polymerguru

  Today's KNOWLEDGE Share 147. The annoying saddle twist warpage of low MFI polyolefin grades. If you ever molded extrusion or blow-molding grades of PP or PE, you have certainly experienced a big warpage problem, stemming from the surprisingly higher than usual IN-FLOW shrinkage. The graph on the right (similar to my previous post nr. 146) shows that moving to a lower Melt Index increases the chance of freezing more molecular orientation in the part, as a result of the longer relaxation time of low MFI grades. The graph in the center, from the cited article of 2006, shows the trend of increasing parallel to flow shrinkage with increasing molecular weight of a simple unfilled PP homopolymer. Note that the three grades are all more viscous than typical in Injection Molding, and they all show a strong anisotropic shrinkage (this is measured on a dog-bone classical tensile bar sample) with larger shrinkage in the flow direction, due to strong molecular orientation. It is the exact con...

Vignesh Polymers, a pioneer in appliance and automotive component and module manufacturing, today marked a historic milestone with the Ground-breaking Ceremony of its #AirConditioning Division, unveiling its 10th Factory Unit at the SIPCOT Industrial Park, Sriperumbudur Taluk. The new facility will feature a world-class manufacturing unit, reinforcing the company's commitment to innovation, excellence, and global quality standards. The project involves the establishment of a fully integrated air-conditioning manufacturing facility, designed to support end-to-end production under one roof. The plant will encompass sheet metal fabrication, heat exchanger and copper tubing lines, injection moulding and EPS packing operations as well as the in-house production of propeller and crossflow fans. source: Business Standard

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share Despite having worked on automotive HMI as a product designer, I prefer physical controls in cars over digital infotainment systems. Sometimes it feels like manufacturers are designing for iPad kids and tech enthusiasts instead of regular A-to-B drivers. Touchscreen car controls are 2-4 times slower than physical buttons. Touchscreens increase reaction times +30-57%. Legally drunk drivers: reaction time +12%. Car's touchscreen impairs more than a couple of beers. Physical controls: - One motion: turn knob left/right - Works by feel without looking - Instant response - Same location every time - Works with gloves - Muscle memory kicks in - Tactile feedback confirms action Touchscreen controls: - Multiple taps through menus - Requires visual attention to locate - Lag between tap and response - Interface changes with software updates - Fails with gloves/wet fingers - Must relearn after updates - No confirmation until you look at display (is haptic feedback ...

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share Effective zinc dispersion in zinc-rich epoxy (ZRE) coatings requires over 80 wt% zinc, ensuring electrical contact between particles and the steel substrate for cathodic protection. Standards like ISO 12944 define ZREs as having high zinc content, but effective dispersion and continuous electrical paths are critical for performance, often achieved through careful application and sometimes aided by additives like graphene to create conductive networks that prevent isolation of zinc particles. Importance of Zinc Dispersion Cathodic Protection: The primary mechanism of ZREs is cathodic protection, where zinc particles act as sacrificial anodes, corroding preferentially to protect the steel. Electrical Contact: For effective cathodic protection, a continuous electrical pathway must exist between the zinc particles and the steel substrate. Barrier Protection: The corrosion products from the zinc also fill micropores in the coating, providing a...

A modern interpretation of natural beauty – with the new Fibaplast – Inspired by Nature product series, we are bringing the fascinating textures and colors of nature into the world of plastics. Inspired by the variety of fine wood grains, the powerful appearance of stone structures and the warm nuances of natural earth tones, high-quality effects are created that give products an distinctive identity. Extended variety of materials: Until now, nature-inspired masterbatches have mainly been used in #polyolefins . Finke is now expanding its portfolio to include solutions for #styrenics , enabling even more applications in different material systems. All variants are not only visually impressive, but also technically: they offer good to very good light fastness and therefore guarantee durable, high-quality surfaces. The targeted play with flow lines, the use of special pigments and additional finishes such as laser marking allow impressive, nature-like structures and a special feel to be a...

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share Biofoam boxes greening WA’s lucrative seafood industry Western Australia is known for many things from its beautiful beaches to its vast outback, and, famously, its fresh and tasty seafood. The WA seafood industry brings in around $1billion of revenue each year, making it one of the state’s most lucrative industries. However, with that revenue comes packaging waste.  To transport seafood from the ocean to the markets or the shelves, it has historically been stored in #expandedpolystyrene boxes. These have now been banned in WA and are being phased out around the world.   While some greener, #recyclablepackaging options have been introduced, a new and collaborative local project is looking to move from recyclable, to fully #biodegradable .   The Bioplastics Innovation Hub (BIH), a joint venture between #MurdochUniversity and #CSIRO , has partnered with #CassMaterials , a Perth biotechnology company, to develop #biofoam #...

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share Imerys introduces SU-NERGY™ , a novel #graphite series featuring biomass-derived raw materials. This innovative product is the first of its kind at industrial scale, representing a significant leap forward towards more #sustainablegraphite manufacturing. SU-NERGY™ incorporates biomass in its production process and is manufactured using exclusively low-carbon energy sources. The result is a powerful and more sustainable alternative to traditional fossil -based graphites. Key advantages are: -->Excellent electrical conductivity -->Superior thermal management capabilities -->Up to 60% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to traditional graphite materials from fossil fuel-based raw materials -->Increased isotropicity and springback -->High purity and crystallinity -->Incredible versatility, meeting the needs of a wide range of industries, including: -->Mobile Energy Solutions -->Energy Storage and Conversions -->Conductive Polymers --...