polymerguru

Nylons: Worldwide market for Nylons is forecasted to be $27B / year by 2018. There are many  nylons   commercially available; most popular being Nylon 66 and Nylon 6   followed  by specialty nylons. Rennovia's announcement of biobased C-6   diamine, along with  Verdezyne's C-6 diacid promises to deliver a 100%   biobased Nylon 66. Other specialty  nylons of the future from biobased   building blocks include N46, N410, N56, N510, N610, N612, N1010 and many   more. The presentation at the conference will exemplify the commercial developments in the   field of bio-derived di-acids.  Bioplastics conference will be held at InterContinental on Biscayne Bay,Miami,Jan 28-30 2015. More details via the link, http://bioplastconference.com

LANXESS sees great potential for the use of PBT and polyamide compounds in production of vehicle exterior body parts – for example bumpers, sills, front grilles, door handles, fuel tank flaps, spoilers and mirror housings. “That is why we are building up a wide range of Durethan and Pocan materials for this use segment. The development work is focusing on application-specific, optimized mechanical properties, as well as good surface qualities and good paintability,” says Frank Krause, design expert at LANXESS. New PBT for fuel tank flaps — suitable for CDC and dimensionally stable An innovative material for fuel tank flaps, for example, is Pocan B 5220 XF reinforced with a glass bead content of 20 percent. The product is an alternative to blends of polyphenylene ethers and polyamide (PPE+PA), which are often used in series-produced fuel tank flaps because they can be painted online. A disadvantage of such blends, however, is their high degree of moisture absorption, which has an un...

Toyota has taken various steps to reduce the weight of the vehicle by using carbon fiber, natural fiber and bioplastics in recent years.Toyota has introduced roof lining molded from a mixture of carbon and natural fibers. Injection molded air cleaner case by using Kenaf with PP. Like wise there are so many parts such as door trim,seat cushion,spare tire cover,tool box,scuff plates,trunk liner,headliners,sun visors,pillar covers,floor finish plate.Toyota also makes insulator parts (tunnel,floor carpett hood,apron,dash inner) from natural cotton fiber wastes.  There are many research are taking place on various bio sourced materials in recent days.Nano-cellulose fiber based projects draw attention from the automakers now. To know more about natural fiber bio-based monomer and polymer,pls mark your calender to attend this  worthy Bioplastics conference at InterContinental on Biscayne Bay,Miami,Jan 28-30 2015. I strong...

A new solar panel system for Defense Forces provides ballistic protection and is lighter and more portable than systems currently available. The PowerArmor™ unit from IDG Europe has low-reflectance solar panels protected by an anti-ballistic surface made in an exceptionally strong unidirectional fiber-reinforced composite. The composite is based on an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber (UHMWPE) produced by DSM Dyneema and branded as Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber™. It replaces the aluminum normally used for portable solar panels, which provides no ballistic protection. IDG says this is the first time that solar panels have been given such a high level of ballistic protection. Panels made in Dyneema® also weigh around 20% less than aluminum panels of the same thickness. DSM Dyneema and IDG Europe cooperated closely in IDG’s development of the dual-purpose system, intended to power electrical and electronic equipment used by armed forces in the field. The combination ...

Myriant Corporation recently announced it has formed a three-way joint development agreement with UPC and Sojitz to promote bio-succinic acid based plasticizers . UPC Group, the global leading producer of plasticizers, will utilize Myriant's bio-succinic acid in the manufacture of bio-based, phthalate-free plasticizers. Simultaneously, the companies announced that Sojitz Corporation, Myriant's sales and marketing partner, will closely work with UPC in sales of UPC's branded bio-based plasticizers. UPC aims to be a total service provider to the chemical industry including investing in new product development and innovative applications. Bio-based, phthalate-free plasticizers will meet the needs of those customers seeking high-performing, high-quality renewable chemicals to produce environmentally friendly products including plastics and plastic wraps. "Increasingly, chemical manufacturers are turning to Myriant's bio-succinic acid as a key feedstock for producing h...

Global Bioenergies (Alternext Paris: ALGBE) announces having succeeded in the production of bio-sourced butadiene by direct fermentation. It is the first time ever an entirely biological production process -i.e. without any chemical step- is reported for butadiene, one of the most important petrochemical building blocks.  Butadiene is a key platform molecule of the petrochemical industry with a world-wide market of over 10 million metric tons per year. As of today, butadiene is exclusively obtained from fossil resources, principally through extraction from naphtha cracking. Given the decrease in naphtha cracking capacities, there is a need for alternative routes to butadiene. In this context Global Bioenergies has signed in 2011 a collaboration agreement with Synthos (Warsaw Stock Exchange: SNS), a leader in the production of butadiene-derived rubber products, to develop a direct fermentation route allowing a cost-effective transformation of renewable resources into butadiene. Sin...

