polymerguru

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share Ever wonder how polymer blends get their unique properties? It all starts with the fundamental thermodynamics dictated truth that most polymers are immiscible – they simply don't mix, with rare exceptions like PMMA/PVDF. In these immiscible blends, the continuous phase often determines the material's thermo-mechanical, chemical, and even aesthetic properties. The dispersed phase acts more like a filler. But how do you predict which polymer will form that continuous phase? It's not just about which polymer is present in a larger volume! Viscosity is a critical factor. A lower viscosity polymer tends to become the continuous phase. Take a 60/40 PC/PBT blend, for instance: if the PBT is a high-flow lubricant (to the PC phase), its lower viscosity can make it the continuous phase, even if it's the minority component. Key considerations: - Ensure your blend ratios are expressed by volume, weight ratio at room T would be misl...

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share When Nylons Came to Town It took about 10 years for DuPont to turn the invention of polyamide into nylon stockings for the consumer market, but boy did it pay off. When the first nylon stockings, made from a material invented by DuPont, came to the US market in 1940, they were an immediate smash success. As hemlines continued to rise in the 1930s, silk and rayon stockings became a necessity in many women’s wardrobe, but they were expensive and had to be replaced frequently. When department stores stared selling low-cost nylon stockings nationwide on May 15, 1940, most locations were sold out by noon, according to Distillations magazine from the Science History Institute. By the following year, Dupont sold $25 million worth of nylon yarn, and two years later it had captured an astonishing 30% of the full-fashioned hosiery market. In terms of material science, the origin of that material dates back to 1930, when an organic chemist by the name of Wall...

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share  Master Bond launches silver-filled epoxy for medical device manufacturing #Master Bond EP3HTSDA-2Med is a true one component epoxy that is not pre-mixed and frozen. It offers an easy dispensing profile with an exceptionally long working life at room temperature, making it ideal for streamlining automated assembly. As a #silver filled system, it exhibits high electrical conductivity (volume resistivity < 0.001 ohm-cm) and excellent thermal conductivity. This epoxy passes ISO 10993-5 for cytotoxicity and is designed for high-speed #medicaldevice manufacturing. EP3HTSDA-2Med cures quickly with heat. Cure schedule options include heating at 250°F for 20-30 minutes or 300°F for 5-10 minutes, with an optional post cure to optimize overall performance properties. The system bonds well to many substrates, including but not limited to metals, ceramics, plastics, and silicon dies. EP3HTSDA-2Med has an excellent physical strength profile. It provides a tensile s...

Versalis, Eni’s chemical company, unveiled today, at its Mantua site, a demonstration plant based on Hoop®, the company’s new proprietary technology for the chemical #recycling of #mixedplasticwaste . This technology, which complements mechanical recycling, makes it possible to convert mixed plastic waste into feedstock that can be used to produce new plastic materials suitable for all applications, including food contact packaging and pharmaceutical packaging. Hoop® was developed through a joint project with the Italian engineering firm S.R.S. (Servizi di Ricerche e Sviluppo), leading to an innovative technology that achieves high material recovery yields and offers excellent flexibility in terms of input materials. This is made possible by combining a high thermal performance pyrolysis reactor with Versalis’s expertise in polymer property analysis and production process optimisation through Artificial Intelligence systems. Construction of the Hoop® demonstration plant, which occupie...

Plastics processor Ensinger is increasing the production capacity of its TECAPOWDER product line. The polyimide material will be produced not only at the company’s site in Lenzing, Austria, but also in Obernburg am Main, Germany. The new production line at the Industrie Centre Obernburg (ICO) is expected to be operational by 2027. TECAPOWDER is a high-temperature polyimide that is characterised by its complete solubility, excellent filler properties and outstanding thermal stability. Due to its wide range of applications, including composites, PTFE matrix systems, battery technology and the aerospace industry, demand for it has risen steadily in recent years. Capacity limits have now been reached at the development and production site in Lenzing. To enable further growth, Ensinger began looking for an additional production site at an early stage. As special solvents are used in the production of TECAPOWDER, a chemical-specific infrastructure is essential. The ICO's technical equipm...

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share PFAS could be replaced with safe graphene oxide solution Northwestern University researchers have developed a new water- and oil-resistant material that could become a safe, viable replacement for harmful plastics and toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food packaging. Derived from graphene oxide, the material is non-toxic, environmentally friendly and affordable. When applied to paper-based food and beverage packaging, the material not only provides exceptional barrier properties but also significantly enhances the product’s overall strength. This could mean an end to flimsy paper plates and soggy takeout containers. After use, packaging treated with the material can be readily composted or recycled — closing the loop on a truly sustainable solution. GO-Eco — a subsidiary of Chang Robotics and a resident startup at Northwestern’s Querrey InQbation Lab (The Q) — is commercializing the patent-pending product. Recent indepen...

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share CAI Performance Additives launches flame-retardant synergist for PVC wires & cables CAI Performance Additives announced the launch of ST-FR6, a flame-retardant synergist for PVC wire and cable applications. ST-FR6 offers a cost-effective, stable alternative to Antimony Trioxide (ATO), addressing supply chain challenges while maintaining top-tier flame retardant performance and environmental safety. The challenge with ATO: Over the past two years, ATO prices have surged by over 50%, with global supply chain bottlenecks causing severe shortages. Manufacturers face skyrocketing costs and uncertain lead times, creating an urgent need for a reliable alternative. Key Benefits of ST-FR6: Lower Cost, More Stability: Reduces raw material expenses by up to 50% while ensuring supply reliability. Proven Fire Resistance: Passes VW-1 flame test while maintaining essential electrical and mechanical properties. Sustainability & Safety: RoHS-compliant,...

  Syensqo Unveils First PFA-Free FFKM Polymers Syensqo has introduced the industry's first peroxide-curable #FFKMpolymers manufactured completely without fluorosurfactants from the PFAs family of chemicals, the company announced last week. The materials, developed using #Syensqo 's proprietary Non-Fluorosurfactant (NFS) technology, represent a significant advancement in the company's expanding NFS FFKM portfolio, which earlier this year launched nitrile-curable FFKM grades for semiconductor applications. These new materials respond directly to the seal and o-ring industry's growing demand for sustainable supply chain solutions that maintain critical performance characteristics. The peroxide-curable technology specifically targets the increasingly aggressive conditions required in advanced semiconductor manufacturing. With our new peroxide-curable FFKM innovation, we are proud to offer groundbreaking solutions to our customers, empowering them to maintain material effic...