Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : Raman Spectroscopy as a Key Tool for Graphene Research

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Groundbreaking Study Highlights Raman Spectroscopy as a Key Tool for Graphene Research

Horiba, the scientific and analytical instruments company based in Japan, has produced a recent study on the crucial role of Raman spectroscopy in the characterization and development of graphene-based devices. The report can be found here for download: https://www.horiba.com/int/scientific/applications/material-sciences/pages/graphene-studies-using-raman-spectroscopy/ 

Distinguishing the number of graphene layers and assessing the impact of disorder on its properties are essential for advancing graphene technology. Raman micro-spectroscopy has emerged as a powerful, non-destructive analytical technique to accurately determine these characteristics.

Due to its high structural selectivity, spectral and spatial resolution, and non-invasive nature, Raman spectroscopy has positioned itself as a standard characterization tool in the rapidly expanding field of graphene research. As graphene continues to gain traction across industries, from electronics to nanotechnology, the adoption of Raman spectroscopy is expected to enhance the precision and efficiency of material analysis.

This study highlights the growing importance of Raman spectroscopy in ensuring the quality and functionality of graphene-based materials, paving the way for future innovations in advanced material science.

source: The Graphene Council

Cargill partners with ASU to explore bio-based materials in chip manufacturing

 The Minnesota-based agribusiness giant’s bioindustrial team is working with scientists at ASU’s Biodesign Institute to study the performance of a compound known as Priamine dimer diamine, often used in computer chip packaging materials, and how the product could be used to improve speed, efficiency and reliability of electronic devices.

Originally developed for other applications, #Cargill’s Priamine has shown strong potential in the semiconductor industry, according to a university announcement.

Cargill’s Priamine — made from bio-based raw materials exhibits performance benefits such as flexibility, durability and moisture resistance. That makes it ideal for use in adhesives, films and coatings, which are all critical parts of semiconductor manufacturing.

This is a great example of how customer feedback and academic research can open up new possibilities, Erwin Honcoop, research and technology leader at Cargill Bioindustrial, said in a statement. We discovered that Priamine was delivering excellent performance in electronics, and this partnership allows us to better understand why and what more we can do to help our customers solve real-world challenges.

ASU professor Tim Long and his team will lead the research project, which began May 12 at ASU’s Biodesign Institute.

“The research really revolves around ‘Can we use bio-based feedstocks in a computer? Well, at first glance, it’s like, ‘Oh no, you can’t do that,'” Long told the Business Journal. “But what Cargill is doing is they’re taking really intricate fatty acid-based molecules and they’re generating precursors to plastics that give properties equal to many of the materials used right now in various components in the semiconductor manufacturing process. So it’s kind of intriguing.

The yearlong research project represents the first step in what could lead to a comprehensive, synergistic relationship between Cargill and ASU, said Long, who is also director of ASU’s Biodesign Center for Sustainable Macromolecular Materials and Manufacturing,Cargill is an internationally known leader of bio-sourced chemicals, plastics and materials.

It’s an outstanding opportunity to bridge the company with the Biodesign Institute, which is all about nature-inspired research.

Long has already selected two ASU students to participate in the research project and they’ll also gain exposure to Cargill’s operations, he added.

“It’s very much a working relationship. The students are visiting Cargill. Cargill will be coming here,” he said. “So I think it’s very much going to be a seamless laboratory between the university and the company.

ASU plays critical role in semiconductor R&D

The Cargill and ASU research partnership marks the latest of many semiconductor-related announcements involving the university.

In January, the U.S. Department of Commerce selected Arizona as the site of the NSTC Prototyping and NAPMP Advanced Packaging Pilot Facility, which will be based at ASU’s Research Park in Tempe.

It will be the country’s third flagship CHIPS for America research and development facility, set up with a focus on R&D to bridge the gap between laboratory research and full-scale semiconductor production.

What’s more, ASU last November landed a $100 million federal CHIPS Act grant to support the SHIELD USA initiative, a project led by a university research team and Deca Technologies, a Tempe-based advanced packaging technology provider.

