Keiryo Packaging know-how for plastic processing integrates molecular ordering into the polymer soften, triggering “flow-enhanced morphological changes” within the polymer mass with the purpose of enhancing materials performance. The firm says that this ‘KP Technology’ is relevant throughout varied conversion applied sciences and for each amorphous and semi-crystalline polymers utilized in completed plastic articles.

We requested the corporate’s co-founder and member of the board Tangui Van der Elst and Dr Edyta Niemczyk (PhD), engineering staff lead, in regards to the particulars behind the know-how, the way it goals to enhance the standard of packaging, and the outcomes of its current trials with free blow PET bottles.

To begin with, might you summarise what you do in a number of sentences?

Tangui Van der Elst: Our mission is to enhance the efficiency of plastic supplies by merely altering their morphology in the course of the processing part, with out incorporating any components. By reaching this the Keiryo know-how reduces each the environmental footprint and manufacturing price of polymer-based packaging articles.

Keiryo, that means ’much less weight’, is the core idea behind what the patented Keiryo Packaging Technology delivers. Based on polymer science, the KP Technology triggers a phenomenon known as Flow-Enhanced Nucleation and Induced Crystallisation (FENIC). FENIC utilises circulation as a driving automobile for the creation of ordered entities (that may be crystals). In flip, these ordered entities significantly improve the general materials performance, barrier for instance. As a end result, much less materials is required to supply an analogous efficiency to the plastic article.

The KP Technology is relevant throughout varied processing applied sciences: (ISBM) [Injection Stretch Blow Moulding]; direct injection; extrusion for semi-crystallines (corresponding to PET and PP) polymers that are utilized in completed plastic articles. The know-how might be utilized to virgin, recycled, or blended materials derived from bio or fossil sources.

To be really impactful any know-how must be scalable. Our background within the FMCG business taught us that one of the best ways to achieve scale was to leverage present infrastructure and keep away from including complexity. We obtain this by having a know-how that may be retrofitted into present equipment like a spare half and that focuses on materials effectivity.

You say that your know-how helps to supply plastic packaging utilizing much less materials, extra recycled materials, and higher barrier efficiency. How is that this achieved?

Dr Edyta Niemczyk: The efficiency of polymers is outlined by their morphology – its altering can unlock further functionalities of the ultimate materials. The potential to alter its morphology of any semi-crystallisable polymer (virgin, recycled or composition thereof derived from bio or fossil sources), is feasible whereas utilising the beforehand talked about phenomenon known as FENIC.

This phenomenon describes a shift of the morphological stability from amorphous to the ordered entities (nuclei and/or crystals) by leveraging present circulation. Higher degree of order of the molecules might be advantageous for barrier functions – the ordered morphologies can act as an impediment that delays the gasses permeation.

You have developed a 3D printed insert added to the prevailing injection course of. How does this affect the standard of the packaging being produced?

Dr Niemczyk: Changes within the morphology are realised by way of a designed mixture of shear-based and extensional-based forces. [Explanation provided by Van der Elst: take the example of a rubber band. If you stretch a rubber band extensional forces imply its elongation. On the contrary, if you laid the rubber band on a flat surface and slid your hand over it, the shearing forces would entail its shape change.

During the flow of the molten polymer, in the injection moulding or extrusion process, both of those forces are present. Shear forces are maximised at the wall and minimised in the center of the polymer flow. Extensional forces are maximised in the center of the polymer flow and are minimised at the wall.]

All of these forces are current within the processing equipment, at any time when the polymeric circulation is current (ISBM, direct injection, extrusion) – what the KP know-how does is amplify these forces.

It is essential to say that stated amplification of the shear-based and extensional-based forces doesn’t hurt the fabric nor result in its degradation.

To optimally leverage the circulation, our know-how combines a software program and a {hardware} element. The preliminary magic occurs on the software program degree. Keiryo developed a modelling instrument defining the deformational flows that affect the morphology of the polymer. Based on this knowledge, we design the 3D printed insert – the bodily element of our know-how, that’s retrofitted on customary injection equipment.

The inside the insert is fabricated from microchannels producing a well-defined friction when the polymer passes by way of the new runner into the preform mould. This generates morphological modifications within the polymer that enhance its efficiency.

On your web site, you point out molecular dynamics and deformational circulation. What does this imply precisely, and the way does it relate to packaging?

