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Today's KNOWLEDGE Share MCG increases biomass content of polycarbonate diols Mitsubishi Chemical Group (MCG) has introduced grades of its Benebiol biomass-based polycarbonate diols that have a higher biomass content. The product is primarily used in the manufacture of polyurethane resins for coatings in sectors such as automotive, furniture and outdoor products. It is also used in the production of artificial leather. Existing Benebiol grades had a bio-based content of 20-50%, but the new HSS and NLDS grades have a biomass content in excess of 80%. Some of its previous petroleum-derived grades have also been converted to biomass, as the NLS grades. This, the company said, allows it to offer bio-based grades of all its Benebiol products. The shift to biomass-based raw materials while maintaining high-quality functions will contribute to our customers’ efforts to achieve sustainable manufacturing. source:MCG/www.utech-polyurethane.com

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share The stream of liquid silk quickly turns to a strong fiber that sticks to and lifts objects These sticky fibers, created at the Tufts University Silklab, come from silk moth cocoons, which are boiled in solution and broken down into their building block proteins called fibroin.The silk fibroin solution can be extruded through narrow bore needles to form a stream that, with the right additives, solidifies into a fiber when exposed to air.  Nature is the original inspiration for deploying fibers of silk into tethers, webs, and cocoons. Spiders, ants, wasps, bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, and even flies can produce silk at some point in their lifecycle.Nature also inspired the Silklab to pioneer the use of silk fibroin to make powerful glues that can work underwater, printable sensors that can be applied to virtually any surface, edible coatings that can extend the shelf life of produce,a light collecting material that could significantly enhance the efficie

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share Researchers Identify Plastic-Degrading Microbes in Mangrove Soil An international team of researchers has developed a novel method to select bacteria from mangrove soils capable of transforming plastic. This breakthrough offers a potential new approach to tackling plastic waste pollution. By analyzing the effects of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) particles and seawater intrusion on the microbiome of mangrove soil, the team was able to cultivate a collection of PET-degrading microbes. With plastic pollution reaching alarming levels globally, even in remote ocean environments, ecosystems like mangroves—crucial biodiversity hotspots—are under threat from various stressors, including plastic contamination. “Mangrove ecosystems are exposed to significant plastic pollution, and their soils harbor diverse microbial communities, including those with potential plastic-degrading capabilities,” explained Diego Javier Jiménez Avella, a research scientist from the Micr