Royal DSM, the global Life Sciences and Materials Sciences company, says a combination of two of its most innovative thermoplastics technologies has resulted in high performance pressure vessels that are ideally suited for use as lightweight fuel tanks for automobiles running on compressed natural gas (CNG) or hydrogen. With a solution for both the inner liner and the outer tape reinforcement, DSM is able to reduce the weight of the tank by up to 70%.  Hydrogen and natural gas are claiming their place in the field of cost-effective and low carbon-footprint fuels for use in automobiles. Countries with major natural gas reserves are looking at the advantages of using CNG as an alternative fuel which reduces the CO2 emission by 15% compared to current solutions in petrol or diesel.  A traditional steel tank of 40L weighs around 60 kg, while a composite ‘Type IV’ tank with Akulon® Fuel Lock liner can weigh down to 20 kg. Every 10 kg removed from a vehicle translates roughly into ...

At the TIME Conference Center in New York, Parx Plastics wins the World Technology Award for Materials. The Parx technology was identified as an innovation with the likely long-term significance.    Once a year The World Technology Network brings together many of the world’s most innovative individuals and organizations in science, technology, and related fields to present, discuss and celebrate innovations and accomplishments. In this year’s edition Parx Plastics was awarded for its inventions creating a  biocompatible antibacterial plastic . The technology developed by Parx Plastics is unique in its kind as it is fully biocompatible, ecofriendly, non-toxic and without substances leaching from the plastic. These characteristics make this solution the only antibacterial technology that without limitations can be used in food packaging materials to improve the shelf life of food, and can be used for medical applications such as implants where it will reduce the chances o...

The Solar Impulse 2 airplane, revealed on April 9 and successfully test flown in June of this year, is designed using Dassault Systèmes’ 3DExperience platform. Solar Impulse uses Dassault Systèmes’ 3DExperience platform, including its Catia and Enovia applications, to design, build, and validate this second solar airplane. Solar Impulse 1 was a test bed for the incredibly complex new technologies required to fly day and night using solar energy alone. Solar Impulse 2 will carry the mission forward and fly around the world in 2015. The team faced new challenges and trade-offs in designing such an innovative plane, including a new design for the fuselage and wings, and using new materials to achieve strict weight objectives. Designing a cockpit providing safety, comfort, and command accessibility for a pilot on an around-the-world flight required sophisticated design and management tools. Dassault Systèmes applications, in use by the team since 2006, helped ensure smooth execution o...

Verdezyne, Inc., a privately-held industrial biotechnology company focused on producing renewable chemicals, recently announced it has reached an agreement with Bio-XCell Malaysia to construct Verdezyne’s first commercial-scale renewable chemicals manufacturing facility in Bio-XCell’s premier biotechnology and ecosystem park in Nusajaya, Iskandar, in southern Malaysia. With construction scheduled to commence in 2015, the plant will be capable of producing approximately 30 million pounds per year of diacids, including dodecanedioic acid (DDDA), and will be the world’s first bio-based plant for the production of DDDA.  The exchange of agreement ceremony took place during the official opening ceremony of “BioMalaysia: Bioeconomy Asia Pacific 2014 Conference & Exhibition,” and was attended by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.  “This agreement is part of our comprehensive strategy of expansion into Asia, and represents a huge step toward our goal of replacing petroleum...

Cross-contamination must be eliminated in valves used for sensitive pharmaceutical process technology. The safest method is to use one-way valves, which until now has meant replacing the entire valve. With its controlled single-use membrane valve GEMÜ SUMONDO®, with a special TPE membrane from KRAIBURG TPE, GEMÜ is introducing a safe and cost-effective system. With it, only the valve unit has to be replaced, because thanks to the interior membrane, it is the only part that comes into contact with the pharmaceutical media. The actuator itself remains in the system for re-use. The valve unit, which is manufactured in a cleanroom out of sterilized polypropylene, is equipped with a TPE membrane. The ultrasonically heat-sealed membrane hermetically separates the media from the environment and from the valve's actuator. Moreover, it also regulates the volume flow in the valve during operation.  "Using THERMOLAST® M, the medically-compliant TPE from KRAIBURG TPE, represents a fund...

