Recent News

Interface Polymers secures LOI and POC commitments for its Polarfin® additive technology to recycle mixed plastic waste

Since starting up in early 2016, Interface Polymers Ltd. has been developing game-changing solutions to surface and polymer matrix compatibility issues associated with polyolefins using its unique, patented di-block copolymer Polarfin^® additive technology. The R & D team has successfully developed di-block additives for use with virgin and recycled polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) based masterbatches, compounds, filled polymers, and sheet and film products. Compatibilization products are increasingly being used to enhance product performance, improve processing, reduce costs and solve recycling challenges for a variety of plastic applications in the packaging, construction, agriculture and automotive market sectors.

More recently, Interface Polymers has been working closely with a number of companies across the supply chain looking to utilise mixed plastic waste, such as PE and PP with EVOH/ PA/ PET/PS, in preference to disposal in landfill or incineration. Two key recycling projects have made major technical breakthroughs. As a consequence, the company has now secured a Letter of Intent (LOI) agreement and a Proof of Concept (POC) project commitment with leading industry players.

The LOI agreement is with a company which manufactures synthetic fibres and textile fabric products for industrial and domestic applications. The POC feasibility project is with a major producer of multilayer plastic packaging film. Both projects are focused on developing viable PE and PP products formulated with Polarfin additive which utilise currently unrecyclable mixed plastic packaging waste; a key aim is to create new products with at least 30% recycled content. Once commercialised, these projects will provide both companies with a greener product offering that will be more acceptable to manufacturers, retailers and consumers actively wanting to use more sustainable materials.

LOI textile application using PP/ PE mixed plastic waste

The LOI project with the synthetic fibre and fabric producing company is looking to incorporate a PE/PP waste stream into a polar polymer for use in a wide variety of commercial and domestic textile products. The fabric producer has been evaluating various recycling options, but up to now all other additives tested were unable to be processed. By adding Interface Polymers’ novel Polarfin di-block technology, the technical issues are being overcome. Ongoing trials are proving that PE/PP mixed waste can be efficiently reprocessed on existing equipment and recycled or even upcycled into higher value products.

The project aims to divert thousands of tons of mixed waste plastic materials from landfill or incineration so that it can effectively be reused. The final outcome is to provide a commercially attractive, circular economy recycling solution, which will significantly benefit the environment in the future.

POC for recycling multilayer plastic packaging film

A second project has resulted in a POC for the recycling of multilayer plastic film from packaging applications back into multilayer film without significant loss of properties. Critically, the Polarfin additive, even at low addition levels, has been shown in trials to eliminate gels, which are visual defects which also disrupt production and reduce productivity. Gels are a very common problem for polyolefin films using recycling mixed plastics, which up to now has restricted their recyclability.

Simon Waddington, Business Development Director for Interface Polymers commented: “We have successfully demonstrated that both recycling and upscaling polyolefin mixed plastic waste into higher value products is possible using our Polarfin additive technology. We and our partners are very excited to fully commercialise these new recycling opportunities, which are doubly beneficial to the environment by helping producers to reduce overall energy use and their carbon footprint, as well as diverting currently unrecyclable mixed plastic materials away from landfill.”

Chief Executive Officer, Dominique Fournier added: “With latest UK Government legislation at policy paper stage to introduce a new tax from April 2022 on any plastic packaging which contains less than 30% recycled plastic, the commercial viability and financial incentive for companies to take advantage of our innovative di-block additive to recycle mixed plastic waste becomes even greater. Anyone interested in our di-block technology should get in contact as we are actively looking to develop our investment partners further.”

Interface Polymers continues to push the innovation boundaries by using its Polarfin additive as a tailored dispersion to overcome polyolefin interfacial incompatibility and enhance performance properties by improving polar particle/fibre matrix adhesion and polymer chain entanglement. Polarfin additives can easily be incorporated into a formulation and used with existing polymer conversion processes, such as extrusion, injection or compression moulding, with no need to modify existing production equipment. This new additive technology is offering companies new opportunities to significantly improve the performance, cost competitiveness and recyclability of polyolefin-based materials.