SHIELD USA will spur creation of a domestic ecosystem of new advanced packaging service providers — or interconnect foundries — centered on molded core substrate and fan-out wafer-level packaging technologies, the Business Journal previously reported.

And earlier this week, Quantum Computing Inc. opened its semiconductor manufacturing facility at ASU Research Park, where it plans to produce thin film lithium niobate chips for use in high-performance computing, machine learning, cybersecurity, sensing and imaging products.

As the U.S. cultivates investments in this industry, ASU’s ongoing research and workforce development are driving innovation and training the next generation of engineers and scientists,” Sally Morton, executive vice president of ASU Knowledge Enterprise, said in a statement. “Arizona is the place to help secure a lab-to-fab ecosystem.”

source:Cargil/Arizona Technology Council

Building for the future: Borealis and Borouge expand global XLPE and SEMICON capacity to enable the energy transition

As the global shift to renewable energy accelerates, electricity grid infrastructure needs to keep pace. Borealis and Borouge are responding with a significant expansion of their global capacity for cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) and semiconductive (semicon) compounds supporting customers to deliver the power cables essential to distribution and transmission grids.

By the end of 2027, the two companies will have doubled their ability to serve the most demanding cable applications, including innovative solutions for 220 kV subsea, extra-high voltage alternating current (EHVAC), and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) systems. Within five years, they will have increased XLPE and semicon production capacity at a rate twice as fast as the projected growth in global demand for power cables.

This expansion program is a direct expression of Borealis and Borouge’s “Building for the Future.

commitment. By 2040, solar and wind are expected to account for more than half of global electrical capacity, with offshore wind playing a major role. This shift is essential to decarbonizing electricity generation and achieving long-term sustainability in the global energy system.

HVDC technology will be essential to transmitting this energy efficiently over longer distances—especially as the increasing size of turbines pushes developments farther offshore into deeper waters. With global demand for HVDC cables expected to exceed 50,000 km by 2030, there is a pressing need to scale up the availability of high-performance cable systems. Borealis is helping to meet this need by providing customers with the advanced polyolefins used in the insulation and semiconductive layers of power cables that form the backbone of these grids.

Progress is already underway on two major asset investment projects. In Europe, a key milestone has been reached with the completion of a major upgrade to semicon compounding assets in Antwerp, Belgium—part of a EUR 200 million investment program that also covers Borealis’ XLPE operations in Stenungsund, Sweden. Alongside increased capacity, Borealis is enhancing its quality assurance processes to further eliminate risks and better serve these sensitive applications—so customers can execute critical projects with confidence.

In the Middle East, a 100,000-metric-ton capacity expansion at the XLPE 2 unit at the Borouge 4 facility in Ruwais, Abu Dhabi, is on track for completion by the end of 2025. Originally announced in 2024 as a co-investment between Borealis and ADNOC, the project will produce XLPE compounds using Borealis’ proprietary Borlink™ technology to meet rising demand across Asia and the Middle East.

source: Borealis

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : Toyoda Gosei launches technology to recycle plastics from ELV

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Toyoda Gosei Launches Horizontal Recycling Technology for Plastic Automotive Parts

Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. has developed a new technology to recycle high-quality plastic from end-of-life vehicles (ELV) in order to meet the growing demand for recycled plastic in the automotive industry against strengthened environmental regulations. This technology will contribute to decarbonized, circular economy through its use in various vehicles models starting with the Toyota Camry.

In the recycling of waste plastic, it has been difficult to obtain plastic with performance equivalent to that of new material due to impurities or other factors, and so waste plastic has generally been burned to recover heat (thermal recycling) or reused for purposes with lower required performance (downcycling). Toyoda Gosei has developed a recycled plastic with performance equivalent to that of new material even with 50% #ELV plastic (polypropylene). To achieve this, #ToyodaGosei has collaborated with #IsonoCoLtd. to procure quality raw materials for recycling and leveraged Toyoda Gosei’s original material modification technology, meeting the quality standards for automotive parts for practical application. This technology accelerates #horizontalrecycling for reuse in the same parts and contributes to #CO2reduction.

