Developing new Chemistry for Upcycling Polymer blends via Reactive Extrusion (CUPRE)

A major obstacle to achieving circularity in the plastics industry is that many waste streams are difficult to sort and have poor mechanical properties. A promising strategy to revalorize such polymer mixtures is to chemically modify them during processing, thereby transforming them into new and useful materials. This project, led by Renaud Nicolaÿ, aims to acquire a new micro-compounder that features a variable capacity and an exceptionally powerful motor. These capabilities will greatly accelerate our ability to develop new chemistry as well as to more easily and efficiently collaborate with industrial partners.