Methods, systems, and devices for separating materials using magnetic and frictional properties

A method for separating a mixture of pieces of solid materials, wherein the pieces comprise thermoplastic flakes and one or more components selected from the group consisting of rubber, polymeric foam, textile fragments, and combinations thereof, wherein the thermoplastic flakes have a lower coefficient of friction than the one or more components, the method comprising:

• incorporating a ferromagnetic particulate material into the mixture of pieces of solid materials, the ferromagnetic particulate material preferentially incorporating into or adhering to the one or more components as compared to the thermoplastic flakes, wherein, after the incorporating step, the one or more components have different magnetic properties;
• and
• after the incorporating step, forming a stream of the mixture of pieces of solid materials and directing the stream toward a rotating cylinder, the rotating cylinder including a magnet located within a rotating cylinder to create the magnetized portion, which is on an outer surface of the rotating cylinder, the rotating cylinder being oriented perpendicular to a direction of the stream of the mixture of pieces of solid materials, the rotating cylinder rotating in a direction opposite a direction of said stream, the mixture of pieces of solid materials contacting the rotating cylinder along a portion of the outer surface traveling upward such the mixture of solid materials is separated into a forward moving group that falls feely forward and a backwards moving group that is carried backwards with the rotating cylinder due to a combination of magnetic and frictional forces on each piece.