Polymer Technology

The Polymer Technology group has conducted a wide range of innovative and challenging research projects in polymer chemistry and polymer technology that aim to develop environmentally sustainable plastics, textile fiber and fiber composites.

The research investigated and developed new polymeric materials that can be used to manufacture plastic products, technical textiles and composites. The projects used both bio-based polymers such as polylactic acid or cellulose and synthetic functional polymers. These are processed in various techniques and then characterized the relevant chemical, physical and mechanical properties. Manufacturing was also evolving.

The research is strongly linked to the research profile of Resource recovery, and the research field of smart textiles. The group has worked in close collaboration with the School of Textile in Borås, Chalmers University of Technology, SP Technical Research Institute, Swerea IVF in Mölndal, Swerea SICOMP in Piteå, IFP Research and many foreign universities and research institutes.

The projects have been performed in mainly five areas: Dental and medical composites, Functional textile materials, Bio-based plastics and composities, Nanocomposites – modeling and simulation, and Recycling of plastics and composites. The projects have been supported by external finance mainly from EU 6th Framwwork Programme, VINNOVA, the Knowledge Foundation, Swedish Foundation for Textile Research, Föreningssparbanken Foundation.