Sequana Selects Evonik's PEEK to Design its Pump Implant for Medical Applications

The newly-developed ALFAPump™ System from Sequana Medical Switzerland helps patients suffering from excessive fluid in their abdomen: the battery-operated pump implant is based on the PEEK polymer VESTAKEEP® from Evonik Industries and has received CE approval. It pumps the excessive fluid from the abdominal cavity into the bladder, from which it can be excreted by the patient in the natural manner. Up to now, the water has had to be drained using painful paracentesis during regular doctor's appointments. Patients with liver disorders, congestive heart failure and certain types of cancer are particularly affected by ascites. The new system consists of a subcutaneously implanted pump and a catheter system: one catheter connects the abdomen to the pump, while the second connects the pump to the bladder.


The new technology is made possible thanks to the use of VESTAKEEP® PEEK, a polyether ether ketone which is particularly characterized by its biocompatibility and biostability. In contrast to metal, the ion content of VESTAKEEP® PEEK is virtually zero, thus preventing shift reactions with the body. What's more, the PEEK implant is considerably lighter than a comparable metal implant. The VESTAKEEP® PEEK iGrades are specifically suited to long-term use in the human body and can also be made transparent to X-ray on request, so that they cannot be seen on X-rays.

"The ALFAPump™ System not only improves the quality of life for patients but also represents a cost-effective solution," explains Dr. Noel Johnson, CEO at Sequana Medical. Marc Knebel, Business Management Director at VESTAKEEP® Medical & Implants, adds:

"The ALFAPump™ System is a perfect example of the many benefits of PEEK compared to metal in this field. Other areas, such as spinal implants, can also benefit from these advantages."

The high processability of PEEK is a further advantage of its use: VESTAKEEP® PEEK polymer can be manufactured using either the injection molding or cutting procedures, thereby supporting freedom of design in the development of new implant technology.

Teijin to Open CFRTP Pilot Plant for Producing Composites from Carbon Fiber for Japan's Automotive Industry

Teijin Limited has announced that it will establish the world's first pilot plant for fully integrated production of carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) components from carbon fiber on the premises of its Matsuyama Factory in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. The new plant will feature Teijin's unprecedented mass production technology for CFRTP components, which significantly reduces cycle times required for molding composite products to under a minute, enabling rapid production of various prototypes and performance evaluation tests.

Construction of the new plant will begin shortly, with operations expected to commence in mid 2012. The new plant will enable Teijin to further accelerate its commercialization of CFRTP components for mass-produced automobiles and other industrial uses. Capital expenditure for the establishment of the pilot plant will total over two billion yen.

Teijin's proprietary mass production technology for CFRTP enables the integrated production of carbon fiber to composite products within one minute, the ideal tact time required by automakers for mass-produced vehicles. The technology, which promises to realize revolutionary weight-reduction, is expected to find a wide range of applications in addition to automobiles, where certain levels of structural strength are required. CFRTP components are also highly recyclable, as technically its thermoplastic resins can be converted into desired shapes when heated.

To introduce this cutting-edge technology to automakers, Teijin developed an electric-vehicle concept car earlier this year featuring a body structure made entirely of CFRTP components and weighing only 47 kilograms or roughly one-fifth the weight of a conventional automobile body structure.

Through the new pilot plant, Teijin aims to accelerate its market development and further its position as a global leader in carbon fiber composite products.

Global wind power set for steady growth to 2020

Global wind energy installed capacity increased at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.9% from 74.1 GW in 2006 to 198.2 GW in 2010, of which 36.1 GW came online in 2010. There was a fall in annual additions in 2010 by 10.9%, however, as major wind markets such as the US, Germany and Spain were hit by the global economic crisis.

The global wind power markets are expected to recover in 2011 with the huge order intake by major wind manufacturers, the growing Asia-Pacific region, emerging South America and Africa regions, steady European wind markets and recovery in North America, GlobalData says.

The growing Asia-Pacific wind power market powered by India, China and other emerging countries such as Republic of Korea, Thailand and Philippines will continue to drive the wind power market as well as emerging South America and Africa countries such as Brazil, Columbia, Argentina and South Africa.

China largest in 2010

China was the global leader with a cumulative installed wind power capacity share of 22.6% in 2010, overtaking the US as the number one wind power market in terms of new installations in 2009 following the addition of 13.8 GW of wind capacity in that year.

