Coated molded article, method of recycling the same and apparatus therefor

A method for recycling a coated moldings comprising:

• crushing or pelletizing a molding, coated on a surface thereof with a paint comprising a thermoplastic resin, to obtain a crushed or palletized molding;
• molding said crushed or pelletized molding by heating and melting,
• so that said thermoplastic resin of said paint is dispersed in said thermoplastic resin of said molding;
• wherein said thermoplastic resin of said paint has the same nature as or a nature different from a thermoplastic resin of said molding or wherein said thermoplastic resin is capable of repeatedly molding by heating and melting after mixing with said thermoplastic resin of said molding.

A coated molding, comprising:

• a molding mainly comprising a thermoplastic resin;
• and
• a coating film directly attached on a surface of said molding;
• wherein a resin constituting said coating film and said resin constituting said molding have an affinity for each other at least at interfaces therebetween or in a boundary region, and
• said coating film comprises a thermoplastic resin capable of repeatedly molding by heating and melting after mixing with said thermoplastic resin used as a main constituent of said molding, and
• said coating film is directly coated to an entire outer surface of said molding, or
• said coating film is directly coated to a part of an outer or inner surface of said molding.

A method for recycling of a coated molding, comprising:

• crushing a molding coated with a paint comprising a thermoplastic resin which is capable of repeatedly molding by heating and melting after mixing with a thermoplastic resin of said molding and which has the same nature as or a nature different from the thermoplastic resin of said molding,
• thereby obtaining a crushed and coated molding or pelletized coated molding;
• remolding a molded article from said crushed and coated molding or pelletized coated molding;
• and
• coating said re-molded article with a paint comprising a thermoplastic resin which has the same nature as or a nature different from said thermoplastic resin comprising said molding and is capable of repeatedly molding by heating and melting after mixing with said thermoplastic resin comprising said molding.

A method for preparing a paint for resin moldings, comprising:

• dispersing or melting the following components
• a thermoplastic resin, and
• optionally, at least one member selected from the group consisting of a solvent, water a pigment, a dye, a surface conditioner and another addition agent, to obtain a paint;
• wherein said thermoplastic resin has the same nature as or different nature from a thermoplastic resin for a resin molding to be coated and is capable of repeatedly molding after mixing with the thermoplastic resin for the molding.

A method for evaluating recyclability of a reproduced coated molding, comprising:

• providing molding of test piece obtained by crushing and molding coated moldings which include moldings and a film formed on surfaces of the moldings by coating a paint constituted mainly of a thermoplastic resin having the same nature as or different nature from a thermoplastic resin used as a main constituent of the moldings and capable of repeatedly molding after mixing with the thermoplastic resin for said last-mentioned moldings;
• coating the said molded test piece with a paint, which is constituted mainly of a thermoplastic resin having the same nature as or different nature from a thermoplastic resin used as a main constituent of said molded test piece and capable of repeatedly molding after mixing with the thermoplastic resin for said molded test piece to provide the reproduced and coated test piece;
• and
• subjecting said coated test piece or a cross hatch test to evaluate recyclability of the reproduced coated test piece based on the results of the test.

A method for evaluating recyclability of a reproduced coated molding, comprising:

• providing a mixed resin of a thermoplastic resin of a molding and a thermoplastic resin of a paint at a given ratio,
• molding the mixed resin into a test piece molding, and
• subjecting the test piece molding to a cross hatch test to evaluate recyclability of the reproduced coated molding based on the results of the test
• wherein a state of dispersion of the thermoplastic resin used as a main constituent of said paint in a thermoplastic resin matrix used as a main constituent of the test piece which is a reproduced coated molding is evaluated by observation through a microphotograph.