Revolutionising Consumer Plastics: A Collaborative Journey from Lab to Industry

At the core of Dr Collins Rice's research lies an innovative approach to plastic production which controls the length and branching of olefins during the polymerisation process.

Collins Rice's new family of catalysts unlock 'on-demand' modifications to polyolefins, specifically in polyethylene and polypropylene – two ubiquitous consumer plastics that collectively represent over half of the global plastics market.

Unlinking the chain

The technology, known as PHENI-complexes (ansa-permethylindenyl-phenoxy (PHENI*) complexes), represents a significant advancement over traditional metallocene-based catalysts and constrained geometry complexes that have dominated polyethylene and polypropylene production over the last thirty years.

Traditional catalysts create a tightly coupled relationship between polymer chain length and branching, a constraint that directly influences the polymer's characteristics and severely limits the ability to engineer materials for specific applications. For instance, making the polymer more flexible can reduce its strength, or improving heat resistance makes it less pliable.

In contrast, the new PHENI* catalysts decouple these parameters, providing unprecedented control to independently modify chain length, branching, and the resulting polymer properties.

That control, and the ability to create on-demand custom properties provides manufacturers with a method of simplifying material design, using more versatile polymers. In food packaging, for example, what once required multiple layered materials could now be achieved with a single customised polymer that meets barrier, heat resistance, and safety requirements.

Similarly, medical device manufacturers could develop a single polymer with controllable properties that simultaneously provides the necessary flexibility for tubing, the sterility requirements for implants, and the durability needed for long-term medical use.

The potential environmental impact is just as significant: by optimising material design to use modified monomaterials instead of complex composites, the PHENI* technology provides a blueprint towards reducing raw material consumption, extending material lifespans, simplifying recyclability, and improving overall manufacturing efficiency.

From the lab to industrial readiness

In April 2023, an EPSRC IAA Doctoral Impact Partnership began with SCG Chemicals and its global subsidiaries to systematically explore and demonstrate the PHENI* catalysts' capabilities beyond the initial promise of the laboratory proof of concept.

The EPSRC IAA Doctoral Impact Partnership award to Clement has been a significant and influential boost for Clement’s career, it has enabled him to further exemplify the scope and applicability of this doctoral research with an industrial perspective.
Professor O’Hare

The project's primary objective was to demonstrate the catalysts' versatility and commercial viability. Working closely with engineers from SCG Chemicals' global network – including teams in Thailand, Norway, Italy, and the UK – the researchers expanded the technological understanding of these novel catalysts. This collaborative approach allowed for targeted exploration of specific industrial applications, moving beyond theoretical potential to practical implementation.

A number of important industrially relevant outcomes were realised during the IAA partnership. The team scaled up polymer production, testing the PHENI* catalysts' ability to polymerise a range of materials – including Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE), amorphous Polypropylene, and various copolymers – with unprecedented control and consistency.

A reduction in the high melt viscosity of UHMWPE was achieved without compromising the material’s mechanical properties which could make the material more accessible, affordable, and applicable to a wider range of industries and uses. Critically, these tests were conducted under industrially relevant conditions, providing crucial validation of the technology's real-world potential.

An exciting breakthrough emerged in recycling technology. The team found that small amounts of polymers made with the PHENI* catalysts could function as boosters for Post-Consumer Resin (PCR).

Unlike traditional compatibilizers that use small organic or inorganic molecules, the polyolefin-based approach offered significant advantages. When heated during recycling, the new additives maintained material colour and clarity, improved mechanical properties, extended the usable life and critically, bring recycled materials closer to the performance of virgin plastics. A promising step towards a more sustainable, circular plastics economy.

The IAA Doctoral Impact Partnership helped to transform Dr Collins Rice's breakthrough catalyst technology from an exciting laboratory discovery to a platform with demonstrable industrial applications.

'In the lab, we noticed that we had made one of the least fussy catalysts around, seemingly able to polymerise anything we threw at it with remarkable tunability,' said Dr Collins Rice. 'The challenge was turning this unique chemistry into valuable scalable real-world impact, and the IAA was a crucial first step to realising the potential applications of this technology.'

Next steps

Post-IAA, the PHENI* catalyst technology is closer to fulfilling its promise as a high-performance, tuneable polymerisation platform that contributes to realising a circular economy for plastics.

Key partnerships have been established with industrial specialists Norner AS and SENFI to advance Dr Collins Rice’s technology towards commercial readiness while exploring new market opportunities.

The ongoing collaboration with the Department of Chemistry continues to drive innovation forward. Dr Collins Rice now employed by SCG maintains a strong connection with Professor O'Hare's research group, ensuring continuity and knowledge transfer.