Hyperspectral Line-Scan Sorting for Plastic Recycling
Identifying Complex Polymer Signatures and Dark Carbon-Black Resins
The global push toward a circular economy requires recycling facilities to process increasingly diverse and complex plastic waste streams at maximum throughput. Traditional sorting technologies often fail to differentiate between chemically similar polymers or properly identify challenging dark materials. Photon etc.’s L-EOS™ hyperspectral line-scan platform addresses these sorting bottlenecks by delivering high-speed, spatially resolved spectral signatures. By capturing a continuous line of spectral data across conveyor systems in real time, the L-EOS™ enables recycling automation systems to instantly identify, classify, and sort various polymer types with exceptional purity rates.
Operating in the standard short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectrum allows the system to easily separate mainstream post-consumer resins like PET, HDPE, PP, and PS based on their unique molecular absorption fingerprints. However, the true paradigm shift in industrial recycling comes from expanding into the extended SWIR (eSWIR) region, reaching wavelengths up to 2.5 µm. The L-EOS™ eSWIR configuration unlocks deeper spectral features that are completely invisible to standard InGaAs cameras. This extended spectral range proves vital for distinguishing highly complex engineering plastics, fire-retardant polymers, and bio-plastics that exhibit overlapping spectral traits in shorter wavelengths.
Application domain
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Linear eSWIR technology
Crucially, the integration of eSWIR line-scan technology provides a definitive solution to one of the recycling industry’s biggest hurdles: black and dark-colored plastics. While traditional visible and standard SWIR sensors suffer from total light absorption when inspecting carbon-black-filled polymers—rendering them unidentifiable—the eSWIR band utilizes unique reflective and transmissive properties to extract clear, reliable chemical signatures. This allows facilities to accurately categorize dark plastics by polymer type rather than routing them to a generic waste stream, unlocking a valuable and previously unrecoverable revenue source.
The L-EOS™ platform
Engineered for seamless integration into demanding industrial sorting lines, the L-EOS™ platform bridges the gap between high-speed industrial conveyor rates and rigorous spectroscopic precision. Powered by low-noise sensors and robust optical throughput, it ensures that every fragment is accurately profiled, reducing cross-contamination in recycled bales and elevating the economic viability of modern polymer reclamation facilities.
For more information, contact info@photonetc.com