polymerguru

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share Enhance your understanding of polymer behavior and their impact on end-use performance with this comparison of two polymers exhibiting distinct rheological characteristics. Due to differences in molecular structure, these polymers diverge in their non-Newtonian behaviors, particularly in terms of viscosity. The polymer associated with the red curve shows a significantly wider molecular weight distribution, leading to the absence of a Newtonian plateau in typical measurement windows. This plateau is shifted out of view and could be observed at very low shear rates. Interestingly, these polymers have identical viscosities at molding rates but display drastically different Melt Index values, which is a low shear-rate single-point viscosity measure. In injection molding, the weld-line strength is critical. The polymer represented by the red curve exhibits longer re-entanglement times, resulting in inherently weaker weld-lines. In contrast, the blue curve's N

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share Plastic-eating enzyme identified in wastewater microbes: Plastic pollution is everywhere, and a good amount of it is composed of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). This polymer is used to make bottles, containers and even clothing. Now, researchers report in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology that they have discovered an enzyme that breaks apart PET in a rather unusual place: microbes living in sewage sludge. The enzyme could be used by wastewater treatment plants to break apart microplastic particles and upcycle plastic waste. Microplastics are becoming increasingly prevalent in places ranging from remote oceans to inside bodies, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that they appear in wastewater as well. However, the particles are so tiny that they can slip through water treatment purification processes and end up in the effluent that is reintroduced to the environment. But effluent also contains microorganisms that like to eat those plastic particles, in

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share Nvision Biomedical Technologies™ Secures FDA Clearance for First 3D-Printed Porous PEEK Interbody System made with Invibio PEEK-OPTIMA™ Nvision Biomedical Technologies™, San Antonio, Texas (USA) and Invibio Biomaterial Solutions™ (Invibio Ltd, part of Victrex plc, Lancashire, UK), today announce that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted clearance of the first 3D-Printed PEEK Interbody System made from PEEK-OPTIMA™, a polymer from Invibio Biomaterial Solutions (‘Invibio’) and using the proprietary Bond3D additive manufacturing technology.  The 3D-Printed PEEK Interbody System from Nvision Biomedical Technologies, a San Antonio-based medical device and implant manufacturer, was co-developed with Invibio Biomaterial Solutions. The system consists of Cervical and Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF) spine devices, each incorporating extensive porous structures that have the potential to promote multi-directional bone ingrowth and improve de

6th October 2024- Goa-based Kineco Limited (KINECO), a leading manufacturer of advanced composite products for the aerospace, defense, and railway sectors, has announced the acquisition of an additional 49% equity stake in its subsidiary, Kineco Kaman Composites India Private Limited (Kineco Kaman), from the U.S.-based J.V. partner Kaman Aerospace Inc. This transaction makes Kineco Kaman a wholly owned subsidiary of Kineco Limited. Kineco Kaman was founded in 2012 as a joint venture between Kineco and Kaman Aerospace, with the aim of addressing the growing demand for advanced composite parts and sub-assemblies for the aerospace and defense industries in both India and globally. Over the past 12 years, the company has earned a strong reputation for manufacturing complex composite components and sub-assemblies used in aerospace, defense, and space applications. The company has received multiple Gold Supplier awards for excellence in quality and 100% on-time delivery from global Original

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share Plastics are stronger and lighter thanks to carbon nanotubes derivatives Reducing the environmental impact caused by plastics can be addressed through different strategies, such as the manufacture of more durable plastics or recycling. In general, there are two main types of plastics. The first is thermoplastics, which can be melted and molded to form other objects, although their mechanical properties weaken if they are melted several times. And the second,  thermosets , do not melt at high temperatures, since the chains of the polymers that form them are intertwined by chemical bonds. Thermoset plastics have advantageous properties compared to thermoplastics. They tend to have a higher resistance to impact and mechanical stress, although they are also more brittle. Epoxy resin, silicone or melamine are examples of thermoset plastics, commonly used in construction. To make these plastics stronger, engineers add reinforcement materials such as carbon fibers.

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share Marie Curie, née Skłodowska-The Nobel prize in 1911 Marie Curie was a physicist and chemist who became the first woman to win a Nobel prize. Along with her husband Pierre, she discovered two elements: polonium and radium. She also carried out pioneering research into radioactivity. Born Maria Skłodowska in Warsaw on 7 November 1867, Marie moved to Paris in 1891 to study physics, chemistry and maths at the University of Paris, where she earned two degrees, supporting herself through her studies by tutoring in the evenings. There she met Pierre Curie, who worked at the university, and they married in 1895. The couple set up a joint laboratory in a basement, building their own equipment for their experiments. At the time no one knew about the effects of radioactivity on the body, so they handled the elements they used in their research without any of the precautions or protective clothing we would use today. Marie even kept vials of what she was working on in h