Polarfin® is an internationally patented technology and registered trademark of Interface Polymers Ltd.

Interface Polymers secures major Innovate UK grant to enable high value recycling of multi-layer mixed plastic flexible packaging

Interface Polymers Ltd. has been awarded a £638K Innovate UK ‘Plastics Innovation: towards zero waste’industrial research grant to reduce mixed plastic waste by recycling multi-layer flexible plastic packaging back into high value uses. The grant winning project, titled – Polarfin-Blue: compatibilization of polymers to enable recycling – will focus on using Interface Polymers’ proven polyolefin compatibility and surface functionality Polarfin® additive technology to develop next generation polymer alloys, sparking a paradigm shift in mixed plastic recyclability and solving a growing, increasingly costly, worldwide industry problem.   

Multi-layer plastic films offer added value product packaging performance for industrial and household products, providing major benefits such as extending shelf-life, reducing organic waste and enabling global trading of produce. However, the major problem facing the multibillion dollar packaging industry worldwide is that the majority of the flexible mixed plastic film packaging products currently in use are too difficult and costly to separate and reprocess, other than for limited, low value uses. According to the 2015 Deloitte Sustainability report, of the 31.3 million tonnesof plastic annually produced for the top five usage EU countries, approximately 23% of the plastics packaging waste flows is lost in landfills and 47% is incinerated. The remaining share of low value mixed plastic packaging waste (approximately 30%) is recycled locally or exported. Prior to last year, about 2.7 million tonnesof plastic waste was shipped abroad annually from the EU; to add to the ongoing mixed plastic disposal problem, EU export levels had to dramatically reduce in 2018 due to the introduction of new waste import restrictions from China and other Asian countries. Sociopolitical pressures are building globally to reduce plastic waste and find alternatives that can be recycled, with the EU having set a 55% recyclable target for plastics across all sectors by 2025. New approaches and materials are needed to achieve this ambitious target.  

Using this Innovate UK grant funding, Interface Polymers intends to develop commercially viable, sustainable solutions to this costly and environmentally unacceptable flexible plastic packaging waste problem. The R & D project team will be using Interface Polymers’ patented Polarfin chemistry to create new Polarfin-Blue additive materials which will enable compatibility between currently incompatible target thermoplastics used in multi-layer packaging (primarily polyolefin/ polyamide/ polystyrene/ EVOH). The objective is to develop new commercial grade Polarfin-Blue compatibilized polymer alloys which will not require a costly, complex, recycling infrastructure to separate multi-layered films, thus providing a viable recycling solution.    

Interface Polymers’ technology approach to this problem is based on proven results with a number of non-compatible polyolefin product applications, such as a polyethylene with a polyethylene terephthalate or polyamide film.  Dr. Christopher Kay, Interface Polymers’ Chief Scientific Officer, explains: “The complexity of modern current multi-layer plastic packaging makes separation for recycling extremely difficult. When the packaging is remelted with virgin polymers for potential reuse, the different incompatible plastics are repelled from each other like oil and water and this creates voids in the mixture which makes the recycled plastic very weak. This limits its application to low performance and therefore low value applications. This is not the case with a 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 for producing plastic products with desired combined properties.” 

Dr. Kay went on to say: “Our new Polarfin-Blue polymer alloys will make it possible to manufacture new mixed plastic packaging products which can be recycled multiple times by existing separation processes. Additionally, recycled material from Polarfin-Blue polymer alloys will retain mechanical property levels for high value uses and save cost by requiring less virgin material to be used”. Interface Polymers is aiming for its new Polarfin-Blue additives to have inclusion levels of <5% by weight; this will eliminate voids and agglomeration issues and create polymer alloys which demonstrate superior performance properties, even if recycled multiple times, providing a higher value end-of-life material.  