China has doubled its cumulative capacity every year during 2006-2009 and grew by 72.4% in 2010 after the addition of 18.8 GW of new capacity. Supportive government policies which include an attractive concessional programme and the availability of low cost financing from government banks are critical reasons for the success of the Chinese wind power market, the analyst says.

It is expected that China will continue to promote wind power in order to reduce its carbon footprint and increase rural electrification.

US comes in second

The US is the second largest wind power market with a cumulative share of 20.3% of the global wind power market. Its share decreased by 1.4% in 2010 which lost the US its market supremacy.

Germany is the third largest wind power market in the world with a share of 13.7%. Germany maintained its ranking in 2010 but lost 2.2% to competing nations. Spain, which is the fourth largest wind power market with a cumulative share of 10.4%, lost 1.4% in 2010 as it continued to face economic problems. The other major wind power markets include India with a share of 6.6%, Italy and France with a share of 2.9% each, the UK with 2.6%, Portugal with 2.1% and Canada with 2%.

Offshore wind gains momentum from 2015

The offshore wind market is expected to become one of the major market segments of wind power generation during the forecast period. Offshore wind power installations accounted for 1.6% of the global wind power market in 2010.

The UK, Germany, the Netherlands, the US and China are the biggest offshore wind power markets in the world with a number of projects currently in planning and under construction. With an increasing number of countries exploiting offshore wind potential during the forecast period 2010-2020 it is expected that its share in the global wind power market will reach 9% by 2020.

Vestas largest manufacturer in 2010

The global wind turbine market is a consolidated market with the top 10 players accounting for 80.4% of the market. Vestas Wind Systems A/S dominated the global market in 2010 with a 12.5% share and a total of 4719 MW of new turbines installed. The company however lost a share of 0.9% in 2010. Vestas is the industry leader and one of the strongest vertically integrated wind turbine manufacturers.

Chinese giant Sinovel Wind Group Co Ltd was the second largest wind turbine manufacturer in 2010 with a share of 11.6%. The company installed 4386 MW of wind turbines and gained a 2.3% market share. Sinovel is followed by another Chinese turbine manufacturer, Xinjiang GoldWind Science & Technology Co Ltd, which accounted for 9.9% of the market in 2010. The company installed over 3.7 GW of turbines in 2010 and gained a share of 2.7%.

GE Energy, which was the second largest turbine manufacturer in 2009, slipped down to fourth position after losing 2.8% of its market share in 2010. The company accounted for 9.4% of the market in 2010 compared to 12.2% in 2009.

Gamesa Corporacion Tecnologica S.A. accounted for 7.5%, Dongfang Electric Corporation Limited accounted for 6.9%, Enercon GmbH accounted for 6.8%,Guodian United Power Technology accounted for 6.5%, Suzlon Energyaccounted for 4.8% and Siemens accounted for 4.6% of the global annual capacity in 2010.

Consolidations on the horizon

The major business strategies adopted by the global manufacturers for long term sustainability in the market are investments in research and development (R&D) to expand existing product portfolios to meet changing market needs, capacity expansions and setting up manufacturing units across regions to cater to local demand.

Consolidation is on the cards as the US market is undergoing correction and the Chinese wind market is expected to stabilise during the forecast period. Companies have modest expectations of growth for 2011 as major markets have slowed down but are expected to pick up in the second half of year.

ESPCI Researchers Develop Light-weight Thermoset Plastic for Demanding Applications

French scientists have created a new lightweight plastic that is as strong and stable as other thermoset materials such as Bakelite, yet can be easily reworked and reshaped when heated. The team suggests the material could be used in many applications, from aviation to electronics, while being recyclable and repairable.

Typically, the atoms in thermoset polymers are permanently crosslinked giving them excellent mechanical properties and solvent resistance. However, unlike thermoplastics, which can be repeatedly melted and moulded, thermosets remain fixed in shape once made and cannot be reprocessed.

Now, Damien Montarnal and colleagues led by Ludwik Leibler at the Industrial Physics and Chemistry Higher Educational Institution in Paris have created a thermosetting material that can be repeatedly reshaped like a silica glass using heat. According to the team the reworked material retains the mechanical properties of the original material.