Dr Niemczyk: Deformation circulation consists out of the shear-based and extensional-based forces. It implies an alteration within the ordering of the molecules and occurs to the molten polymer in a restricted method in each ISBM, direct injection, extrusion course of.

Depending on the power of the deformational circulation, the molecules can reply accordingly by stretching and forming so-called ordered entities (that may be crystals). This response is molecular dynamics.

Currently within the business, molecular dynamics are usually not leveraged. However, if deliberately utilized above the brink stress degree, flow-induced ordered entities are created and stay secure after the circulation has ceased – even at circumstances above the equilibrium soften temperature!

At the second, Keiryo focuses on the Injection Stretch Blow Moulding of PET bottles however the underlying science and the know-how we develop applies itself to completely different polymers, fossil and biobased in addition to completely different processing strategies.

More particularly, your web site additionally mentions using Flow Enhanced Nucleation and Induced Crystallisation (FENIC) in your know-how. What does this imply, and the way does it work in apply?

Dr Niemczyk: The mixture of molecular dynamics and deformational flows are driving the FENIC phenomenon. The KP software program quantifies the deformational circulation that must be utilized to shift the stability of the molecular dynamics in direction of elevated ordered entities formation: beginning with the nucleation and the tip objective being crystallisation.

The crystals shaped on this method are completely different from these created by way of quiescent crystallisation. FENIC permits the formation of smaller and homogeneously unfold entities within the bulk morphologies.

I perceive you lately performed free blow trials of PET bottles, with a change in efficiency between these with Keiryo Packaging Technology and people with out. Could you inform us extra about this, and what it would imply for future packaging processes?

Van der Elst: We are operating trials within the industrial facility of our know-how associate PDG Plastiques. These trials are accomplished on customary machines utilizing common grade resin like these used to fabricate PET bottles you discover in your grocery store. The preforms produced with Keiryo inserts have a distinct morphological construction: they present increased nucleation density.

The bottles made of those Keiryo inserts primarily based preforms are additionally completely different. We are nonetheless within the technique of totally scoping these variations, however the demonstration that morphological modifications are carried over within the bottle is a vital milestone.

Given that these outcomes had been achieved in an industrial manufacturing facility utilizing customary equipment and business grade resin, it bodes effectively for the worldwide scalability of Keiryo’s know-how.

Your mission is to enhance supplies efficiency and improve the financial and environmental sustainability of packaging articles. How does your know-how assist to realize this purpose?

Van der Elst: When we consider plastic sustainability what springs to thoughts are options like higher recycling, extra environment friendly waste administration programs and creating new, non-fossil-based supplies. Material effectivity tends to be ignored while it may be an essential contributor to a extra sustainable, round use of plastics.

With supplies effectivity, environmental sustainability and monetary financial savings are inclined to go hand in hand. Specifically, in our case bettering plastics’ efficiency will enable us to make use of much less plastic per bottle, render PCR plastic extra usable and cut back using components that improve effectivity however are tougher to recycle.

If you have a look at the advantages of fabric discount, you’ll discover that they cascade. First, for those who extract much less uncooked supplies, you employ much less vitality, yielding price financial savings and lowering CO2 emissions. Second, it would additionally restrict the amount of waste which influences EPR prices. Third, for those who cut back the quantity of waste produced, you additionally cut back the quantity of waste leakage in nature.

These advantages enhance with the adoption price. That is why you will need to have an answer which is definitely scalable, which is the case with Keiryo.

What objectives would you prefer to see the corporate obtain in future?

Van der Elst: Today our focus is on creating our answer for PET ISBM, however we all know that it may be utilized to different polymers and manufacturing processes. For PET ISBM functions we now have signed pre-commercial agreements with massive FMCGs and want to replicate this mannequin with others.

The first steps in direction of branching out into polyolefins are effectively underneath method. We have additionally had a number of conversations with producers of biomaterials who see our know-how as a way to deal with useful efficiency challenges.

Because our know-how is inherently extremely scalable, it may be an enormous contributor to a world with extra sustainable packaging.

Keiryo Packaging was a finalist in our Sustainability Awards 2022 with its polymer processing know-how. This yr’s Sustainability Awards winners shall be introduced on the Sustainable Packaging Summit in Amsterdam in November, and you’ll find out extra here.