PolySolv · Project

Prediction Software That Tells You How Polymers Behave Before You Make Them

manufacturingMarket-readyTRL 8

Imagine you're a chef trying a new recipe but you could taste the result before cooking — that's what this software does for polymer chemistry. SCM, a Dutch software company, already had a popular tool (COSMO-RS) that predicts how chemicals dissolve and mix, but it couldn't handle big molecules like plastics and coatings. PolySolv extended that tool so it now works with polymers of any size, letting engineers predict properties like solubility and compatibility on a computer screen instead of running expensive lab experiments. Their COSMO-RS revenues had already grown 130% in two years, and this upgrade opens the door to the massive polymer industry.

By the numbers

130%

Revenue growth of COSMO-RS module over two years before the project

EUR 105,000

EU contribution for the polymer extension development

20+

Years of commercial software track record by SCM

Software release delivered with test user feedback incorporated

The business problem

What needed solving

Companies working with polymers — in food packaging, coatings, membranes, and pharmaceuticals — spend enormous amounts of time and money on trial-and-error lab experiments to find the right material combinations. Predicting how polymers dissolve, mix, and behave requires understanding thermodynamic properties that were previously impossible to compute for large molecules. Without computational screening, every new polymer formulation means weeks of physical testing.

The solution

What was built

An extended version of the commercial COSMO-RS software that removes the molecular size limitation, enabling thermodynamic property predictions for polymers of any size. The project delivered one software release incorporating feedback from test users.

Audience

Who needs this

Food packaging companies developing new polymer barrier filmsCoatings and paints manufacturers selecting solvents and polymer blendsMembrane technology companies designing filtration and separation materialsPharmaceutical companies working on polymer-based drug delivery systemsR&D labs doing computational materials science for polymer applications

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Food Packaging

mid-size

Target: Food packaging manufacturers developing new barrier films and sustainable materials

If you are a food packaging company dealing with trial-and-error when selecting polymer blends for shelf-life or barrier properties — this project delivered an extended version of COSMO-RS software that predicts thermodynamic properties of polymers computationally. Instead of running dozens of lab tests to find the right material mix, you can screen candidates digitally first, cutting development cycles and material waste.

Coatings & Paints

any

Target: Industrial coating companies formulating protective or decorative coatings

If you are a coatings manufacturer struggling with solvent selection and polymer compatibility when formulating new products — this project built software that models how polymers interact with solvents at any molecular size. You can predict coating performance, drying behavior, and adhesion properties before mixing a single batch, reducing failed formulations and expensive reformulation rounds.

Membrane & Separation Technology

SME

Target: Companies producing filtration membranes for water treatment or gas separation

If you are a membrane technology company spending months testing different polymer compositions for filtration performance — this project extended COSMO-RS to handle large polymer molecules, enabling you to computationally predict separation selectivity and permeability. This means faster screening of membrane materials and fewer dead-end experiments in your R&D pipeline.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How much does the COSMO-RS polymer software cost?

The project itself received EUR 105,000 in EU funding for development. COSMO-RS is a commercial product sold by SCM (Software for Chemistry & Materials BV). Specific licensing costs are not disclosed in the project data — contact SCM directly for current pricing.

Can this software handle industrial-scale polymer systems, not just lab curiosities?

Yes — the entire point of PolySolv was removing the molecular size limitation. The previous COSMO-RS could not handle molecules above a certain size. The extended version now works with molecular models of any size, which is exactly what industrial polymer applications require.

What is the IP and licensing situation?

SCM is a private commercial software company (SME) that owns and sells COSMO-RS as part of its product portfolio. The software is proprietary and commercially licensed. Since SCM was the sole consortium partner, IP ownership is straightforward — it stays with SCM.

Is this ready to use or still in research?

The project delivered a software release that incorporated feedback from test users. Given that COSMO-RS is already a commercial product with over two decades of development history and 130% revenue growth, the polymer extension is a market-ready upgrade to an existing product.

How does this integrate with existing R&D workflows?

COSMO-RS is part of SCM's broader Amsterdam Modeling Suite, which has been commercially available for over two decades. The polymer extension fits into existing computational chemistry workflows. Based on available project data, the software release was tested with real users before final delivery.

What evidence is there that this actually works?

The sole deliverable was a software release incorporating test users' feedback, meaning real users validated the extended functionality. SCM's existing COSMO-RS module saw 130% revenue growth in two years before this extension, demonstrating strong market demand and proven base technology.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a single-company project — SOFTWARE FOR CHEMISTRY & MATERIALS BV (Netherlands), an SME with 100% industry composition. No universities or research institutes are involved. For a business buyer, this is significant: it means the technology was developed entirely within a commercial context by a company that must sell software to survive. SCM has over two decades of translating science into commercial products. The lean consortium (1 partner, 1 country) also means there are no complex IP-sharing arrangements — SCM owns everything and can license it directly.

SOFTWARE FOR CHEMISTRY & MATERIALS BVCoordinator · NL

How to reach the team

SCM (Software for Chemistry & Materials BV) is based in the Netherlands. Visit scm.com for direct contact.

Order a report on this consortium See SOFTWARE FOR CHEMISTRY & MATERIALS BV profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to evaluate whether COSMO-RS polymer predictions fit your R&D workflow? SciTransfer can arrange a technical briefing with the SCM team.

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