Eden Innovations (ASX:EDE) and UQ win fifth consecutive funding package from ARC

• Eden Innovations (EDE) and the University of Queensland have received their fifth consecutive funding package from the Australian Research Council (ARC)
• Both companies will use the ARC grant, totalling nearly $380,000, to develop a new process for creating specialised thermoplastic parts
• Essentially, these components are enriched with a carbon nanotube (CNT) polymer, which can reinforce the thermoplastic with extra strength and sturdiness
• During their latest testing program, Eden and the university will prioritise research into new ways to recycle the CNT structures
• Both parties’ collaboration forms part of a broader research and development partnership which has lasted 15 years
• Following the announcement, Eden shares rose 3.85 per cent, trading for 2.7 cents per share

Eden Innovations (EDE) and the University of Queensland (UQ) have been awarded $376,518 to fund an upcoming development program.

The funding comes from the Australian Research Council (ARC) and is UQ and Eden’s fifth consecutive funding package from the government body. On the whole, ARC research grants are in high demand and the tender process is competitive, making this award highly significant for both parties.

This isn’t the first time Eden and UQ have worked together. In fact, both parties have collaborated in the past to develop the ASX-lister’s EdenPlast technology, a type of industrial additive similar to its EdenCrete concrete enhancer. Overall, Eden and UQ’s partnership has spanned 15 years.

As part of its upcoming research and development program, both parties want to develop a new process for creating specialised thermoplastic parts.

Specifically, this involves creating polymers enhanced with carbon nanotubes (CNT) — particles which can reinforce the thermoplastic with extra strength and sturdiness.

Broadly speaking, thermoplastics can be used in a broad range of industrial and everyday items — everything from mechanical parts to plastic bags can adopt the medium.

As they work together on this new project, both Eden and the University of Queensland will test the industrial stock’s EdenPlast enhanced polymer product.

There’s also an emphasis on testing the recyclability of these compounds — something which could have significant commercial and environmental benefits, as existing thermoplastic composites are not easily recycled.

“The targeted outcomes of this project, if successful, will be a novel technology for making high strength and stiffness polymer fibres reinforced with Eden’s CNTs, expanding their potential use in thermoplastic composites,” the company explained.

“These new polymer fibres could also enable down-sizing of high-volume products that may well be suitable for use in high value automotive or aerospace products,” it added.

At the close of market, Eden was up 3.85 per cent and trading for 2.7 cents per share each.