Fibre Extrusion & Spunmelt Facilities for High-Performance Polymers & Advanced Materials
FIBRE EXTRUSION & SPUNMELT FACILITIES
Our Comprehensive Extrusion Capabilities
Supported by experienced fibre extrusion and spunmelt specialists, textile engineers and materials scientists, with both academic and commercial backgrounds, our fibre preparation and extrusion facilities include: Specialist compounding, Wet Spinning, Dry-Jet Wet Spinning, Dry Spinning, Melt spinning, Meltblowing, Spunbond and Electrospinning. These facilities are supported by a comprehensive analytical laboratory enabling both physical and chemical analysis of resulting fibres.
Case Studies of Industries We Support
NIRI’s fibre extrusion and spunmelt capabilities support customers working with high-performance materials for a variety of different markets. We help clients to develop fibres, meltblown and spunbond fabrics that address the unique challenges of their specific market sector. If required, we can integrate developed fibres into relevant textile structures, to enable final product prototyping. Explore our case studies to see how we’re helping clients in the Medical, Composites, Electronics and Energy sectors overcome challenges.
Medical and Healthcare
We support clients by converting a variety of biomedical polymers and other biocompatible materials into functional fibres, meeting critical performance specifications for implantable and non-implantable medical devices, including for use in regenerative medicine, controlled drug-release, blood filtration and other extracorporeal devices, advanced woundcare and diagnostics.
Composites
On behalf of clients, NIRI develops fibres, filaments, and reinforcing fibre networks suitable for use in composites. In addition to making linear composite fibres with discrete internal domains, the development work includes engineering fibres for nanocomposites (NC), polymer matrix composites (PMCs) including fibre reinforced polymer composites (FRPs), carbon fibre reinforced polymer composites (CFRPs) and natural fibre composites (NFCs).
Electronics, Energy Storage and Generation
Our high-performance fibre and fabric development services are integral to developing improved products for the electronics and energy sectors, where conductivity, long-term durability, moisture relations, thermal and electrical efficiency are just some of the critical requirements. This includes work on fibres and fabrics that are found in products such as fuel cells, batteries, electrical cabling and thermal barriers.
Innovative Materials for Tomorrow’s Challenges
NIRI is at the forefront of supporting clients to develop sustainable, high-performance fibres and fabrics that meet the evolving demands of the market, for example:
Process Development for New Biopolymer Fibre Extrusion
We develop scalable processes for converting biodegradable, compostable, and recyclable polymers into functional fibres and fabrics, with performance specifications relevant to intended final products and markets. This is assisted by advanced compounding techniques to customise polymer formulations.
Overcoming Biopolymer Fibre Extrusion Challenges
Making industrially relevant fibres and fabrics from biopolymers can be challenging due to poor mechanical properties and moisture sensitivity. At NIRI, we use innovative compounding and rheological assessments, making complex polymer formulations to improve spinnability and meet target fibre performance criteria.
Fibre Extrusion of Advanced Materials & Speciality Fibres
NIRI develops mono- and bicomponent fibres with unique combinations of physical and chemical properties, tailored to meet the performance needs of niche applications in various industries. This covers processing of unusual or advanced polymer materials, materials containing organic or inorganic inclusions in the form of nanoparticles or microcapsules, as well as functionalised polymer components.
Fibre Extrusion for Medical Devices
We help develop and process new biomedical polymers specifically engineered for medical devices, including for regenerative medicine. Our goal is to provide customers with safe, reliable, and effective products that adhere to the highest industry standards.
Extrusion for Lightweighting & Single-Layer Innovations
NIRI has significant experience helping customers to develop lighter, single-layer nonwoven fabrics, without compromising other key properties. We also have access to emerging spunmelt technologies, including ultra-fine denier spunbond and high loft spunbond, that could set new standards in the medical, hygiene, and filtration sectors.
Fibre-Reinforced Composites
We create fibres that significantly enhance the mechanical properties, sustainability and recyclability of composite materials, driving innovation in multiple sectors, including consumer products, automotive and the built environment.
Fibre-to-Fibre Recycling Without Depolymerisation
We use a customised masterbatch methodology to both enhance fibre properties, but also to enable thermomechanical recycling of certain polymers without the need for depolymerisation via chemical recycling. The innovative compounding technique ensures colour retention in the recycled material as well as modulates molecular weight and polymer compatibility.
Prototyping and Scale-up Support
Our integrated facilities streamline the journey from concept to market, enabling us to develop commercially viable products tailored to our customers’ needs. This unique blend of capability, agility, and technical expertise makes NIRI the preferred partner for companies transforming advanced materials into high-performance fibres and nonwovens.
Collaborate with Us
At NIRI, we believe in the power of partnership and collaboration. We work closely with our clients to understand their unique challenges and deliver tailored solutions that drive success. Our unique industry insight and innovation expertise make us the ideal partner for companies looking to push the boundaries of material technology.
Contact us today to see how our extrusion capabilities can elevate your business.