University of Warwick
Eligibility: Funding is on the market to eligible residence charge standing and UK domicile EU college students.
Begin date: Ongoing or as quickly as doable
Undertaking Overview
Plastic packaging supplies play an important function in right now’s society, providing benefits reminiscent of versatility, hygiene, security, light-weight properties, and, notably, a low carbon footprint when in comparison with different supplies. Regardless of the obvious simplicity of plastic baggage or wrappers for on a regular basis objects like crisps, cheese, or ham, they typically include a number of layers of various plastic sorts. Whereas these layers successfully protect meals freshness and decrease waste, they pose important challenges when it comes to recyclability.
Pushed by the crucial that every one plastic packaging should be recyclable by 2030, the plastics business is actively exploring mono-material options. The MonoFilm undertaking goals to exchange difficult-to-recycle multilayer movies with totally recyclable options comprising solely of polyolefins (PO). The first goal of this analysis is to develop a completely recyclable, all-polyolefin barrier movie with enhanced fuel impermeability. The bold objective is to rival current industrial options, reminiscent of multilayer polymer movies primarily based on EVOH, PA, or PET, which at present dominate the high-barrier packaging functions.
Oriented polyolefin movies possess distinctive properties, together with mechanical power, optical readability (transparency), and barrier capabilities. As an example, a wonderfully oriented polyethylene (PE) single crystal displays an distinctive barrier in opposition to O2, CO2, and H2O as a result of densely packed polymer chains inside the crystal construction. Within the MonoFilm undertaking, complete analysis will likely be performed on the affect of industrially related solid-state drawing processes, reminiscent of machine path orientation (MDO) in PE movies, on fuel barrier properties. The intention is to develop totally recyclable PO movies with fuel barrier properties surpassing present state-of-the-art requirements.
To realize this, the undertaking will contribute to (i) new insights into the origins of enhancing barrier properties in extremely oriented PO movies and (ii) growing an intricate relationship between polymer construction, processing-induced microstructural evolution and barrier properties. Moreover, the undertaking will examine the affect of PO-based adhesive sealant layers, recycling processes, and recycled content material on the barrier and mechanical properties of those movies. The final word goal is to create all-PO high-barrier movies with a major proportion of recycled content material.
You can be primarily based within the WMG’s Supplies Engineering Centre (MEC) on the College of Warwick. The undertaking is in collaboration with Reckitt a British multinational client items firm, and will likely be led by Prof. Ton Peijs, with entry to state-of-the-art polymer processing and characterization services.
Important and Fascinating Standards
Important
A very good first diploma (2:1 above or equal), a postgraduate diploma or equal skilled or analysis expertise from a related STEM background (e.g. Supplies Science, Chemistry, Engineering, Physics).
Sturdy analytical functionality and curiosity in supplies processing and sustainability.
Fascinating
A background in polymer science and/or polymer processing.
Funding and Eligibility
The studentship is open to eligible residence charge college students with full awards for 3.5 years. Commonplace UKRI stipend for 3.5 years (at present £18,622) for residence charge college students solely. Funding is on the market to eligible House charge standing and UK domicile EU college students.
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