With features inspired by D4S and D810, the D750 brings dazzling image quality, cinematic video capabilities and pro-inspired handling in a nimble design with a tilting Vari-angle LCD and built-in Wi-Fi connectivity. Enthusiasts upgrading from a DX-format D-SLR will marvel at the D750's full-frame performance. Pros seeking a primary or secondary camera for fast-paced shoots will appreciate the D750's familiar handling and speed. And filmmakers looking for a compact D-SLR to bring a production to life or to capture B-Roll will find the D750 a perfect fit. The D750 is a thrilling centerpiece of an exceptional imaging system.  Another first for a Nikon full-frame D-SLR, the D750 employs a compact, lightweight and slim monocoque body design. The front body and front cover are constructed from carbon-fiber reinforced thermoplastics, while the rear and top covers are magnesium alloy, for a balanced combination of nimbleness and ruggedness. This slim styling and ergonomic la...

DTR Medical, among the leading manufacturers of single-use surgical instruments, has specified Sorona® renewably sourced polymer for six components in its new Cervical Rotating Biopsy Punch. This grade is a 15-percent glass filled grade of Sorona® EP providing high strength and stiffness. Further attributes of Sorona® useful in this application include resistance to gamma sterilization and excellent dimensional stability. The Cervical Rotating Biopsy Punch is used to take a tissue sample, on patients undergoing cervical cancer biopsies, for cell analysis by microscopy. The DuPont material, which is supplied with full regulatory compliance for use in healthcare applications and is produced according to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) standards, is used in the handle and trigger mechanism to mold the rear hand left and right, front handle, connector pin, rotational controller and the rotational controller with chamfer. These parts are used to activate a spring, driving the inner...

Lehvoss North America announces the introduction of its LUVOCOM® 70 series of high performance compounds based on polyketone (PK). These compounds fill the gap between compounds based on technical polymers like  PA6 ,  PA66,  and acetal and high performance polymers such as  polyphenylene sulfide  ( PPS ),  polyetherimide  ( PEI ), and polyaryletherketone (PAEK). In having a combination of select features of these other polymers, the PK polymer offers an exceptional property profile with unique advantages for applications having multiple engineering requirements. "The introduction is actually a re-launch," explained Michael Sandeen, Sales and Business Development Manager at Lehvoss, "Various LUVOCOM 70 products had been available until the year 2000 but had to be cancelled due to Shell Chemical's discontinuation of Carilon PK polymer production. With the polymer now available, Lehvoss decided to start the development of these new high performance...

As a manufacturer of  thermoplastic polyurethane  ( TPU ), BASF has successfully optimized the material so that it can be applied extensively and unpainted on the vehicle exterior. The automotive manufacturer PSA Peugeot Citroën uses the new  TPU  grade Elastollan® AC 55D10 HPM (High Performance Material) for cladding the Citroën C4 Cactus with so-called Airbumps®. These are large air-filled cushion bumpers in contrasting colors: They are fitted on the sides as well as on the front and rear of the vehicle, protect the car exterior from impact and scratches and give the vehicle its distinctive look. This world first is the result of many years of development work between the French automotive manufacturer, the supplier Rehau, Switzerland and BASF. Rehau manufactures the side Airbumps®, while the company Faurecia, France produces the bumpers at the front and back. "With their characteristic Elastollan® surface, Airbumps® embody the philosophy of the Citroën C4 Cact...

LANXESS has achieved a process innovation in the production of continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic Tepex composites. The subsidiary company Bond-Laminates, which manufactures these composites, is now able to continuously series-produce large semi-finished composite products in which the continuous fiber layers can be oriented at almost any conceivable angle. Until now, the continuous fibers in Tepex could only be lined up in the direction of production or perpendicular to it (0 degrees or 90 degrees). This process innovation means the designer can use the differently oriented composite continuous fibers to help him react more specifically to the force transmission in the target component. Even quasi-isotropic constructions can now be fashioned using Tepex. "This means Tepex can be used to design lighter-weight composite components that are tailored even more specifically to the load in question. So the new-generation Tepex strengthens our position as a leading supplier of ...

Fishing Company Cornelis Vrolijk, based in IJmuiden, The Netherlands, and its subsidiary Jaczon, based in Scheveningen, The Netherlands, are specialized in pelagic fishing. The fishing trawls on board of their trawlers, which are used for catching pelagic (schooling) species, are traditionally made of nylon. Cornelis Vrolijk and Jaczon are now replacing their nylon trawls by trawls made from DSM's light and exceptionally strong  UHMwPE  ( ultra high molecular weight polyethylene ) fiber, branded as Dyneema®. The use of this far thinner material in pelagic trawls offers immediate and tangible environmental advantages. The reduced resistance of the trawls in the water translates into a significant reduction in CO 2  emissions, thus reducing the CO 2  footprint of the pelagic fishing fleet. In this way Dyneema® makes a substantial contribution to improving the overall sustainability of the fishing industry. The innovative trawls made from Dyneema® were developed...