It is the first time in the world that recycled plastic containing 50% ELV plastic is used in interior parts such as glove boxes that require impact resistance.

Toyoda Gosei is advancing recycling plastic and rubber with decarbonization as a key aim, based on its medium- and long-term 2030 Business Plan. Going forward, Toyoda Gosei aims to expand applicable products, such as those associated with vehicle design, and will move ahead with the improvement of #recycledplastic.

source: Toyoda Gosei

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : KRAIBURG TPE Healthcare TPE Advancing Innovation in Loop Recorder Monitoring Technology

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

KRAIBURG TPE Healthcare TPE Advancing Innovation in Loop Recorder Monitoring Technology

Detecting heart rhythm irregularities early can be life-saving. Loop recorder monitoring devices improve long-term cardiac care by continuously tracking irregular heart rhythms and storing data for diagnosis. These devices must meet strict safety, biocompatibility, and durability standards.

THERMOLAST® H, engineered for superior medical devices 

#KRAIBURGTPE, a global manufacturer of thermoplastic elastomers that provides high-quality, custom-engineered compounds for the healthcare and medical device market in the Asia Pacific, introduces THERMOLAST® H an advanced TPE series for medical devices like loop recorders, meeting global standards for durability, biocompatibility, and hygiene.

Enhanced material performance for loop recorder applications

KRAIBURG TPE’s THERMOLAST® H optimizes manufacturing and elevates patient care in the Asia Pacific and globally through its material advantages.

 

Good haptic & soft touch feeling:  Since loop recorders are worn on the skin, comfort is key to preventing irritation. THERMOLAST® H provides a soft, skin-friendly texture, making it easier for patients to wear the device for long periods without discomfort while staying on track with their treatment.

 

Optimizable processability: Loop recorder manufacturing requires materials that are easy to mold and shape for efficient production. With its adaptable processability, THERMOLAST® H allows for complex designs that maintain the device’s functionality and integrity.

 

Compliance with Regulatory Standards: THERMOLAST® H meets ISO 10993-5 (cytotoxicity), GB/T 16886.5, and other global food contact and applicable medical standards. The material is free from silicone, latex, PVC, and phthalates. Its adherence to international standards enables loop recorders made with THERMOLAST® H to reach global markets, assuring healthcare providers and patients of their reliability and safety.

source: KRAIBURG TPE

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share :Syensqo’s polyphenylsulfone Duradex™ ECHO aligns with Pigeon’s green action plan

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Syensqo to supply circular Duradex™ polyphenylsulfone ECHO for Pigeon’s SofTouch™ baby bottles

Syensqo, a leading global provider of high-performance materials and chemical solutions, is pleased to announce that Pigeon Corporation has decided to use its circular Duradex™ #polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) ECHO for their premium SofTouch™ nursing bottles. This high-purity food-contact polymer is produced with 38% certified circular1 feedstock, attributed by mass balance and verified under the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS regime.

#Duradex™ PPSU ECHO is an amorphous, naturally amber-transparent polymer that lends Pigeon’s #nursingbottles an inherently non-stick, and highly stain- and scratch-resistant surface. It provides exceptional hydrolytic stability, shatter-proof toughness and heat resistance up to 180°C for more than 1,000 steam or hot water sterilization cycles, as well as dishwasher cycles, with no risk of any damage. Notably, the high-purity PPSU material does not absorb any odors and is free of artificial pigments as well as phthalates and bisphenols, ensuring a safe and healthy feeding experience.

The SofTouch™ premium nursing bottles from Pigeon, molded with our Duradex™ PPSU ECHO material, perfectly embody our commitment to supporting customers who prioritize future generations by creating highly sustainable products. Duradex™ PPSU ECHO effectively reduces reliance on fossil resources and offers a proven drop-in alternative without compromising the high performance characteristics of the sulfone polymer. Its lower carbon footprint also helps drive decarbonization throughout the value chain. said by Floryan De Campo,VP at SYENSQO.