Development work in the laboratory has already started on new Polarfin-Blue products and this latest grant funding will enable the company to take the project to the next level. Interface Polymers has secured a number of commercial partners, including a leading polyolefin packaging film producer, but the R & D team is looking for more companies to participate in processing trials and application development. Project partner Thompson Coatings Ltd will be carrying out trials during the development of new layered high quality film products using Polarfin-Blue polymer alloys to demonstrate effectiveness in applications for the construction industry 

Simon Waddington, Interface Polymers’ Business Development Director, commented: “This is a global challenge facing all packaging supply chain players and we are actively looking for more partners to work with on this project. Using our unique Polarfin technology, we are looking to develop game changing new products that will create a new and exciting market stretching across and beyond the flexible packaging industry into multiple industrial, construction and consumer markets. We believe that it will provide an opportunity to expand the polyolefin market, which is currently constrained by limitations around compatibility and specific barrier properties, creating an estimated £200m opportunity in the UK alone”.

Interface Polymers Ltd., a spin-out from the University of Warwick, was established in February 2016. The company has been developing a range of block copolymer Polarfin additive technology-based products in response to growing customer-led market demands for polyolefin surface functionality and polymer matrix compatibility solutions which can offer enhanced material performance and reduce production costs across a wide range of applications in the packaging, construction, agriculture, automotive and recycling sectors.

POLARFIN® is an internationally patented technology and registered trademark of Interface Polymers Ltd.

* Source data: Deloitte Sustainability- Blueprint for plastics packaging waste: Quality sorting & recycling – final report 2015.

Over 200 visitors to Interface Polymers stand at Compounding World Expo 2018

Interface Polymers Ltd. exhibited for the first time and gave an open forum presentation at Compounding Word Expo 2018, which ran from 27 – 28 June in Essen, Germany. Being an international exhibition for plastics additives and compounding, co-located with the Plastics Recycling World Exhibition, the show was the ideal event for Interface Polymers to showcase its patented, new ‘game-changing’ block copolymer POLARFIN^®additive technology, which modifies the surface chemistry of polyolefin-based materialsto overcome polyolefin compatibility problems and improve surface functionality.

The show was a great success for the Interface Polymers team of commercial and technical people. Both days were very busy, with more than 200 visitors to the stand. There was interest from people working in a broad range of industries with compatibility problems, from packaging films and moulded parts to long fibre thermoplastics (LFT). POLARFIN can be used for a variety of applications depending on the product type, formulation and matrix to  enable permanent interlayer surface adhesion, increase polymer chain entanglement, improve polar particle and fibre matrix adhesion, or provide a tailored dispersion in a polyolefin or polar polymer matrix. There were also visitors from the Plastics Recycling World Exhibition, as POLARFIN can be used as a surface functionality improving additive, not only for virgin materials, but also to help the global environment by enabling the recycling of incompatible plastics, such as PE with PS/ PA/ PET.

The stand was particularly busy on day 1 after the presentation given by Simon Waddington, Business Development Director for Interface Polymers, which attracted an audience of over 140 people, with standing room only for some. The presentation titled: ‘Introducing new additive technologies for overcoming polyolefin compatibility problems and improving surface functionality’, included a ‘live’ demonstration using Super Glue to successfully bond two polypropylene (PP) discs containing POLARFIN additive together that could not be pulled apart.

This innovative additive technology is offering companies new opportunities to significantly improve the performance and cost competitiveness of polyolefin-based materials. POLARFIN additives can be used across a diverse range of market applications and material types, including: masterbatchesand compounds; thermoplastic composites; filled polymers; sheet and film products.   According to Interface Polymers’ processing guidelines, its additives can easily be incorporated into a formulation and used with existing polymer conversion processes, such as extrusion, injection or compression moulding, with little or no need to modify existing production equipment. Specific grades of POLARFIN additive can also reduce processing costs, as well as providing enhanced surface properties and beneficial attributes that add value to end use applications.

The company is on a steep growth curve, having expanded its in-house R & D team at the start of the year, in response to growing customer-led market demands for polyolefin surface functionality and polymer matrix compatibility solutions which can offer enhanced material performance across a wide range of applications in the packaging, construction, agriculture, automotive and recycling sectors.

 

 

 

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POLARFIN^® is an internationally patented technology and registered trademark of Interface Polymers Ltd.

