polymerguru

The new BMW i3 - World Premiere to be staged simultaneously in three continents. Board members will reveal the BMW Group’s first all-electric series-produced vehicle in New York, London and Beijing. The simultaneous launch in three continents highlights the global approach embodied by the BMW i3 towards resolving urban mobility issues worldwide. This approach is rooted in the holistic idea of a purpose-built vehicle concept boasting a unique design, sustainability throughout the value chain and complementary mobility services. As such, the BMW i3 redefines urban mobility for the present and future, setting benchmarks for sustainability, design, hallmark BMW dynamics and exemplary efficiency. It is the world’s first premium electric vehicle designed from the ground up to be powered by an electric drive system. It is also a world first by virtue of bringing together visionary design, pioneering technology and an innovative vehicle concept that includes a passenger cell made of carbon-

The integrity of structural adhesives Structural adhesives are fast emerging as the preferred alternative to conventional mechanical techniques, such as bolts, rivets and welding, for bonding a wide variety of materials.  Comprising three main categories, including epoxy, polyurethane and methacrylate, the benefits of structural adhesives are now well documented. Providing a low weight answer to today’s engineering issues, they can be used to bond a variety of substrates, facilitating the strength and integrity of bonded structures whilst lowering stresses, enhancing chemical and temperature resistance, and optimising manufacturing methods.   Design trends There’s no doubt that a variety of composite, plastic and non-plastic materials will continue to play key roles in the drive to create lighter structures across different industries moving forward – from the electronics industry, through to the automotive, aerospace, general transport and oil and gas industries, the list goes on. Th

Sovereign — one of the leading food packaging suppliers — are proud to introduce The GoodLife® bio sip-lid. Made from bagasse — the fibrous matter that remains after sugarcane or sorghum stalks are crushed to extract their juice — these domed lids are truly innovative, functional and come with impeccable environmental credentials. Unlike other sip-lids which are made of plastic and have a tendency to crack, these lids have a distinctive eco-friendly appearance, are robust and are easy to drink from. After use, the sip-lid is 100% compostable and will biodegrade with general food waste. GoodLife® Bio Sip-lid Made from Bagasse The GoodLife® bio sip-lid is firm and comfortable to drink from and can be used safely even with the hottest drinks. Because of the flexible sturdiness of bagasse, the bio sip-lid fits tightly on all 90mm diameter 12oz and 16oz paper hot cups in the UK market. Indeed, tests have shown that the lid stays securely on the cup even if the cup is tipped over.

The Carbon Company – has honored Professor Klaus Müllen with the Utz-Hellmuth Felcht Award for his research into the synthesis of tailored graphenes. Professor Müllen, Director of the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, received the award on July 18 at the International Carbon Conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Dr Gerd Wingefeld, a member of the SGL Group Board of Management, said: “We present the Utz-Hellmuth Felcht Award to honor outstanding scientific and technological contributions in the field of carbon and ceramic materials. The extremely strong, electrically conductive carbon material, graphene, has immense application potential in computer chip manufacture, as a composite material for energy storage in batteries and fuel cells, and as a catalyst. Professor Müllen and his team have made an important contribution here. The synthesis process developed by him makes it possible for the first time to produce graphene nanoribbons with precisely defined shape and siz

Nylon label materials can offer significant advantages over polyester or  polypropylene  based films in terms of conformability. This is very important when labeling rounded surfaces such as vials or test tubes used in medical and laboratory applications or identifying wire and cable bundles for the electrical industry. The label needs to survive the life of the part identified and stiffness of a polyester or  polypropylene  material, over time, may cause failures such as flagging or delamination. The flexibility of the nylon label would all the material to conform to a rounded surface and be less likely to see this type of failure. Why is nylon better? When compared to continuous film, the woven nylon absorbs the stresses that result from dimensional changes that occur from bending or at extreme temperatures. The aggressive 1 mil pressure sensitive adhesive allows for a strong bond in extreme low temperature when adhered to rounded plastic or glass surfaces. The XF-302 is a

In a first for the carton packaging industry, Tetra Pak® announces that it plans to sign an agreement with Braskem, the largest thermoplastic resins producer in the Americas, for the supply of  low-density polyethylene  ( LDPE ) made from sugar cane to its packaging material factories in Brazil. This breakthrough initiative, which will be limited in scope to Brazil only for the duration of the trial, is scheduled to start during the first quarter of 2014. According to the plan, Tetra Pak will use bio-based  LDPE  as a component of its packages produced in Brazil. The planned move to bio-based LDPE means that 100% of Tetra Pak packages produced in Brazil, about 13 billion, will have up to 82% packaging material from renewable sources. "The new agreement to be signed with Braskem demonstrates our commitment to bring environmental innovations to our customers and is a further step in our journey to develop fully renewable packages," said Tetra Pak President and Chief Exe

Hexagon Composites' subsidiary, Hexagon Lincoln has received an order from a new North American client to supply Titan natural gas transport modules. The value of the order is approximately USD 9 million. A North American gas supplier, will use the lightweight Titan modules for transportation of compressed natural gas from pipeline-connected mother stations to stranded industrial users traditionally powered by conventional liquid fuels. Compared to conventional steel offerings, Titan modules are lighter and transport more payload per trip. With its significantly lighter weight and substantial transport capacity, the type 4 composite tank Titan modules can be used where road weight restrictions might otherwise hamper deliveries or where maximum capacity is critical to reduce miles traveled. Operations using Titan units have proven to reduce fuel consumption in operation by more than 40% compared with conventional steel trailer technology. Delivery of the Titan modules will begin

Cryogenic propellants are gasses chilled to subfreezing temperatures and condensed to form highly combustible liquids, providing high-energy propulsion solutions critical to future, long-term human exploration missions beyond low-Earth orbit. Cryogenic propellants, such as liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, have been traditionally used to provide the enormous thrust needed for large rockets and NASA's space shuttle. In the past, propellant tanks have been fabricated out of metals. The almost 8 foot (2.4 meter) diameter composite tank tested at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, is considered game changing because composite tanks may significantly reduce the cost and weight for launch vehicles and other space missions. Switching from metallic to composite construction holds the potential to dramatically increase the performance capabilities of future space systems through a dramatic reduction in weight. A potential initial target application for the composite tech