[nanoPost] Nanoclays additives to enhance plastics foams

Nanoscale Clays as Additives to Enhance the Formation and Properties of Plastics Foams.

These projects are ongoing and are largely based on fundamentals that can be exploited in different industrial sectors. Since packaging is the largest sub-sector of the plastics industry and polyolefins (PE, PP) dominate within this sector, there is tremendous scope to exploit some of the outcomes of the current research into packaging applications.

Some research outcomes & deliverables achieved so-far include: novel methods to obtain exfoliation of nano-clays in PP / characterization of nano-scale additives in polyolefins (X-ray, electron & optical microscopy, surface science etc.) / PP & additive formulation development, based upon results obtained/flow property measurement and modification / determination of mechanical properties and their dependence on structure and processing.

Specific to the thermoplastics packaging sector, there is tremendous scope to extend current research to include biaxially-oriented products and the influence nano-scale additives will have to enhance processing and/or physical properties (mechanical, optical, barrier, flame retardancy etc).

The department has a vast array of research equipment to carry-out projects at all stages from formulating and additive development, to mixing/compounding, flow property measurement and processing, structural & product characterization and determination of mechanical / physical properties.