Mitsui Chemicals Singapore R&D Centre

Mitsui Chemicals Group in Asia Pacific region has more than 20 affiliates providing services and solutions to various products such as metallocene polyethylene, polypropylene compounds, elastomers, phenol, PTA, PET resin, polyurethane materials, adhesives, coating materials, agrochemicals, nonwovens, packaging films, industrials films or functional sheets for a variety of industries in the Mobility, Food & Packaging, Healthcare or Basic Materials. Also, Mitsui Chemicals Singapore R&D Centre and Technical Support Centre were set up to create advanced technology innovation and provide excellent technical services in the region.

Our Technology Offers

Antimicrobial Surface Protection Film

Growing concerns about the spread of bacterial and viral infections has led to the demand for film products that can minimize the impact and growth of bacteria and viruses. Antimicrobial films offer a convenient solution to address food security issues as well as to provide a protective layer for clean and safe-touch surfaces.

The technology is an antimicrobial, polyethylene-based film that can inhibit growth against a wide variety of bacteria, fungi and viruses. It is proven to proven to extend the shelf-life of fresh produce, suppress wilting and discoloration of fruits and vegetables. Primarily developed as a packaging material for the food industry, the company is interested to seek collaborations in other applications such as for high-touch surfaces in public settings as well as in healthcare environments, digital displays, etc.

Degradation Accelerator for Biodegradable Plastics

With growing interest in achieving sustainability and reducing the use of fossil-based plastics, brand owners have been switching their packaging materials to more sustainable options such as biodegradable and/or compostable packaging to protect the environment. Poly-lactic acid (PLA) and polybutylene succinate (PBS) are biodegradable aliphatic polyesters that are widely used in packaging industry. However, the breakdown of these biodegradable plastics is slow and unpredictable.

The technology offers a solution to increase the rate of biodegradation through a copolymer, poly-aspartic acid/lactic acid (PALS). An amphiphilic copolymer obtained from aspartic acid and lactic acid, PALS is miscible with biodegradable polyesters and produces homogeneous blend films without impairing their inherent mechanical properties. In addition, the degradability of PALS can be tuned by changing aspartic acid/lactic acid ratio in the copolymer structure.

The company is interested to seek collaborations in co-developing PALS for use in their biodegradable plastics formulations in various applications.