Impact of processing and formulation on polymer film durabiliity – POPBA

Through this shared laboratory (Labcom project denoted POPBA) with BARBIER group, the Photochemistry team of ICCF (POPPI group) aims at continuing and amplifying its scientific project, which purpose is to understand the general laws that govern the long-term behaviour of polymers exposed to environmental ageing. The ultimate goal of this research domain is a reliable prediction of the lifetime of polymers and formulated products based on polymers.
Benefiting from its extensive knowledge on the mechanistic aspects of polymer degradation, which can be photo-, thermo-, or even radiochemically initiated, the POPPI group has oriented part of its research activity in the domain of polymer ageing, toward the research of experimental methodologies for long-term prediction of functional properties of materials, based on an innovative approach of multi-scale analysis of thermo- and photodegradation . This methodology should be extended to every polymer and should permit addressing the complex issue of durability and lifetime prediction of polymeric materials. This approach requires the proposal and the development of new analytical tools, and the mastery of concepts that are not fully considered in the scientific community involved in the field of polymer ageing.
This broad research scientific program needs, for progressing further, to consider new scientific issues that would benefit from external skills. Still there remain some major questions, such as the impact of the processing parameters on the photooxidative behaviour of polymers and the consequences on the polymer durability. The answer to this issue necessitates building up a close relationship with partners that are able to control and tune the several processing parameters involved in the processing of materials. The partnership with BARBIER group, which know-how and technical mastery in polymer processing are not questionable, is one of the keys to go further and solve this issue. This is the first part of the research work that will be performed in the frame of this Labcom, which will allow the BARBIER Company to gain further improved processing methods and upgrade innovative developments.
The second part of the research activities carried out in the frame of Labcom is also straightaway linked to the scientific issue of the durability of the functional properties of polymeric materials and will be devoted to the study of the behaviour of new materials including in their formulation recycling plastic wastes recovered after consumer use. Once again, the academic/industrial close partnership is the key point that will allow us to develop this research issue.
The benefits of the project in terms of fundamental knowledge on polymer ageing are not questionable and will allow the Labcom to display a knowledge that can be valuable to the scientific community to solve issues with high interest for industry and to offer materials with advanced and durable functional properties.