The MRI specializes in the development of innovative thermoplastic composite materials for use in a variety of industrial applications. Polymer composites consist of a matrix polymer material with a reinforcing or non-reinforcing filler dispersed throughout. The matrix polymer acts to provide protection to the reinforcement material from both chemical and environmental attack; bonding to the reinforcement to permit transfer of load; and to hold the reinforcement in a fixed orientation.
Mixed Plastic Waste
The MRI is currently designing and developing innovative additives and processes which will allow the cost effective recycling of Mixed Plastics Waste thus enabling it to be used in high value product applications. Currently the Mixed Plastics Waste stream accounts for approximately 25% of all plastic waste collected and sorted in Europe. Thousands of tonnes of this material is exported or landfilled, as it cannot presently be recycled cost effectively into new products. This results in meagre financial returns particularly considering the cost of collecting and initial sorting of such material. As the Mixed Plastics Waste stream consists of several different types of plastics – it is not cost effective to further separate/sort this waste stream into individual plastic types. Moreover these mixed plastics do not mix well together, separating like oil and water when melt processed, which greatly restricts the potential applications for this material.
One method currently been explored by the MRI, is a reactive extrusion process which combines different polymers together via melt processing, which will allow for the development of high value, new products from this old plastics waste.
This innovation will provide the basis for the development of a pipeline of novel polymer blends (combinations of several different polymer types) from the Mixed Plastics Waste stream. The platform technologies developed will initially be targeted at high volume applications in the multitrillion euro building and construction sector or as a possible matrix material for thermoplastic composites systems.

Funded projects:
Upcycling of non PE based recyclate for high-end applications
Summary: Many issues currently exist with the supply of recycled polymer that deems it unsuitable for use in some commercial product ranges. This study involves adding value to polymer recyclate for the Shabra Group so that it can be used in higher value products.
Principal Investigator: Dr. Luke Geever
Researcher: Dr. Elaine Kenny
Funding agency: Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnership
Industry Partner: Shabra
Duration: 2015 to 2017
Improvement of PET materials for the fibre spinning industry
Summary: Wellman International manufactures high quality polyester products from recycled post-consumer PET bottles and are Europe’s largest PET recycler, processing 2.2 billion post-consumer PET bottles annually. This research supports the development of new low cost, high-performance and eco-friendly sustainable product ranges.
Principal Investigator: Dr. Luke Geever
Researcher: Ian Rogers
Funding agency: President Seed Fund AIT co-industry funded (Wellman)
Industry Partner: Wellman
Duration: 2015 to 2017
Mixed Plastics Waste as a Valuable Resource: High value new products from old plastics waste (Eco-MixPlas)
Summary: Whilst there have been many great advances in plastics recycling technology in recent years, one of the biggest current challenges facing the recycling industry in Europe is how to cost effectively recycle material from the Mixed Plastic Waste stream. In Ireland as well as most of Europe, after collection and sortation, Mixed Plastics Waste generally receives no further treatment and is exported at very low cost or is landfilled. This material source could instead be used to produce valuable products in Ireland if further separated and upcycled, and this research addresses this important issue.
Principal Investigator: Dr. Luke Geever
Researchers: Crevan O’Donnell; Michael Hopkins
Funding agency: Enterprise Ireland Commercialisation Fund
Duration: 2014 to 2016
Development of a demonstrator construction component utilising Mixed Plastics Waste
Summary: This innovative research will showcase the feasibility of upcycling Mixed Plastics Waste into a demonstrator product. Once the initial quality of the recyclate has been ascertained, innovative methods of improving the recyclate quality will be investigated. The study will involve the blending together of mixed plastic materials via several unique processing steps.
Principal Investigator: Dr. Luke Geever
Funding agency: EPA – Green Enterprise
Industry Partner: Shabra
Duration: 2014 to 2016
Complete projects:
Development of a standard testing protocol for PET recyclate and methods of adding value to the post-consumer resin
Summary: The quality of the post-consumer plastic is of critical importance as this will determine the end user markets in which it can be used. All the testing and analyses in this project were carried out in accordance with recognised international standards. Based on this research, Shabra have opened a new R & D laboratory and have also taken on new employees.
Principal Investigator: Dr. Luke Geever
Researcher: Crevan O’Donnell
Funding agency: Industry President Seed Fund
Industry Partner: Shabra
Duration: 2011 to 2013
Publications
Mixed Plastic Waste Publications
Coming soon.