'These materials are thermoset organic resins but they can be worked by techniques similar to blowing and smithing hitherto available solely for metals and glass,' says Leibler. 'Compared with metal and glass, they bring lightness, ease of implementation and a wide range of hardness and extensibility. Compared to other thermoset organic resins, they can be reshaped, recycled, repaired and still present solvent resistance and good mechanical properties.'

The material was made like a conventional epoxy resin by mixing a liquid resin, hardener and catalyst and then heating it between two hot plates. After complete curing, the material was cut and shaped in an oven or by using a heat gun. By applying sufficient heat, the material can be reshaped and remoulded. The team also demonstrated that it can be ground down into a powder and then remoulded or injected.

It works because the material is able to flow when heated thanks to reversible exchange reactions by transesterification. These allow some of the crosslinks in the molecular network to change the topology of the material without breaking bonds in the molecular network hence maintaining its integrity as a solid and preventing depolymerisation. During cooling exchange reactions become so sluggish that the network appears to be a solid just like silica glass.

It works because the material is able to flow when heated thanks to reversible exchange reactions mediated by transesterification. These allow some of the crosslinks in the molecular network to temporarily break which changes the topology of the molecular network while maintaining its integrity as a solid and preventing depolymerisation. The broken crosslinks then reconnect during cooling.

'By implementing the concept of crosslink exchange they have created a novel polymer network with unique capabilities,' comments Christopher Bowman who investigates synthetic polymers at the University of Colorado in Boulder, US. 'It is similar to other covalent adaptable networks that exist but implements a distinct reaction mechanism that utilises a non-radical mediated exchange reaction to enable the adaptation process. This reaction keeps the material in its polymer state but allows for reprocessing and recycling.' Bowman expects the principle applications will be in healable and recyclable composite materials.

'Possible applications include coatings, furniture, propellers and, more generally, any complex part in the fields where one wishes to combine lightness with mechanical and chemical resistance such as aviation, automotive, portable electronics, etc,' says Leibler. He suggests the new material, once reinforced by fibres, might even compete with metals in the most demanding applications.

Toray Produces Fully Renewable PET Fiber Derived from Gevo's Biobased Para-xylene

Toray Industries, Inc. has succeeded in producing laboratory-scale samples of the world's first fully renewable biobased PET fiber by using fully renewable biobased PET derived from biobased para-xylene from Gevo, Inc., one of the leading companies in renewable chemicals and advanced biofuels.

Gevo has succeeded in converting isobutanol, produced from biomass by employing its own highly effective production method that uses synthetic biology, to synthesize para-xylene employing conventional chemical process used in commercial operations.

Toray used terephthalic acid synthesized from Gevo's biobased para-xylene and commercially available renewable mono ethylene glycol (MEG) as raw materials, and successfully produced the PET samples by applying a new technology and PET polymerization in June this year. This biobased PET has exhibited properties equivalent to petro-based PET in laboratory conditions.

Toray has also succeeded in the production of a fiber using this fully renewable biobased PET for the first time in the world. PET has one of the highest production volumes among petrochemical products in the world. Around 40 million tons of polyester fiber, for which PET is the source, is produced worldwide annually. Polyester fibers are widely used in our daily life as well as in industry, and it is one of the core products manufactured and sold by Toray.

The success of this trial, albeit under laboratory conditions, is proof that polyester fiber can be industrially produced from fully renewable biomass feedstock alone. This is a significant step that would contribute to the realization of a sustainable, low-carbon society.

Toray is planning to exhibit this laboratory-scale fully biobased PET fiber samples at Eco-Products 2011, which will be held at The Tokyo Big Sight in December 2011.

Under its management policy that all business strategies must place priority on the global environment in an effort to help realize a sustainable low-carbon society, Toray has been promoting the development of biobased polymers while expanding the businesses related to biobased materials such as poly lactic acid (PLA). The expansion of biobased polymers is an important initiative central to the Group's Green Innovation projects under its new medium-term management program "Project AP-G 2013," launched in April this year.

BASF's Tear-resistant Bioplastic Bin Liner Passes Test Under Real-world Conditions

Leftover lettuce, old bunches of flowers, potato peelings, coffee grounds: the average kitchen generates lots of organic waste. This can be turned into nutrient-rich compost in an industrial composting plant, but only if it is collected separately in advance and that can be a bothersome and unhygienic task. Throw the leftovers straight into the bin and you will be confronted with a foul-smelling residue after emptying it. Lining the bin with a paper bag means liquid soaks through, the paper tears. This dilemma results in large quantities of compostable material ending up in the normal rubbish and subsequently being incinerated, using lots of energy in the process. Alternatively, biodegradable waste is disposed of in regular plastic bags, which must be painstakingly removed at the composting plant.