Interface Polymers expands R & D Team to meet demand for polyolefin surface functionality solutions

Interface Polymers Ltd is expanding its additive technology R & D team with two new full-time positions at its main laboratory and testing facilities in Loughborough, UK. Launched in February 2016 to develop and commercialize its new Polarfin^® block copolymer additive range, the University of Warwick spin-out company is on a steep growth curve, responding to demand for polyolefin compatibility and surface functionality solutions across a wide range of applications in the packaging, construction, agriculture, automotive and recycling sectors.

The additional roles have been created to accelerate development of new additive solutions for specific market opportunities with global potential, such as film packaging and new composite materials. Phil Smith, CEO of Interface Polymers commented: “This is a very exciting time for the business with so much interest in our game- changing additive technology. We are looking forward to the new starters joining us in the New Year and helping to develop Polarfin^® additive solutions for a number of attractive market opportunities that we are working on with our first wave of customers”.

According to the company, its Polarfin^® additive technology can be easily incorporated into a polymer formulation and used with existing polymer conversion processes with little, if any, change to existing production equipment. It works by modifying the surface chemistry of polyolefin-based materials to enable interfacial bonding or other desirable surface properties such as anti-fog performance. For example, Polarfin^® additives enable permanent interlayer surface adhesion, not possible before without costly, energy-intensive ‘functionalising’ methods such as: flame torching, chemical etching, corona discharge and plasma treatments. Many of the Polarfin^® additive grades currently being commercialized bring the added benefit of reducing processing costs in addition to the main advantage of providing enhanced surface properties in end-use applications.

The new R & D appointments, which start in January 2018, will substantially expand the company’s new product development (NPD) and in-house testing resources whilst also adding expertise in downstream polymer processing methods such as multi-layer extrusion and film-blowing. Dr Christopher Kay, Chief Scientific Officer and founder of Interface Polymers, explains: “After encouraging discussions with interested customers across a diverse range of markets and application areas, we now have a large number of very interesting NPD opportunities. The addition of polymer processing expertise to the R & D team is now essential. These new roles will build upon our strengths in polymer synthesis and enable us to both speed up product development and optimize downstream processing guidelines in collaboration with our customers.”

The two new Interface Polymers R & D appointments are:

Dr Luke Hollingbery, who joins as Senior Polymer Development Engineer, bringing commercial NPD experience and a rigorous academic approach, having spent more than 20 years in the Materials Department at Loughborough University working for a minerals company on application development and polymer processing.

Mr Shaun Morris, an MSc Chemistry graduate from the University of Warwick, is taking on the new role of Polymer Development Scientist, providing considerable expertise as a synthetic chemist able to successfully formulate new compounds from initial ideas or market needs in a short cycle time.

Agricultural film additive breakthrough will substantially increase global crop yield

New POLARFIN® anti-drip additives set to transform performance of agricultural films.

A new anti-drip additive created by University of Warwick spin-out company, Interface Polymers, is set to improve the performance and longevity of agricultural films, transforming their cost-effectiveness in a wide range of applications.  The breakthrough solution uses the company’s unique POLARFIN® block copolymer additive technology to modify the surface chemistry of the film and thereby improve and prolong its anti-fog and anti-drip properties.

Says Interface Polymers’ Chief Executive, Phil Smith:  “The market for agricultural film is huge.  With the world’s population set to exceed nine billion by 2050, the challenge is to produce more food with fewer resources.  Less arable land, a declining agricultural workforce and the need to cut production costs has led governments to encourage farmers to use agricultural films.  These can increase yield by up to 60%, but there are problems.

“Condensation can form on the underside of the film and drop onto the plants, causing both damage and slower growth rates due to interference with the transmission of light.  Additives are already used to address the problem but they have limitations.  Although effective in the short term, they are washed off over time, which means the film has to be replaced regularly.  This is neither economic nor green.  Our Polarfin® anti-drip additive will make these products perform better and last much longer, saving money, maximising crop health and improving yield.”

Christopher Kay, the company’s Chief Scientific Officer, simplifies the concept to explain how it works:  “On a molecular level, polymers are a bit like spaghetti that becomes entangled with itself.  Instead of being washed off, our additive becomes entangled with the film material because it is very similar in nature.  This means that rather than migrating, our molecules are retained over time.”

