Research

Current polymer research within relevant areas

There are presently four ongoing research areas within PLUS, four are successfully completed. All research are conducted within research areas of immediate importance and provides a foundation for the development of new materials and processes, generating both environmental as well as technical advantages, thereby creating competition advantages for the companies participating in the PLUS Center. The research programs have a strong collaboration with both industry and institute.

- Long term properties of PE pipes

Improve the knowledge about how the migration of additives and mechanical properties are affected over time in PE-pipes used in water and pressure applications.
Parties involved: Chalmers / SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden / Borealis

- Crosslinking of PE for power cable applications

Increase the understanding of the connections between polymer structure and the crosslinking procedure as well as the properties of the created network. Used in high voltage power cable applications specifically designed to withstand the high temperatures that can arise when high voltages are transported in the cables.
Parties involved: Chalmers / Borealis

- Flame retardant material for cable applications

Investigation of the mechanisms which take place during a fire in a halogen free flame-retardant system based on chalk, silicone rubber, and ethylene copolymer.
Parties involved: Chalmers/Borealis.

-PVC nano composite

Investigation of the potential of modifying nanoclay and to get the layers in the clay to divide up evenly (exfoliate) in the PVC-matrix. This would result in substantially improved properties with higher strength and heat stability.
Parties involved:: Chalmers / SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden / Ineos ChlorVinyls

Completed research projects

- New plasticizers for PVC

Plasticizers are a much debated area. This project aimed at developing new plasticizer systems where the plasticizer has minimal migration. In that way, the influence on the environment and living organisms can be reduced.
Parties involved: Chalmers / SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden / Ineos ChlorVinyls
Licentiate Thesis: Re-evaluation of epoxidized soybean oil as primary plasticizer for PVC, 2009

- High voltage stabilizers for PE for power cable applications

This project examined which properties in the stabilizer were most essential in preventing discharges that could cause power failure etc. This is particularly important for the long term properties of power cables, which are expensive to manufacture and to install.
Parties involved: Chalmers/Borealis.
PhD-Thesis: Stabilizers for XLPE cable insulation, 2008

- Foamed polyethylene for communication cables

The dielectric properties of foamed PE used as isolation in computer cables were investigated. Especially the properties at high frequencies were studied as the cables are mostly used in the 3G-network.
Parties involved: Chalmers./ Borealis

- Ethylene from renewable resources

In this project the financial and environmental benefices of producing polymers from biomass were investigated. This is a highly important research area as the oil supply, which is the current raw material of PE, will decrease with time.
Parties involved: Chalmers
PhD.student: Selim Nouri
Licentiate thesis: Environmental assessment of emerging technologies, 2006