Pigeon’s SofTouch™ premium nursing bottles made with Duradex™ PPSU ECHO will be launched on the market shortly. #Syensqo’s circular polymer is available worldwide. 

source: Syensqo

Avantium Signs Capacity Reservation Agreement with BIOVOX for PEF in Pharmaceutical Applications

Avantium N.V., a leading company in renewable and circular polymer materials, is pleased to announce the signing of a capacity reservation agreement with BIOVOX, a pioneer in sustainable healthcare plastics. Under this agreement, BIOVOX has committed to using Avantium's PEF (polyethylene furanoate) in various pharmaceutical applications. This PEF is expected to be produced in a future industrial-scale facility, based on a technology license from Avantium. The multi-year capacity reservation ensures BIOVOX preferred access to PEF volumes produced by Avantium's future licensee network.

Avantium has developed a proprietary process to produce FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid), the key building block for PEF, branded as releaf®. Following the completion of the world’s first commercial FDCA plant in Delfzijl, the Netherlands, in October 2024, Avantium has commenced the start-up of the plant. This FDCA Flagship Plant is vital to Avantium's YXY® Technology licensing strategy, enabling the Company to offer technology licenses to industrial partners and develop projects to produce FDCA and PEF on an industrial scale across the globe. Commercial demand for PEF is a crucial factor in licensing discussions. Over the past year, Avantium has signed multi-year capacity reservation agreements. The agreement with BIOVOX further demonstrates Avantium's ability to meet the commercial demand for FDCA and PEF effectively.

BIOVOX - as a supplier of medical grade renewable polymers and compounds - has evaluated the use of PEF for a variety of pharmaceutical and medical applications. PEF-based pharmaceutical packaging offers significant environmental benefits compared to traditional petrochemical-based materials, aligning with the increasing demand for sustainable solutions in the pharmaceutical industry. PEF is a 100% plant-based, high-performance polymer that can be recycled in existing PET (polyethylene terephthalate) recycling streams, and has a significantly lower carbon footprint than PET. PEF also offers excellent performance advantages over current monomaterial solutions made from PVC, PET or PP. PEF-based packaging has superior barrier properties, which are crucial for protecting pharmaceutical products. Furthermore, PEF provides strong mechanical properties, ensuring that the packaging maintains its integrity and effectiveness over time. Additionally, PEF-based packaging exhibits good chemical resistance, which is important for materials exposed to various environmental conditions.

Dr. Julian Lotz, CEO of BIOVOX, commented: “We are pleased to partner with Avantium and secure access to their innovative PEF material for our customers’ pharmaceutical, medical and laboratory applications. This agreement aligns perfectly with our commitment to remain the leading innovator of healthcare plastics with best-in-class sustainability and highest patient safety. We look forward to leveraging this cutting-edge material to address demanding critical applications, where renewable polymers have not been able to deliver yet. We can even deliver significant performance advantages over currently used materials which helps to reduce material use further.

Bineke Posthumus, Commercial Director of Avantium Renewable Polymers added: “This collaboration with BIOVOX marks a significant milestone for Avantium, showcasing the versatility of FDCA and PEF in the pharmaceutical sector. With PEF from future licensed plants, we are able to offer BIOVOX a high-performance, environmentally friendly solution that meets the stringent demands of pharmaceutical packaging. We look forward to seeing the positive impact of PEF in BIOVOX's applications.

source : Avantium

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : Teijin Frontier develops high-performance fabric with 100% recycled polyester

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Teijin Frontier Develops A New High-Performance Polyester Fabric With A Natural Fiber-Like Texture And Appearance

Teijin Frontier Co., Ltd., announced today that it has developed a new high-performance polyester fabric, which combines the elegant appearance and texture of natural fibers made of yarns of random thickness with advanced functionalities such as cool touch, anti-stickiness, quick dry, opacity and ultraviolet (UV) protection.

The newly developed fabric is produced from a unique, four-lobed, flat cross-section yarn with random thicknesses, achieved through Teijin Frontier’s proprietary spinning technology. These thickness variations create pleasing irregularities in appearance and a dense texture similar to those of natural fibers. To support circularity, The newly developed fabric is made with 100 percent recycled polyester.

