News: 14 July 08
New generation of hybrid plastics will be in your ear and improving your food
A new generation of anti-oxidant and anti-microbial plastics being developed by the University of Auckland could be used for such high-value purposes as diaphragms for noise cancelling headphones and extending the shelf-life of packaged products while reducing the use of food additives.
The Foundation? for Research, Science and Technology is investing $8 million over six years in the university’s innovative Hybrid Plastics project. This is one of the 96 contestable research projects being announced today in the Foundation’s main 2008 Investment Round.
The hybrid plastics being developed incorporate conducting polymers and nano-particles into commercial plastics to create new, high-value, low-volume industrial applications encompassing anti-microbial and anti-oxidant plastics, marine surface materials and functionalised fibres and surfaces.
The research will lead to hybrid plastics with antioxidant and anti-microbial characteristics being used in packaging that will extend the shelf-life of packaged products while reducing the use of food additives; and for other purposes such as making a monolithic ear-piece with anti-microbial properties that can be used in devices like bud earphones for MP3 players and hearing aids.
The Science Leader for the Hybrid Plastics project, Professor Ralph Cooney points to the level of industry interest in the new hybrid plastics as being exceptional.
“These hybrid plastics incorporating both commercial plastics and new age conducting polymers provide a fast track for New Zealand companies into the new age of nanotechnology. There has been exceptional level of local and international industry interest across a very wide range of applications. It has been something of a watershed for New Zealand materials R&D.”
Foundation chief executive Murray Bain says a significant number of New Zealand manufacturers should be able to achieve transformational growth from export sales by adopting the university’s hybrid plastics.
“The New Zealand plastics sector has set a stretch goal of doubling its revenues to become a $4 billion earner within 10 years with the assistance of R&D innovation based on initiatives such as this one in hybrid plastics, linked to a strong export drive,” he said.
By incorporating conducting polymers and other novel materials into conventional polymer products, the plastics industry has the potential to create a broader range of new high value commercial products.
This will provide improvements ranging from enhanced shelf-life of perishable products, to waste minimisation of packaging polymers and the preservation of product quality en route to market, while simultaneously reducing environmental impact
A strategic benefit of this programme is that it provides an “early adopter” advantage for New Zealand firms selling high-value, low-volume products in niche markets as they become aware of and exploit opportunities associated with the adoption of conducting polymers.
The project will draw on research expertise from three University of Auckland materials research centres - the Polymer Electronics Research Centre, the Plastics Centre of Excellence (an initiative with Plastics New Zealand through the Government’s Partnerships for Excellence scheme) and the Centre for Advanced Composite Materials. The research programme is led by Professor Cooney, who is head of The University of Auckland Tamaki Integration Campus, which has an existing R&D cluster in industrial materials, including major components of the three research centres above. Auckland UniServices Ltd supports the commercialisation of all of these activities.
The Foundation? for Research, Science and Technology is investing $8 million over six years in the university’s innovative Hybrid Plastics project. This is one of the 96 contestable research projects being announced today in the Foundation’s main 2008 Investment Round.
The hybrid plastics being developed incorporate conducting polymers and nano-particles into commercial plastics to create new, high-value, low-volume industrial applications encompassing anti-microbial and anti-oxidant plastics, marine surface materials and functionalised fibres and surfaces.
The research will lead to hybrid plastics with antioxidant and anti-microbial characteristics being used in packaging that will extend the shelf-life of packaged products while reducing the use of food additives; and for other purposes such as making a monolithic ear-piece with anti-microbial properties that can be used in devices like bud earphones for MP3 players and hearing aids.
The Science Leader for the Hybrid Plastics project, Professor Ralph Cooney points to the level of industry interest in the new hybrid plastics as being exceptional.
“These hybrid plastics incorporating both commercial plastics and new age conducting polymers provide a fast track for New Zealand companies into the new age of nanotechnology. There has been exceptional level of local and international industry interest across a very wide range of applications. It has been something of a watershed for New Zealand materials R&D.”
Foundation chief executive Murray Bain says a significant number of New Zealand manufacturers should be able to achieve transformational growth from export sales by adopting the university’s hybrid plastics.
“The New Zealand plastics sector has set a stretch goal of doubling its revenues to become a $4 billion earner within 10 years with the assistance of R&D innovation based on initiatives such as this one in hybrid plastics, linked to a strong export drive,” he said.
By incorporating conducting polymers and other novel materials into conventional polymer products, the plastics industry has the potential to create a broader range of new high value commercial products.
This will provide improvements ranging from enhanced shelf-life of perishable products, to waste minimisation of packaging polymers and the preservation of product quality en route to market, while simultaneously reducing environmental impact
A strategic benefit of this programme is that it provides an “early adopter” advantage for New Zealand firms selling high-value, low-volume products in niche markets as they become aware of and exploit opportunities associated with the adoption of conducting polymers.
The project will draw on research expertise from three University of Auckland materials research centres - the Polymer Electronics Research Centre, the Plastics Centre of Excellence (an initiative with Plastics New Zealand through the Government’s Partnerships for Excellence scheme) and the Centre for Advanced Composite Materials. The research programme is led by Professor Cooney, who is head of The University of Auckland Tamaki Integration Campus, which has an existing R&D cluster in industrial materials, including major components of the three research centres above. Auckland UniServices Ltd supports the commercialisation of all of these activities.