PREXELENT™ Technology
Verified effectiveness against microbes
PREXELENT™ is a new, patented method of mixing an antimicrobial active agent with a polymer. The material's composition is modified so that the active agent migrates to the material's surface at a chemically controlled rate, where it is activated by humidity or liquid. The release rate of the active agent can be modified to meet the needs of different applications.
The first active agent used is a rosin derived from pine oil that is a by-product of the Finnish forest industry. This type of rosin has been used in medical practice since antiquity. It is non-toxic and does not affect the recyclability of the carrying polymer.
Other active agents can be used with this technology when the application requires it. We work together with our clients to determine each application's requirements to find the right combination of an active agent and carrying material for it.
PREXELENT™ is compatible with machinery and processes in common use, keeping deployment investments down. PREXELENT™ is manufactured in a so-called melt compounding process, in which an active antimicrobial agent is processed straight into the plastic. The resulting material can be further processed in the same way as plastics in general, including injection molding or extrusion, into different shapes and forms.
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The effectivity of the active agents is activated by humidity or liquid.
The idea of PREXELENT™ technology is originally based on an active natural agent whose antimicrobial properties have been known for centuries – the pine tree resin.
Where can you use this antimicrobial technology?
There is a growing need for safe and pure environments in, for example, the food ecosystem, health care, and agriculture. Answering these needs requires many new solutions, and we believe that PREXELENT™ could offer one of them.
In primary production, technology can be used to prevent the fodder spoilage caused by mold or to reduce the use of antibiotics or other substances that are harmful to nature. When using technology, for example, in food casing, we can achieve significant improvements in preservability. Thus, PREXELENT™ could offer one possibility to solve the global challenge of food loss. There are also wide possibilities in the healthcare sector where extreme purity is expected. Please read more in the Industries section!
We have strong, scientific proof showing the technology's effectiveness against SARS CoV-2 (the coronavirus), MRSA, and other harmful microbes.
Coronavirus protection
Finnish innovation PREXELLENT™ kills 99.7% of coronaviruses in five minutes
Protection against MRSA bacteria
VTT research report verifies PREXELENT™ 99% effective against MRSA
Scientifically proven technology offers benefits throughout the value chain
At Premix, we do everything we can to improve the safety of our society – both for people and the environment. PREXELENT™ technology is a perfect match with our company's purpose: Creating a safe society with functional plastics.
How was PREXELENT™ born?
There is nothing new in antimicrobial plastics. They have been tested and developed for years already. Most of the solutions, however, are based on coating the plastic. In PREXELENT™, the active agent migrates to the material’s surface at a chemically controlled rate.
Premix has 40 years of experience in developing and manufacturing electrically conductive plastics and 10 years of experience in dielectric plastics for antennas. In 2016, a researcher of Tampere University of Technology, Dr. Ville Mylläri, initiated a Tekes Challenge Finland project in which processing of pine tree resin with thermoplastics was studied. Premix was one of the participants of this project and has continued the research until today. The initial results of the Tekes project were boosted with Premix’s ability to modify plastics.
This is how the idea of PREXELENT™ was born. Today, the research work at Premix continues and in addition to resin, we have identified many other suitable active agents. Now, we are aiming for commercialization and industrial-scale manufacturing and are looking for partners. What would this new technology enable in your business?
