The main objective behind the project was to extend the market for SCM’s COSMO-RS implementation, further driving the growth of the company. That was to be achieved with specific improvements to COSMO-RS in response to market demand: materials modellers (in particular industrial ones) are increasingly interested in modeling solvation in systems with large molecules (namely, polymers), which was outside the capabilities of our implementation, and PolySolv has delivered that: the improvements implemented during the project have allowed SCM to commercialize a fast and user-friendly module for the modeling of polymer solvation. Such developments are of great relevance for solvation modellers, in a sector with solid growth. The global polymer industry is huge and growing at an estimated Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 3.9% over 2015-2020. The demand for polymer products is driven by growth in end-use markets, such as packaging, infrastructure, telecommunication, adhesive and coating technology, chromatography, membrane separation, and drug development. Polymers are continuously substituting metals, glass, paper, and other traditional materials in various applications due to its light weight, strength, low cost and design flexibility. Increasing applications of engineered plastics in various fields, such as construction, automotive, and industrial manufacturing equipment to mechanical engineering are expected to drive this market.
