Porous Polymers (Vyon®)

Historically Porvair Filtration Group principally manufactured industrial grades of porous polyethylene and polypropylene materials. Although profitable and competitive, these materials were generally confined to relatively low technology niche applications such as, silencers for air lines, low cost filters and fragrance emanation.

Traditional markets were extremely cost sensitive and reducing in size, in line with the general decline of manufacturing in the UK resulting from competition from low cost countries. Therefore, a change in emphasis was envisioned that redirected research and development into new areas where porous materials could be used in higher value applications, enabling us to successfully differentiate ourselves from our competitors.

 

"Through continuous development, we are now able to meet the demands of our chosen high value, and growing worldwide markets."

 

Significant advances in surface chemistry have been achieved in recent years and have often come about through collaboration with Universities such as Cranfield, Essex, Brighton, Bangor and Swansea in privately sponsored research programmes. The advances in chemistry discovered during this work spun out into several exciting new concepts and has led to the developed of many new and unique materials and products. Some of these porous materials, such as those based on composites, surface modification and surface functionalisation have unique properties that allow them to be used in much more demanding, high value applications. 

Our basic ranges of porous polyethylene and polypropylene polymers have been enhanced for use in many biomedical and pharmaceutical applications that demand a high technical performance rather than a low cost. Several novel porous materials with advanced physical and chemical properties have been launched in recent years under the generic product name of BioVyon™. For example, we have developed and patented technologies that change the chemical nature of the basic porous polymers making them hydrophilic, hydrophobic or functionalised with selective chemical groups. This has allowed them to be used in many bioscience applications such as antibody purification, protein separation, solid phase extraction (SPE), affinity separation, liquid chromatography, DNA extraction, and ChIP assays. 

The success of this initiative has put Porvair in a more competitive position underpinned by patented intellectual property. Through continuous development, we are now able to meet the demands of our chosen high value, and growing worldwide markets.