Working together
towards new opportunities
Funding Projects
Overview of Funding Projects
Publicly funded projects
Striving for continuous improvement is our philosophy. We prefer to do this in collaboration with others because in this way, all parties benefit. In addition to private projects, we are also involved in publicly funded development projects. We collaborate with renowned institutions in order to gain fundamental insights and lead major initiatives.
Renowned Partners
These include, for example, the Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS in Halle.
We are grateful to be part of networks that include institutes of this standing as well as professional associations and alliances, and we value the professional and collaborative exchange.
Current and recently completed projects
RUBIO – Biopolymer in Action
RUBIO is a collaboration of regional companies and research institutions aiming to establish a value chain for the use of PBS (Polybutylene Succinate). PBS is a 100% sustainable raw material sourced from by-products, such as the pulp industry.
By the end of the project, the biopolymer PBS is expected to be available regionally in a pilot plant and utilized by project partners for further research and product development.
POLIFILM Extrusion actively supports one of several joint projects in researching the processing of biopolymers based on PBS into blown and cast films. The processing properties are systematically examined and evaluated, varying the PBS materials and manufacturing conditions. In addition, selected application examples are characterized and implemented.
Yes, the use of PBS for shipping envelope films has already been researched.
Biopolymers for Food Barrier
The use of biopolymers in the production of films and other plastic products is becoming increasingly attractive and requested by the public. For use as food packaging film, biopolymers must meet essential requirements. In the joint co-operation project with Fraunhofer IMWS, the focus was specifically on migration barriers, especially to preserve the flavour and aroma of food.
In detail, biopolymer films with a required barrier effect against water vapour and oxygen for use in the food sector were to be developed.
This issue was addressed by using a multi-layer film structure with various migration-inhibiting biopolymers. For the required oxygen barrier, the use of polyvinyl alcohol with additionally distributed plate shaped minerals was tested. By internally measuring the permeation rate against oxygen and hydrogen, a diffusion inhibiting effect was achieved. However, the expectations for the oxygen barrier were not entirely fulfilled.
Perma-Pol
Polyethylenes belong to nonpolar thermoplastics and requires pretreatment if printing inks, labels, or product stickers are to adhere to them. Typically, a corona treatment is used after the film production to create functional groups on the surface and thus increase the surface tension. However, the surface effect is not permanent and diminishes over the film’s storage time. This is where the joint co-operation project with IKTR comes in.
Development of a PE-based film formulation with sufficient surface tension so that the corona treatment step can be omitted.
- Incorporation of biopolymers or polymers with high polar components to increase surface tension
- Incorporation of compounds that migrate to the surface and form a homogeneous film on the surface
An increase in surface tension was observed by determining the polar and dispersive components of surface energies. However, discoloration of the films was observed, which intensified with the degree of additive concentration. Successful combination of the solution approaches allowed a reduction in the respective concentration of the additive.
