From this morning RNS29 May 2018 08:20
Versarien and this collaboration partner, which has multiple manufacturing plants across Europe, will examine a number of formulations comprising existing polymeric packaging materials with graphene loading to assess the feasibility of these nanocomposites in packaging solutions. The key potential benefits of the use of graphene in these packaging systems is the increased performance of a moisture barrier, increased material strength and weight reduction, with a consequent reduction in plastic usage. Initially the focus will be on the development and evaluation of rigid materials for blow moulded bottles. In addition to the materials properties, the processing parameters will be evaluated to include cooling time, part shrinkage and recycling potential.
Neill Ricketts, CEO of Versarien, commented: "We are delighted to have signed this latest consumer goods collaboration. The incorporation of graphene into packaging materials has the potential to reduce plastic usage, increase the mechanical strength of packaging materials and improve their ability to be recycled. These are important goals for any consumer goods manufacturer as we all seek to reduce the impact of plastic packaging on the environment."