Chemical and Microstructural Stability of Recycled Polymer Compounds Used in Electric Cable Insulation
Imene Harbaoui, Ranya Belkhir, Mohamed Soula, Rayan Lasmar, Rym HarbaouiABSTRACT
This study examines the chemical and microstructural stability of insulation polymer compounds recovered from automotive electric cable manufacturing waste after mechanical recycling. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and energy dispersive x‐ray (EDX) analyses were employed to evaluate chemical structure preservation and elemental distribution changes induced by reprocessing. The results reveal that polypropylene‐based compounds exhibit high chemical stability with minimal structural modification, whereas polyurethane‐based systems show pronounced sensitivity to recycling‐induced chemical alterations. Thermoplastic elastomer (TPE‐S) compounds display intermediate behavior, with limited microstructural changes. The present findings provide an independent chemical perspective on the recyclability of cable insulation polymers and support material selection strategies for sustainable polymer reuse in circular economy‐oriented cable manufacturing.