Eureka! Organic Bread is introducing three bread varieties on the East Coast. The new flavors are certified Vegan and USDA Organic, and the renewable bag demonstrates the company's commitment to sustainability. Braskem and Bimbo packaging engineers have been working to produce bio-based packaging using Braskem's Green Polyethylene, which is produced from sugarcane ethanol, a 100 percent renewable raw material. The sugarcane used is non-GMO (genetically modified organisms) based. The bread packaging is made with 36 percent bio based material; verified using ASTM D6866, Eureka! Organic Bread bags are the first packaged bread in North America to use this renewable and sustainable technology. For each ton of plastic produced, green plastic sequestrates approximately 2.15* tons of CO 2  from the atmosphere. To help consumers recognize green plastic in stores, Braskem created a seal, which guarantees the renewable content of the plastic. Braskem has been making Green Polyeth...

Momentive Specialty Chemicals Inc. ("MSC") won the "People's Choice" Award for the "Most Innovative Composite Part" at the annual Society of Plastics Engineers Automotive Composites Conference & Exhibition (ACCE) last month in Novi, Michigan. The lightweight carbon fiber epoxy door structure submitted by MSC was singled out by vote of conference attendees. Judging for the competition was based on the impact and trendsetting features of each application, including construction materials, processing methods, assembly methods, and other technologies that made the application possible. Design benefits, weight and cost reduction, parts consolidation, functional integration, and improved performance were also taken into consideration. The winning component was a light-weight, carbon fiber epoxy door and window frame profile produced by Benteler-SGL for 2013 and later Porsche 911 GT3 Cup coupes. The composite was manufactured by high pressure resi...

Amyris, Braskem and Michelin announced recently that Braskem is joining a collaboration already launched in 2011 between Michelin and Amyris. This collaboration was initiated to develop and commercialize renewable isoprene, sourced from various biomass as an additional sustainable pathway to produce isoprene. Under the terms of the agreement, Braskem, Michelin and Amyris will work together to develop a technology to utilize plant sugars, such as those found in Brazilian sugarcane or cellulosic feedstocks, to produce renewable isoprene. Adding the expertise of Braskem, the largest petrochemical company in the Americas and one of the global leaders in the production of biopolymers, Amyris and Michelin will accelerate the industrialization of renewable isoprene. Amyris will share its rights to commercialize the renewable isoprene technology developed under this collaboration with Braskem. Michelin will maintain certain preferential, but not exclusive, access to the renewable isopren...

DSM, among the global leaders in biomedical materials science and regenerative medicine, announced the launch of its Dyneema Purity® Radiopaque fiber, one of the radiopaque  ultra-high-molecular-weight-polyethylene  ( UHMWPE ) medical fibers in the world. The fiber is the newest addition to DSM's medical Dyneema Purity® fiber portfolio. Dyneema Purity® Radiopaque fiber is designed to support the development of medical devices for use in orthopedic trauma. The fiber contains a radiopacifier, which makes it the only  UHMWPE  fiber currently available that is visible in x-ray images. This feature helps surgeons with medical device and implant visualization both during and after surgical interventions. The fiber will initially be used as a replacement for metal surgical cables that are used in procedures to treat bone fractures. The fiber is 15 times stronger than steel but maintains high pliability and increased flexibility, which may help lower the risk of bone...

Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) in Taiwan has become a new tier-one supplier for Airbus. Under the agreement, which followed a thorough evaluation process, AIDC will produce composite panels for A320 Family aircraft aft belly fairings. The contract was signed by François Mery, Airbus Senior Vice President Aerostructure, Procurement and Tony Liou, AIDC Senior Vice President. The Airbus A320 Family is one of the world's best-selling single aisle product lines. As of end July 2014, the A320 Family had accumulated over 10,900 firm orders, with more than 6,100 aircraft delivered. The latest version A320neo, featuring new engines and Sharklets, has already gathered 3,200 orders before even entering service. To date, 83 Airbus aircraft have been ordered by airlines in Taiwan, including China Airlines,  EVA  and TransAsia Airways, with 67 in operation. As among the leading aircraft manufacturers, Airbus seeks to explore further collaborations with industrie...

Meredian Inc., a privately held biopolymer manufacturer and one of the world's largest producers of PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate), announced the receipt of an investment from the world class engineering and construction group, Perry-McCall. Prior to this investment decision, the group was selected and is currently building out Meredian's manufacturing facility to produce the completely biodegradable plastic. "As part of our validation of proof of concept and business model we addressed scalability with Tate and Lyle and modularity and buildout with Perry Mcall. Our model has been validated every step of the way by third party credible professional organizations," said Paul Pereira, Executive Chairman to the Board of Directors at Meredian Inc. In August 2013, the Engineering and Construction Group of Perry-McCall started working with the Engineering and Process Development Group at Meredian to create the design for the facility. After eight months of studying the process...