Business Development Director Simon Waddington recently attended the Agricultural Film Conference in Barcelona where he met a number of end-users who were urgently looking for a new solution to the problem.  “As well as benefitting farmers by preventing damage and disease, reducing the need for pesticides and reducing costs, our Polarfin® anti-drip additives could help ensure an earlier harvest and a substantially higher yield,” he explains. “This would increase the sustainability of smart farming, reduce agricultural plastics waste and make recycling of the film easier.  The development of the technology will also benefit the UK economy by creating high value technical jobs in Loughborough and Coventry and helping to increase exports of film manufactured in the UK.”

Interface Polymers began introducing its game-changing Polarfin® additive technology to potential customers earlier this year, following a period of intensive research and development work funded largely by Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency. Since then, the company has raised £3m of private investment from angel investors and won two further grants from Innovate UK.  “Thanks to this mix of funding, we will be able to scale up production of Polarfin® anti-drip additives and accelerate development of other new products targeting the construction, automotive and recycling sectors,” says Phil Smith.

POLARFIN® introduction at Polyolefin Additives Conference, Vienna

9 – 11 October 2017, Imperial Riding School Renaissance Hotel, Vienna, Austria

Interface Polymers will be introducing its POLARFIN^® range of adhesion-promoting additives at the 10th anniversary edition of AMI’s international Polyolefin Additives conference, taking place on ​9-11 October 2017 at the Imperial Riding School Renaissance Hotel, Vienna, Austria.

The two-day programme will cover the latest technical developments and market trends in this vast and dynamic sector. The conference sessions will be complemented by an exhibition and plenty of networking opportunities, including an evening cocktail reception and conference dinner.

Polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) are used in a huge range of applications, such as high-performance pipes and cables for the construction sector, lightweight parts for the automotive industry, critical components for medical devices, and cost-effective packaging for food and drink producers.

The properties of polyolefins can be tailored and enhanced for these and many more markets through the careful selection of resins, additives and processing technologies.

Interface Polymer’s unique POLARFIN^® additive technology opens up a new world of innovation opportunities, including novel ways of adding value in joining, mixing and finishing polyolefins.

AMI’s Polyolefin Additives conference focuses on these topics and is the established forum to discover and discuss innovative additives and compounds to expand the use of PE and PP. The special 10th anniversary edition of the event promises to build on this tradition, bringing together leading experts and influential players from throughout the polyolefins supply chain.

Interface Polymers today announced that it has closed a £2m investment round led by private capital investment group 24Haymarket.

The company’s unique Polarfin® copolymer additive technology modifies the surface properties of the world’s most commonly used plastics enabling adhesion between otherwise incompatible materials.

With strong interest from overseas customers in the packaging, construction and recycling sectors, the nascent business is initially focusing on its range of polyethylene-based additives for use in combination with polar polymers such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl acetate (PVA) and polystyrene (PS). Examples of end-use applications under development include elimination of tie-layers in multi-layer packaging, improving paint adhesion and enabling the recycling of mixed plastic waste.

Commenting on the investment, Phil Smith Chief Executive Officer at Interface Polymers said “We are delighted to have 24 Haymarket and their investors on board. We have a fast-growing queue of customers waiting to trial our Polarfin® additives so this funding will enable us to scale up production and further develop our value propositions across a diverse range of exciting applications”.

Jean-Lou Rihon at 24Haymarket said: “This is a first-class management team that we are backing, with in-depth knowledge and outstanding track records in chemicals and other relevant sectors. With the help of the non-executive directors the business should advance relatively quickly into becoming a provider of high performance additives to targeted industries.”

About 24Haymarket

www.24haymarket.com
24Haymarket is a premium deal-by-deal investment platform focused on high-growth businesses, investing up to £5 million in any particular company. 24Haymarket’s Investor Network includes several highly-experienced private equity and venture capital investors, seasoned entrepreneurs and senior operators. We invest our own capital in direct alignment with entrepreneurs and typically seek board representation to actively support their growth agenda. Since inception in 2011, 24Haymarket has invested in more than 50 high-growth businesses.