polymerguru

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share The University of Alabama has scored a breakthrough that could be a recycling game-changer for multiple types of plastics. ‘Plastic recycling is commonplace but imperfect,’ says Dr. Jason Bara, who leads a PET depolymerisation R&D project at the university. He had been working with amines for a couple of years to break down plastics as part of a National Science Foundation grant in an attempt to reduce plastic waste. Recently, he tried a new approach ‘just to see what would happen’. ‘The plastic is gone’ A key to his discovery is imidazole and its related compounds; a group of organic molecules that have proven to be highly effective in the chemolysis process. Previously, plastic depolymerisation had been achieved using water, alcohols, and amines. Bara notes that nothing in the literature pointed to the power of imidazoles as a recycling agent. ‘I’ve been working with imidazole for much of my career. It’s pretty amazing how versatile it is,’ he says. On...

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share Carbon fiber composite is a lightweight material commonly used in a running blade. The blade is often embedded directly into the socket or fixed below the socket within lower-limb prostheses. Athletes with unilateral transtibial amputations are prescribed C- or J-shaped running blades with a manufacturer-recommended stiffness category based on body mass and activity level, and height based on unaffected leg and residual limb length. C-shaped running blades attach distal to the socket and are recommended for distance running (e.g. 10 km, half marathon, and marathon) and J-shaped running blades attach posterior to the socket and are recommended for sprinting (e.g. 100 m, 200 m, and 400 m). C- shaped running blade is more effective at storing and releasing energy over time which helps you to run more efficiently and for longer periods of time. J - shaped running blade allows for a quick return of energy helping you to achieve higher speeds. Running blade height...

MIT engineers designed a nanofiltration process that could make aluminum production more efficient while reducing hazardous waste. Used in everything from soda cans and foil wrap to circuit boards and rocket boosters, aluminum is the second-most-produced metal in the world after steel. By the end of this decade, demand is projected to drive up aluminum production by 40 percent worldwide. This steep rise will magnify aluminum’s environmental impacts, including any pollutants that are released with its manufacturing waste. MIT engineers have developed a new nanofiltration process to curb the hazardous waste generated from aluminum production. Nanofiltration could potentially be used to process the waste from an aluminum plant and retrieve any aluminum ions that would otherwise have escaped in the effluent stream. The captured aluminum could then be upcycled and added to the bulk of the produced aluminum, increasing yield while simultaneously reducing waste. The researchers demonstrated t...

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share Top 10 Carbon Capture Technologies in 2024: After covering the top 10 carbon capture projects in my last report, this time, I’m highlighting the top technologies in the carbon capture space: ✅ Advanced KM CDR Process (Japan & Korea): One of the most established technologies developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kansai Electric Power Co., Ltd, this solvent-based system captures >90% CO₂ with 750 kWh/t efficiency, targeting sectors like steel, cement, and power. ✅ Climeworks Direct Air Capture (Switzerland): With their solid sorbents, this technology focuses on DAC with plans to reach gigaton capacity by 2050. ✅ Capsol Technologies ASA EoP (Norway): A hot potassium carbonate system offering 95% CO₂ capture efficiency, ideal for waste-to-energy and cement plants. ✅ Nuada MOF Technology (Ireland): Combining MOFs with vacuum swing adsorption, this method achieves >95% capture efficiency with only 200 kWh/t energy use. ✅ Seabound OCCS (UK): A ship...

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share BU Scientists make breakthrough in self-repairing plastic A new study has made advances in the development of plastic that can fix itself after it has been cracked or broken into pieces. A research team led by Bournemouth University added specially developed nanomaterials to plastic samples which allowed them to self-heal after being damaged and retain almost all their original strength.  The findings, published in the journal Applied Nano Materials, could open the door to a wide range of sustainable products and a reduction in plastic waste. “We are following the same process as Mother Nature - when you cut your finger, the blood will initially solidify to cover the crack until the skin tissue seals it, and that is what we are doing with our plastics,” said Dr Amor Abdelkader, Associate Professor in Advanced Materials at Bournemouth University, who led the study. “Most of the things in our everyday lives have plastic in them and this has potential to e...

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share  𝗘𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗔𝗟 𝗩𝗔𝗖 𝗫𝗛𝗧-𝟮𝟭𝟮°𝗖! Introducing VAL VAC XHT-212°C, the vacuum bagging film engineered for precision and performance in high-pressure, high-temperature applications. 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: Handles up to 212°C & 8-12 bar pressure. 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: Available in 50 & 75 micron. 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Works seamlessly with epoxy, polyester, and vinylester resins. 𝗔𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗨𝘀𝗲: Not recommended for phenolic resins. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗩𝗔𝗟 𝗩𝗔𝗖 𝗫𝗛𝗧? Crafted from multilayer coextruded Mononylon, this film is not just soft and strong—it's a game-changer for 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙬𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 your carbon fiber structures. Whether you're designing space-grade components, aerospace parts, or stealth UAVs and drones, 𝙑𝘼𝙇 𝙑𝘼𝘾 𝙓𝙃𝙏 helps you achieve superior structural integrity while minimizing weight, a criti...

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share Little attention is devoted to testing polymers at very low temperatures, like, say, at liquid nitrogen temperature. Why would this be of any help to better understand our polymers ? Well, because at those cryogenic temperatures Plasticity, and thus Yielding, are totally suppressed, which only leaves the door open to brittle fracture. So what ? All polymers will be brittle when dipped in liquid nitrogen ? How's that useful ? The stress@break at nearly -200°C will perfectly reflect the polymer resistance to "cavitation". You will therefore be able to access the true BRITTLE STRENGTH of your polymer. Not only will you be able to rank various plastics in that respect (as depicted), you will also gain novel insight on a very important failure criterion to be used subsequently at other temperatures as well, since this threshold is almost T independent. source:Vito leo

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share A new catalyst can turn methane into something useful MIT chemical engineers have devised a way to capture methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and convert it into polymers. Although it is less abundant than carbon dioxide, methane gas contributes disproportionately to global warming because it traps more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, due to its molecular structure. MIT chemical engineers have now designed a new catalyst that can convert methane into useful polymers, which could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. “What to do with methane has been a longstanding problem,” says Michael Strano, the Carbon P. Dubbs Professor of Chemical Engineering at MIT and the senior author of the study. “It’s a source of carbon, and we want to keep it out of the atmosphere but also turn it into something useful.” The new catalyst works at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, which could make it easier and more economical to deploy at sites of methane prod...