for funding the IGF project (grant number 24658 N) and our project partners for their collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n<section id=\"logo-bar-block_3d7e0a90c53834d87bd8b49ea7fecf39\" class=\"block-logo-bar py-2xl  clear-both\">\n    <div class=\"theGridWrapper overflow-hidden  \">\n        <div class=\"grid grid-cols-[repeat(auto-fill,minmax(140px,1fr))] gap-base\">\n                            <figure class=\" relative h-full  \"><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"low\"  class=\" object-contain w-full h-full mb-base  \"  src=\"https:\/\/ikv-aachen.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Logo-IGF.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ikv-aachen.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Logo-IGF-748x591.png 748w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 748px) 100vw, 748px\" width=\"748\" height=\"591\" alt=\"Logo-IGF\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure>                                <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/details>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When using polyethylene recyclates in film applications, degradation due to crosslinking often leads to the formation of specks, so-called gels, in the extrudate. Gel formation is strongly influenced by the compound composition. Gels can quickly cause scrap or film breakage and negatively affect downstream processing steps (e.g. printing, lamination). Despite the importance of melt filtration in recycling, knowledge about the influence of melt filters on the production process (e.g. pressure drop, dissipation due to shear and elongational stresses) as well as their efficiency in reducing gels, especially in PCR processing, remains limited.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":14028,"parent":0,"template":"","tags":[],"research_fields":[840],"class_list":["post-14063","cpt_ikv_rp","type-cpt_ikv_rp","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","research_fields-circular-economy"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Reduction of gel formation in polyethylene film recyclates | IKV-Aachen<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When using polyethylene recyclates in film applications, degradation due to crosslinking often leads to the formation of specks, so-called gels, in the extrudate. Gel formation is strongly influenced by the compound composition. Gels can quickly cause scrap or film breakage and negatively affect downstream processing steps (e.g. printing, lamination). Despite the importance of melt filtration in recycling, knowledge about the influence of melt filters on the production process (e.g. pressure drop, dissipation due to shear and elongational stresses) as well as their efficiency in reducing gels, especially in PCR processing, remains limited.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ikv-aachen.de\/en\/rp\/reduction-of-gel-formation-in-polyethylene-film-recyclates\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Reduction of gel formation in polyethylene film recyclates | IKV-Aachen\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"When using polyethylene recyclates in film applications, degradation due to crosslinking often leads to the formation of specks, so-called gels, in the extrudate. Gel formation is strongly influenced by the compound composition. Gels can quickly cause scrap or film breakage and negatively affect downstream processing steps (e.g. printing, lamination). Despite the importance of melt filtration in recycling, knowledge about the influence of melt filters on the production process (e.g. pressure drop, dissipation due to shear and elongational stresses) as well as their efficiency in reducing gels, especially in PCR processing, remains limited.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ikv-aachen.de\/en\/rp\/reduction-of-gel-formation-in-polyethylene-film-recyclates\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"IKV-Aachen\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=523026911193540&amp;_rdr\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-10-07T09:56:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ikv-aachen.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/24658N.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ikv-aachen.de\\\/en\\\/rp\\\/reduction-of-gel-formation-in-polyethylene-film-recyclates\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ikv-aachen.de\\\/en\\\/rp\\\/reduction-of-gel-formation-in-polyethylene-film-recyclates\\\/\",\"name\":\"Reduction of gel formation in polyethylene film recyclates | IKV-Aachen\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ikv-aachen.de\\\/en\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ikv-aachen.de\\\/en\\\/rp\\\/reduction-of-gel-formation-in-polyethylene-film-recyclates\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ikv-aachen.de\\\/en\\\/rp\\\/reduction-of-gel-formation-in-polyethylene-film-recyclates\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ikv-aachen.de\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/24658N.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-06T09:52:21+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-07T09:56:37+00:00\",\"description\":\"When using polyethylene recyclates in film applications, degradation due to crosslinking often leads to the formation of specks, so-called gels, in the extrudate. Gel formation is strongly influenced by the compound composition. Gels can quickly cause scrap or film breakage and negatively affect downstream processing steps (e.g. printing, lamination). Despite the importance of melt filtration in recycling, knowledge about the influence of melt filters on the production process (e.g. pressure drop, dissipation due to shear and elongational stresses) as well as their efficiency in reducing gels, especially in PCR processing, remains limited.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ikv-aachen.de\\\/en\\\/rp\\\/reduction-of-gel-formation-in-polyethylene-film-recyclates\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/ikv-aachen.de\\\/en\\\/rp\\\/reduction-of-gel-formation-in-polyethylene-film-recyclates\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ikv-aachen.de\\\/en\\\/rp\\\/reduction-of-gel-formation-in-polyethylene-film-recyclates\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ikv-aachen.de\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/24658N.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ikv-aachen.de\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/24658N.jpg\",\"width\":1800,\"height\":1200,\"caption\":\"Fig. 1: To develop an understanding of material behaviour and processing in gel filtration polyolefin materials contaminated with gels as well as multiply design recyclates, are filtered using different strategies and then analysed.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ikv-aachen.de\\\/en\\\/rp\\\/reduction-of-gel-formation-in-polyethylene-film-recyclates\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ikv-aachen.de\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Reduction of gel formation in polyethylene film recyclates\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ikv-aachen.de\\\/en\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ikv-aachen.de\\\/en\\\/\",\"name\":\"IKV-Aachen\",\"description\":\"Forschung f\u00fcr die Praxis\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ikv-aachen.de\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"alternateName\":\"Institut f\u00fcr Kunststoffverarbeitung\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ikv-aachen.de\\\/en\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ikv-aachen.de\\\/en\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"IKV-Aachen\",\"alternateName\":\"Institut f\u00fcr Kunststoffverarbeitung (IKV)\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ikv-aachen.de\\\/en\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ikv-aachen.de\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ikv-aachen.de\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/02\\\/ikv-ikv-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ikv-aachen.de\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/02\\\/ikv-ikv-1.png\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"IKV-Aachen\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ikv-aachen.de\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/profile.php?id=523026911193540&_rdr\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/ikvaachen\\\/\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Reduction of gel formation in polyethylene film recyclates | IKV-Aachen","description":"When using polyethylene recyclates in film applications, degradation due to crosslinking often leads to the formation of specks, so-called gels, in the extrudate. Gel formation is strongly influenced by the compound composition. Gels can quickly cause scrap or film breakage and negatively affect downstream processing steps (e.g. printing, lamination). 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Gel formation is strongly influenced by the compound composition. Gels can quickly cause scrap or film breakage and negatively affect downstream processing steps (e.g. printing, lamination). 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