Teijin Frontier plans to make this fabric available to customers for use in casual and fashion apparel for the spring/summer 2026 season.

There is strong demand for textiles that offer a natural and elegant appearance for casual and fashion apparel. At the same time, consumers are looking for value-added comfort features like those found in high-performance sportswear. Until now, it has been difficult to combine these high-performance features with a natural fiber-like appearance and texture.

To solve this issue, Teijin Frontier has created a fabric that offers both the appearance and texture of natural fibers and the comfort of high-performance materials. Using proprietary technology, this fabric is woven or knitted from a four-lobed, flat cross-section full dull yarn with random thicknesses in both the longitudinal and cross-sectional directions. Moreover, to achieve the combination of natural fiber like texture and advanced functionalities, Teijin Frontier also adopts special dyeing and finishing technology and post-processing techniques.

Delivering High Performance:

The newly developed fabric delivers the following performance properties to enhance comfort and wearability:

Quick dry: Capillary action wicks away perspiration via grooves on the fiber surface.

Cool touch: Full dull yarn contains titanium oxide promotes a cooling sensation as heat is transferred from the skin to the fiber, flat cross-sectional shape increases the skin contact area.

Anti-stickiness: Random thicknesses of the yarn forms irregularities on the surface of the fabric and prevents its adherence to the skin.

Anti-transparency and UV protection: Full dull yarn and the four-lobed flat cross-sectional structure produce a light-scattering effect that creates opacity and helps to block UV radiation.

Teijin Frontier plans to begin sales of this fabric from fiscal year 2025 and aims to sell 250,000 meters by fiscal year 2027.

source:Teijin Frontier/textileworld.com

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : CERN Scientists turn lead into gold

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

CERN Physicists Observe Conversion of Lead into Gold

Near-miss collisions between high-energy lead nuclei at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider generate intense electromagnetic fields that can knock out protons and transform lead into fleeting quantities of gold nuclei.

Transforming the base metal lead into the precious metal gold was a dream of medieval alchemists.

This long-standing quest, known as chrysopoeia, may have been motivated by the observation that dull gray, relatively abundant lead is of a similar density to gold, which has long been coveted for its beautiful color and rarity.

It was only much later that it became clear that lead and gold are distinct chemical elements and that chemical methods are powerless to transmute one into the other.

With the dawn of nuclear physics in the 20th century, it was discovered that heavy elements could transform into others, either naturally, by radioactive decay, or in the laboratory, under a bombardment of neutrons or protons.

Though gold has been artificially produced in this way before, physicists with the ALICE Collaboration at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) have now measured the transmutation of lead into gold by a new mechanism involving near-miss collisions between lead nuclei at the LHC.

Extremely high-energy collisions between lead nuclei at the LHC can create quark-gluon plasma, a hot and dense state of matter that is thought to have filled the Universe around a millionth of a second after the Big Bang, giving rise to the matter we now know.

However, in the far more frequent interactions where the nuclei just miss each other without ‘touching,’ the intense electromagnetic fields surrounding them can induce photon-photon and photon-nucleus interactions that open further avenues of exploration.

The electromagnetic field emanating from a lead nucleus is particularly strong because the nucleus contains 82 protons, each carrying one elementary charge.

Moreover, the very high speed at which lead nuclei travel in the LHC causes the electromagnetic field lines to be squashed into a thin pancake, transverse to the direction of motion, producing a short-lived pulse of photons.

Often, this triggers a process called electromagnetic dissociation, whereby a photon interacting with a nucleus can excite oscillations of its internal structure, resulting in the ejection of small numbers of neutrons and protons.

To create gold (a nucleus containing 79 protons), three protons must be removed from a lead nucleus in the LHC beams.

“It is impressive to see that our detectors can handle head-on collisions producing thousands of particles, while also being sensitive to collisions where only a few particles are produced at a time, enabling the study of electromagnetic ‘nuclear transmutation’ processes,” said ALICE spokesperson Dr. Marco Van Leeuwen, a physicist at NIKHEF.

The new results appear in the journal Physical Review C

source: SCI NEWS