摘要:
A differential density alteration (DDA) device (439) to enable the separation and partitioning of particles of one or more selected members of plastics (408, 540, 550) included in a mixture of a plurality of different plastics in which each member of the plurality of different plastics is divided into discrete particles. The DDA device (439) heats (514) the mixture to a temperature for a time that causes the particles of the one or more selected members (408, 540, 550) to alter in such a way that the difference between the apparent density of the particles of the selected one or more members and the apparent density of particles of the other members of the mixture (the differential density), after heating (514), is different from the differential density before heating, whereby the alteration in differential density produces a differential density alteration (DDA). A plastics density separator (419, 518), having a suitable partition curve, will separate and partition the selected particles of the selected one or more altered plastics members from the altered mixture with improved efficiency and precision.