Hexagon granted funding by the US department of energy

Hexagon has been granted USD 2.6 million (approx. NOK 24 million) in initial funding by the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) to research how carbon fiber and composite structure can be optimized to reduce hydrogen and natural gas storage tank costs.

Hexagon’s research project was chosen following a competitive selection process and the DOE has announced funding opportunities for a total of 18 projects that support H2@Scale’s vision for affordable hydrogen production, storage, distribution, and use.

H2@Scale is a DOE initiative that supports innovations to produce, store and utilize hydrogen across multiple sectors. 

Rick Rashilla, SVP Research & Development in Hexagon, says

We are excited to be selected for funding by the DOE. The funding will enable our team to deep dive into the details of how we can reduce tank costs without compromising on safety. This is an important step towards a large-scale acceptance of zero and low emissions vehicles. We look forward to working with our teammates at the National Labs and in the industry to accomplish a step change in cost reduction, and we are pleased that our competence, experience and potential have been recognized by the DOE.

Projects that receive the funding will fuel the next round of research, development, and demonstration activities under H2@Scale’s multi-year initiative to fully realize hydrogen’s benefits across the U.S economy.

Funding negotiations and work scope definition with the DOE is expected to be completed by Q3 2020.

China releases first draft standard for Type 4 Hydrogen Composite Cylinders

China releases its draft national standard for Type 4 Hydrogen Composite Cylinders, 35 MPa and 70 MPa. "Fully-wrapped carbon fiber cylinder with a plastic liner for the on-board storage of compressed hydrogen as a fuel for land vehicles."

China's hydrogen fuel cell industry is moving forward full speed ahead. This standard is based on ISO 19881-2018 with some key improvements for safety. The ISO standards for on-board fuel containers, CNG and hydrogen, are largely self-certified by the cylinder manufacturer with minimal involvement of independent inspection agencies. The ISO standards in general do not address periodic retesting and reinspection.

The China standard, on the other hand, adds controls for safety. Most of the factory processes must be automated to prevent human workers from making changes. Regular inspections and periodic requalification are addressed. And Inspection Agencies are involved at the time of qualification testing and for production and shipping of each production batch as well.

This standard is written in Chinese language, of course. Feel free to contact me for more information.

Seaweed Extract Outperforms Remdesivir in Blocking COVID-19

An extract from seaweed has outperformed Remdesivir in ousting COVID-19 during cellular tests, according to new research. 

The research is part of a larger body of research investigating a 'decoy strategy' against viruses such as COVID-19. This strategy works by urging the virus to 'latch' onto decoys rather than healthy human cells, where it then becomes trapped, neutralized and eventually destroyed. 

In the case of COVID-19, the spike protein on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 attaches onto a molecule on the surface of human cells known as the ACE_2 receptor. Once attached, it then inserts its own genetic material inside the cell so it can begin to replicate. Usage of the right decoy would mean that SARS-CoV-2 may be 'distracted' away from human cells and, instead of being able to replicate and cause havoc in the human body, be destroyed. Previous findings have shown thta the strategy works in ousting other viruses like Dengue, Zika and Influenza A. 

For the present findings, researchers from the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies (CBIS) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute tested antiviral activity in five compounds. These were three variants of heparin (a common blood thinner) and two fucoidans, extracted from seaweed. All five compounds are long chains of sugar molecules. 

The researchers conducted a dose-response study known as an EC50 with each of the compounds against SARS-CoV-2 in mammalian cells. In the end, they found that seaweed extract RPI-27 had significantly better antiviral effects than Remdesivir. While Remdesivir has an EC50 value of 770 nanomolar, RPI-27 had an EC50 value of around 83 nanomolar (the lower the value, the better). 

"What interests us is a new way of getting at infection," says Professor Robert Linhardt, one of the study's authors. "The current thinking is that the COVID-19 infection starts in the nose, and either of these substances could be the basis for a nasal spray. If you could simply treat the infection early, or even treat before you have the infection, you would have a way of blocking it before it enters the body." 

 Sources: Science Daily, Earth.com

New Flexible & Strong Hydrogel to Replace Conventional Knee Implants

Duke University researchers have created an experimental gel that is the first to match the strength and durability of the thin, slippery layer of cartilage naturally present between the bones in the knee.

