Project description
Bridging the gap between polymer chemistry and manufacturing
Innovation in the design of high-quality, efficient and recyclable polymers is hindered by issues of energy consumption, product heterogeneity and poor integration between synthesis and processing. Today, polymer reaction engineering and polymer processing operate largely in isolation, limiting performance optimisation. Funded by the ERC, the POLY-DESIGN project will address this gap with a next-generation multiscale modelling tool. By tracking molecular and morphological changes across all length scales, the tool predicts aspects of polymer behaviour from chemical synthesis to final shaping. It applies to linear, branched, crosslinked and blended polymers. Overall, POLY-DESIGN aims to deliver sustainable, cost-effective and higher-quality polymers. This will transform commodity and high-tech polymer manufacturing.
Objective
A challenge in the polymer industry is the design of molecular and morphological properties along the whole production chain, minimizing energy consumption and product heterogeneity, and ensuring recyclability. Ideally, we need to track the compositional/topological variations and interactions of individual species during (i) synthesis, hence, the polymer reaction engineering (PRE) stage; and (ii) downstream final material shaping, hence, the polymer processing (PP) stage (e.g. (reactive) extrusion).
Today, the connection between the PRE and PP stage is weak and monodirectional, with only average, not distributed, ballpark PRE characteristics inputted in PP optimization. Both stages although share common bottlenecks such as micro-scale viscosity changes, meso-scale mixing limitations, and macro-scale concentration/temperature gradients.
POLY-DESIGN aims at next-generation polymer performance intensification and functionality design by a generic PRE-PP multi-scale modelling tool, tracking all changes at all length scales during synthesis and processing. This ambitious approach interactively connecting PRE and PP can tackle complex demanding products, and cost efficiently produced goods that will drive the commodity and high-tech polymer market.
A validated PRE multi-scale modelling tool is applied to access all distributed PRE characteristics, uniquely for (i) linear and branched/crosslinked (co)polymers; (i) lab and commercial polymers; and (iii) pure polymers and their blends. The polymer (blend) viscoelasticity is calculated with a multi-scale PP modelling tool at any PP shear rate and temperature for any set of PRE characteristics. In this way, an industrial PP unit can be designed from the chemical to the material level and reversely thanks to a flexible PRE-PP connection.
Demonstrator cases are included for more sustainable and higher quality manufacturing of virgin and recycled polymers, benefiting from design in the PRE or PP stage, or both.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2024-ADG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
9000 GENT
Belgium
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.