Developing lower-emission solutions through research and development

Research and development (R&D) is central to ExxonMobil; an integral part of our focus on lower-emission solutions and support for the energy transition. We employ thousands of scientists and operate research and technology centers around the world – including the European Technology Center (ETC) in Belgium.

For 55 years, the ETC has helped develop new technologies and innovative solutions across a range of areas, from polyethylene and other polymers to sustainable aviation fuel. “The European Technology Center has various research activities,” says Dr. Luc Martens, director of the ETC. “It’s about focusing on sustainability and thinking outside the box to improve existing products and develop new ones.” Hear more from Luc about the work of the ETC:  

A diverse research portfolio

The ETC has long worked to improve the recyclability* of plastic, including food packaging. Such packaging is often challenging to mechanically recycle, as it’s typically made up of many layers of different kinds of plastic. It’s common for some, but not all layers, to consist of polyethylene and these multi-layer plastic structures are not well suited to mechanical recycling: a process that works best with a single polymer material. 

Collaborating with six other companies, scientists at the ETC recently created a new type of plastic packaging. This was designed to replace multilayer barrier packaging – which provides a protective shield for the product but is difficult to recycle. While the new packaging features 14 different layers, 96% of the material is polyethylene – which helps make it easier to recycle. “Our team has proven that you can recycle more than 50% of it, using it in new applications, such as bags that contain heavy food,” Luc says. “That's a major advancement.”