polymerguru

The French Senate recently adopted a law imposing a use restriction for products intended to come into direct contact with foodstuffs containing BPA. The members of the  PC /BPA and ERC groups express severe disappointment and concern upon this decision; it fails to respect EU and global authority risk assessments that repeatedly confirmed the safety of use for BPA in food contact materials, including products for newborns and small children. A new full reassessment of BPA by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is expected in May 2013. No unilateral national measures should be taken before EFSA releases its opinion on the safety of the substance. Industry is deeply disappointed to see the French government not respecting the existing EU rules for food safety, and will be considering all options as reaction to this decision. The French decision may result in a reduction, and not an enhancement, of French consumer safety, and will create a significant distortion of the int...

Putnam Plastics Corporation, a leader in advanced extrusion for minimally invasive medical devices, introduces Taper-Tie™ variable flexibility tubing for catheter shafts that require maximum flexibility on one end for forward navigation and rigidity on the other end for directional control by physicians. Taper-Tie is a proprietary continuous extrusion technology designed to replace traditional manual assembly of segmented shafts and eliminate associated labor costs. Diagnostic and interventional catheter devices can be over 100 cm (39 in.) in length to reach vascular sites deep within the body. The forward, or distal, end of the catheter must be soft and flexible to navigate complex vascular pathways while minimizing trauma. The end held by the physician, or proximal end, must be more rigid to allow the physician to advance and steer the catheter shaft. Variable stiffness properties can be achieved by changing materials, wall thicknesses or shaft diameters along the length of the...

In a world that is constantly changing due to technological advancements and rapid innovation, it's rare that a product line can remain relatively unchanged yet continue to be relevant, decade after decade. But that's exactly the case with Eastman Chemical Company's Tenite™ cellulosics, a family of compounded cellulosic plastics introduced in 1932. "Although we have developed approximately 200,000 different formulations, colors and patterns over the last 80 years, we're fundamentally using the same process as when we began compounding Tenite™ cellulosic plastics," said Lucian Boldea, Ph.D., vice president and general manager, specialty plastics, Eastman. Working with customers and external partners, Eastman continues to look for new and inventive uses for Tenite cellulosics. "We are currently exploring new ways to use Tenite cellulosics and are beginning work with a new generation of university design students to experiment with the plastics to creat...

Altuglas International, a subsidiary of Arkema group, with its Plexiglas® and Altuglas® acrylic resins (Americas and Rest of World, respectively) and NatureWorks, a leader in the  bio-plastics  market with its Ingeo™ biopolymers derived from plants, have signed a global co-marketing agreement. The agreement is designed to deliver a range of newly formulated bio-based, high performance alloys based on polymethylmethacrylate  and Ingeo™. The new materials will be marketed by Altuglas International as Plexiglas®/Altuglas® Rnew biopolymer alloys. Primary co-marketing efforts for these materials will be for durable goods applications, where the Plexiglas®/Altuglas® brand is synonymous with high performance, durability and clarity. The agreement grew out of the overwhelming response the two companies experienced during the US National Plastics Exposition (NPE) last April, during which they jointly displayed examples of molded and thermoformed products made with their c...

The 4-year SPLASH project will develop a new biobased industrial platform using microalgae as a renewable raw material for the sustainable production and recovery of hydrocarbons and (exo)polysaccharides from the species Botryococcus braunii and further conversion to renewable polymers. The project comprises of 20 partners of which 40% SME and several large corporates plus universities and research institutes. Two bioproduction platforms will be explored: (1) green alga Botryococcus braunii on its own and (2) the green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, to which the unique hydrocarbon and polysaccharides producing genes from Botryococcus will be transferred. SPLASH will deliver knowledge, tools and technologies needed for the establishment of a new industry sector: Industrial Biotechnology with algae and/or algal genes for the manufacture of polyesters and polyolefins. The building blocks for these polymers will be derived from the sugars (polyesters) and hydrocarbons (polyo...

The Lubrizol Corporation offers Estane® soft plasticizer-free thermoplastic polyurethanes ( TPUs ) for athletic footwear applications. An alternative to conventional plasticized  TPUs,  Lubrizol's plasticizer-free TPUs provide an option for manufacturers sensitive to today's more stringent environmental requirements. Conventional soft TPUs contain a phthalate-type plasticizer that may be subject to regulation by environmental agencies. In addition, such plasticizers can gradually migrate to the surface of the molded product, creating poor aesthetics and altering the bonding strength. Lubrizol's line of plasticizer-free TPUs exhibit the performance attributes for which the company's engineered polymers are well known, including excellent flexibility, softness, abrasion resistance and moldability. Lubrizol's soft plasticizer-free Estane TPUs are available in both a polyester series (Estane T460AH, Estane T460A, Estane T465A and Estane T470A) and a polyether ser...

VTT Technical Research Center of Finland has developed a technique to significantly improve the quality of bio-based plastic packaging. The new generation of bio-based plastic packaging is not only eco-friendly but also has several superior qualities compared to traditional plastic packaging. The plastic packaging industry is moving towards completely bio-based products. The volume of oil used every year in the production of plastics equates to approximately five per cent of the world's total oil consumption. Approximately 40 per cent of all plastics are used in packaging, which puts special pressure on the packaging industry to reduce dependence on oil. The use of renewable natural resources in industrial applications reduces dependence on oil and the carbon footprint attributable to consumption. A transition to bio-based economy nevertheless requires products that are not only ecologically sustainable but also competitive in terms of quality. VTT has developed a technique that ...

Continuum Recycling, ECO Plastics' groundbreaking joint venture with Coca Cola Enterprises (CCE) has been recognized at the Green Business Awards 2012. Sam Richardson, representing ECO Plastics, and CCE's Patrick McGuirk accepted the Partnership Award at a ceremony at Lords Cricket Ground on Monday 12th November. The award was given in recognition of Continuum's impact on the domestic recycling sector, as well as for the partnership's ongoing engagement with supply chains, customers and employees. An important milestone for both the drinks manufacturing and recycling industries, Continuum reprocesses used plastic bottles in its purpose built facility in Hemswell which are then transformed into new Coca Cola bottles. The joint venture has also provided an economic boost and created skilled jobs in rural Lincolnshire. The award is the latest in a string of prizes and short listings for the Lincolnshire business. These include listings on the Hiscox Tech Track 1...