The material is incredibly strong and is made up of 60% water, but a single quarter-sized disc of this material can bear the weight of a 100-pound kettlebell without tearing or losing its shape.

New Material to Withstand Heavy Loads

Its developers say it’s the first hydrogel -- materials made of water-absorbing polymers -- capable of withstanding tugging and heavy loads as well as human cartilage, without wearing out over time.

Led by Duke chemistry and materials scientists Ben Wiley and Ken Gall, the research could one day offer people with knee troubles a replacement for damaged cartilage, and an alternative to the 600,000 knee replacement surgeries performed in the U.S. each year.

Flexible, Strong and Stiff Material

The new hydrogel consists of two intertwined polymer networks: one made of stretchy spaghetti-like strands and the other more rigid and basketlike, with negative charges along their length. These are reinforced with a third ingredient, a meshwork of cellulose fibers.

When the gel is stretched, the cellulose fibers resist pulling and help hold the material together. And when it is squeezed, the negative charges along the rigid polymer chains repel each other and stick to water, helping it spring back to its original shape.



“Only this combination of all three components is both flexible and stiff and therefore strong,” said co-author Feichen Yang, who earned a chemistry PhD in Wiley’s lab.
When the researchers compared the resulting material to other hydrogels, theirs was the only one that was as strong as cartilage under both squishing and stretching.

In one experiment, the team subjected it to 100,000 cycles of repeat pulling, and the material held up just as well as porous titanium used for bone implants, “which exceeded our initial expectations,” said co-author William Koshut, a PhD student in the Gall lab.

They also rubbed the new material against natural cartilage a million times. They found that its smooth, slippery self-lubricating surface is as wear-resistant as the real thing and four times more wear-resistant than synthetic cartilage implants currently FDA-approved for use in the big toe.

Moving the material from the lab to the clinic would take another three years at least. Initial safety tests suggest the material is nontoxic to lab-grown cells. The next step is to design an implant that they can test in sheep.

The research could offer new options for people with knee pain and get them back to doing the things they love without the long recovery times and limited lifetime associated with cartilage repair or knee replacement surgery.

Source: Duke University

Ascend Submits Polymer-based Antimicrobial Technology for FDA Approval

Ascend Performance Materials announces the submission of its first FDA 510 (k) for clearance to market its patent-pending ActeevTM technology in the United States in a medical device, a surgical mask under a new brand called Acteev Biodefend™. Independent laboratory testing has found Acteev materials to achieve greater than 99% efficacy at deactivating bacteria, fungi and viruses, including SARS-CoV-2.

Acteev Biodefend Technology to Deactivate SARS-CoV-2

Acteev Biodefend technology has been shown in laboratory tests to deactivate SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, and other pathogens including H1N1, coronavirus 229E and Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria such as staphylococcus and E. coli, Dr. Gopal said. The testing was conducted following the protocols of ISO, ASTM or other international standards organizations.

“We’ve partnered with independent labs for comprehensive testing and have reallocated resources to ready ourselves for world-scale production upon receiving regulatory clearance,” said Vikram Gopal, Ph.D., Ascend’s chief technology officer.

Active Zinc Ions Embedded in Polymer Matrix

Acteev technology, covered by more than 15 patent families, embeds active zinc ions into the matrix of a specialty polymer.

“What is unique about Acteev is the marriage between the antimicrobial ingredient like zinc and the specialty polymer that keeps the zinc ions active and bound at all times,” Dr. Gopal said. “Because it isn’t a simple topical finish or coating, the antimicrobial protection can last much longer – it will not flake off or be worn away. And, unlike some other antimicrobials, zinc is environmentally friendly.”

Acteev technology has been tested in multiple end forms, including knit and woven fabrics; engineered plastics; and nanofiber, meltblown and spunbond nonwoven materials.

Acteev Biodefend could provide an answer to the calls to identify an immediate, positive solution to restart the economy and reopen our schools and universities safely.

“The current global scarcity of pathogen-resistant materials is not going to end unless scientists and engineers look for novel ways to face the challenge, and we are proud to submit Acteev Biodefend as a potential solution,” Dr. Gopal said.

Source: Ascend Performance Materials