Newton, MA – Xheme Inc. (“Xheme”), a leading materials science company, announced today that the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, Inc., manager of the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory, has awarded a spaceflight opportunity for its proposal “Programmable Future of Plastics and Coatings: Building Terrestrial and Extraterrestrial Innovation Loop.” This award was in response to the ISS National Lab Sustainability Challenge: Beyond Plastics, a collaboration with global prestige beauty brand Estée Lauder.
Xheme is breaking new ground in the development of high-performance, sustainable, multifunctional polymer composite films with applications ranging from chemical industries to combating oxidative stress in biological systems, and this grant underscores Xheme’s innovative materials science leadership and sustainability commitment. This grant recognizes the critical need for sustainable materials that can perform in both terrestrial and space environments and will fund Xheme’s exploration of next-generation polymeric composite materials that can withstand the high-energy space environment while maintaining their performance and chemical recyclability.
This initiative also represents an exciting collaboration between Xheme and esteemed industrial partners such as FLEXcon (flexcon.com),* Cambridge Polymer Group (campoly.com), and Aegis Aerospace (aegisaero.com), alongside academic support from UMass Lowell’s Plastics Engineering Department https://www.uml.edu/engineering/plastics/. Based on the MOU between Xheme Inc and FLEXcon, the project could enable the development and launch by FLEXcon a better recyclable Xheme-PET films, with its consumption predicted to result in 13 million metric tons of waste sent to landfills and incineration annually. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from domestic PET production would be 2.5 times higher by 2040 than the levels needed to meet U.S. emissions reduction targets
The Principal investigator, Dr. Kumar Challa, and Xheme will take a leading role in pioneering innovative approaches to designing multifunctional plastics that serve both terrestrial and extraterrestrial applications, focusing on delivering the highest performance standards while eliminating human and environmental toxicity. Aegis Aerospace, Inc. will provide critical operational support by launching Xheme’s novel plastic films on the Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE) mission, enabling rigorous testing in the challenging space environment.
There is a significant unmet need for materials designed to perform across Earth-based and space environments. The space station offers a unique setting for conducting structure-property relationship studies, which is vital for developing the next generation of plastics and composites. Xheme’s groundbreaking approach to creating a programmable future for plastics and coatings is built on their patent-pending polymer composite film technologies. These materials minimize the additive footprint in plastics, enhance chemical recyclability, and reduce human and ecological toxicity. Among the multifunctional properties of Xheme’s materials, their ability to scavenge free radicals and protect against UV damage will be key to the success of this project.
This collaborative effort presents a unique opportunity to generate invaluable structure-property relationship data, driving better materials design for applications that span both Earth and space. In the long term, Xheme anticipates revolutionizing the materials discovery process, creating new economic opportunities through innovative product pipelines, and advancing the foundational scientific understanding of materials both new and existing. With global plastics production set to reach 736 million tons by 2040, up 70% from 2020, Xheme’s efforts are aligned with the plastics industry’s urgent need to focus on redesigning, recycling, and reusing.
This project promises to deliver cutting-edge advancements in polymer science, solidifying Xheme’s leadership in sustainable materials innovation and paving the way for new economic opportunities and scientific breakthroughs. Xheme’s products and technologies are still in the development phase, with more work to be done. While Xheme’s technologies have the potential to be a disrupter, more research and development work and regulatory approvals are needed before commercialization.
For more information and updates on our groundbreaking work, please visit www.xhemeinc.com.
*Flexcon is part of the FLEXcon Holdings Trust (“FHT”), a leading portfolio of companies centered around roll-to-roll manufacturing of films and the parent company for Flexcon Company, Inc. (flexcon.com), Arlon Graphics, LLC, and Blueshift Materials, Inc.