Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Plastics News
  • Plastics News China
  • European Rubber Journal
SustainablePlasticsFINAL
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • News
    • Recycling
    • Sustainability
    • Bioplastics
    • Technology & Materials
    • Unilever, Alibaba launch China’s first large-scale closed-loop plastic recycling system
      IneosStyrolution-Antwerp-main_i.jpg
      EU provides funding for sustainable ABS project
      Sabic and Plastic Energy to start construction on new commercial-scale recycling unit
      Itero to build plastic waste recycling plant at Brightlands Chemelot Campus
    • Vinyl organisations in US, Australia sign MOU to explore sustainability programme reciprocity
      IneosStyrolution-Antwerp-main_i.jpg
      EU provides funding for sustainable ABS project
      Huhtamaki welcomes LCA results on environmental impact of single-use packaging
      Flexible packaging industry seeks stronger alignment with circular economy ambitions
    • Covestro adds its bio-TPUs to Desmopan product range
      Yield10 Bioscience announces milestone achievement with plant-made PHA
      Novamont advances vertical integration growth strategy with acquisition BioBag
      British researchers make sustainable polymer from sugars in wood
    • Injection Moulding
    • Blow Moulding
    • Extrusion
    • Thermoforming
    • 3D printing
    • Technology
    • Materials
    • Machinery
  • Opinion
    • View Point
    • A year to remember
      Opinion: California introduces world’s toughest plastic bottle recycling legislature – will other markets follow?
      Opinion: What to expect from plastic that protects our kids
      Legislation is catching up with our Lifestyle goals
  • Events
    • Our Exhibitions
    • Plastics Industry Awards (PIA)
    • Ask the Expert
    • Sustainable Plastics Live
    • Reifenhäuser Technologies Livestreams
    • Plastics News Europe Live Archives
    • Plastics Recycling Show Europe
  • Prices & Resources
    • Polymer Prices
    • Data Reports
    • White Papers
  • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Media Pack
  • Subscribe
    • Magazine
    • Newsletters
    • List Rental
  • Digital magazine
    • Digital Magazine
  • Multimedia
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
January 31, 2019 06:00 AM

UK's Interface Polymers awarded research grant for plastic film development

UK's Interface Polymers awarded research grant for plastic film development

  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    Interface Polymers
    Christopher Kay, Interface Polymers

    Interface Polymers, located in Loughborough, Leicestershire, UK, has received a new £638,000 (€555,000) industrial research grant. The money will be used to investigate ways to reduce the amount of mixed plastic waste through development of recyclable multi-layer flexible plastic packaging.

    The grant was awarded through Innovate UK's ‘Plastics Innovation: Towards Zero Waste' initiative.

    Entitled ‘Polarfin-Blue: Compatibalisation of polymers to enable recycling', the grant-winning project will investigate the use of Interface Polymer's polyolefin compatibility and surface functionality using the Polarfin additive technology. This will support development of next-generation polymer alloys.

    Multi-layer plastic films offer improved product packaging performance for industrial and household applications, extending product shelf life and reducing waste. However, the majority of flexible film packaging solutions currently available are difficult and costly to separate and recycle.

    The Innovate UK funding will support development of commercially-viable and sustainable solutions to help reduce the amount of flexible packaging currently being incinerated or going to landfill.

    Research will center on development of new, commercial grade version of the Polarfin-Blue additive materials, enabling compatibility between currently incompatible thermoplastics used in multi-layer packaging. Ultimately, this should deliver products which no longer require a complex and costly recycling solution.

    Speaking about the planned research, Christopher Kay, chief scientific officer at Interface Polymers, said: “When current multi-layer plastic packaging is re-melted with virgin polymers for potential reuse, the incompatible plastics are repelled from each other. This creates voids in the mixture which makes the recycled plastic very weak.

    “This is not the case with Polarfin chemistry additive, which can be fine-tuned to make polar and polyolefin block chains of any size, enabling the combination of a wide range of currently incompatible thermoplastics.”

    Work as already started on development of new Polarfin-Blue products, while Interface Polymers has secured a number of commercial partners. Project partner Thompson Coatings will carry out trials during development of the new layered plastic films.

    Interface Polymers Ltd was established in 2016. Originally part of the University of Warwick, the company has been working on a range of solutions intended to enhance material performance and reduce production costs across a wide range of applications.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Sustainable Plastics' news delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Reserve your subscription today

    Subscriptions to Sustainable Plastics, the leading Pan-European magazine for the circular plastics industry are coming soon.

    Subscribe now
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter

    "In a changing world, Sustainable Plastics is a constant: a platform the plastics industry can rely on to deliver the news and knowhow impacting the industry going forward”

    SustainablePlasticsFINAL
    Contact Us

    11 Ironmonger Lane, EC2V 8EY
    United Kingdom 
    Tel: +44 (0)1622 370570

    Customer Service:
    1-313-446-0450

    [email protected]

     

    Resources
    • Advertise
    • Sitemap
    • Careers
    • Subscribe
    Affiliates
    • Plastics News
    • Plastics News China
    • LSR World
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Urethanes Technology
    • Tire Business
    • Rubber & Plastics News
    • Automotive News
    • Automotive News Europe
    • Crain Publications
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Recycling
      • Sustainability
      • Bioplastics
      • Technology & Materials
        • Injection Moulding
        • Blow Moulding
        • Extrusion
        • Thermoforming
        • 3D printing
        • Technology
        • Materials
        • Machinery
    • Opinion
      • View Point
    • Events
      • Our Exhibitions
        • Plastics Recycling Show Europe
      • Plastics Industry Awards (PIA)
      • Ask the Expert
      • Sustainable Plastics Live
      • Reifenhäuser Technologies Livestreams
      • Plastics News Europe Live Archives
    • Prices & Resources
      • Polymer Prices
      • Data Reports
      • White Papers
    • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Media Pack
    • Subscribe
      • Magazine
      • Newsletters
      • List Rental
    • Digital magazine
      • Digital Magazine
    • Multimedia