Bioplastic Bin Liners

BASF has a solution to this problem: the compostable plastic Ecovio® FS. In an industrial composting plant, this innovative material biodegrades within four weeks. Bin liners made from Ecovio FS are strong and tear-resistant, even if the waste inside is wet. Liquid from tea bags or fruit leftovers does not seep through reducing unpleasant odors and putting an end to laborious bin-scrubbing. Once full, the bag can simply be put out for collection with its contents.

The plastic's properties first underwent extensive investigation in pilot projects at composting plants in Germany, Canada and Australia. But would the new compost bags pass the test when used on a large scale. To find out, BASF and its project partners examined the bags under real-world conditions. The study took place in Bad Durkheim in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, from April to June 2011. Around 65,000 households each received ten Ecovio FS bio-waste bags free of charge, and could buy more if needed. Consultancy IBK-Solutions GmbH was responsible for analyzing the compost. "The results were very positive," says Erhard Freunscht, the Bad Durkheim council member responsible for waste management. "Residents really took to the new bin liners, as was clear from the number of bags put out for collection. And after around three weeks, the bags had biodegraded a complete success from our point of view."

The key to Ecovio FS's outstanding compostability lies in its composition. The material comprises a partly petroleum-based, compostable plastic called Ecoflex® FS, and polylactic acid made from corn starch. Polylactic acid, which is derived solely from renewable raw materials, tends to be brittle in its pure state. But when combined with Ecoflex, a flexible plastic is created that can be used to manufacture a variety of products, including bin liners. In the controlled conditions of an industrial composting plant high temperature and humidity, defined oxygen levels microorganisms such as fungi and bacteria break the plastic down into water, carbon dioxide and biomass. In other words, they transform the bag and the bio-waste into valuable compost.

"Both components of Ecovio Ecoflex and polylactic acid, are biodegradable," explains Professor Andreas Kunkel, Head of Research for Biopolymers at BASF. "For a material to be biodegradable, it is unimportant whether the feedstock is plant or petroleum-based. What matters is the structure of the molecules. Because this synthetic polymer has been engineered for outstanding biodegradability, microorganisms can easily digest it." Ecovio FS's superior biodegradable properties are recognized internationally, and it conforms to all relevant standards for compostable and biodegradable plastics in Europe, North America and Asia.

Bio-waste bin liners are by no means the only application. Paper cups can be covered with a thin layer of Ecovio FS, making them both waterproof and compostable. The same applies to shrink films for drink bottle packaging. And not only bin liners but also shopping bags can be manufactured from Ecovio. Agriculture, too, stands to benefit: by using biodegradable mulch films for their crops instead of conventional polyethylene film, farmers can simply plough it into the ground instead of painstakingly collecting it after the harvest.

International demand for biodegradable plastics is on the rise, with experts estimating an annual market growth of around 20 percent in the next few years. And BASF, a leading manufacturer of bioplastics, has significantly expanded its Ecoflex and Ecovio production capacity to keep pace. In future these plastics should make organic waste collection much easier so more ends up as compost and less in landfill.

United States: Honda Civic Natural Gas wins 2012 Green Car of the Year award

The all-new 2012 model – the only factory-built, CNG-powered car produced in America – received the honor yesterday. The prize was presented to Honda by the editors of Green Car Journal representing a diverse panel of environmental experts and automotive enthusiasts who annually select a single vehicle for its outstanding environmental performance.


The six-judge panel on the Green Car of the Year jury selected the Civic Natural Gas from a field of five contenders,  including the Ford Focus Electric, Mitsubishi i, Toyota Prius V and Volkswagen Passat TDI.

"The Civic Natural Gas is not only a great vehicle, it also demonstrates Honda's commitment to provide a variety of alternatives to gasoline," said Michael Accavitti, vice president of marketing at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "The Civic Natural Gas and the all-new Fit EV that we introduced yesterday at the Los Angeles Auto Show are the latest additions to a rapidly expanding family of alternative energy Honda vehicles aimed at cutting petroleum use and reducing our carbon footprint."

The model’s engine produces almost zero smog-forming emissions and is the cleanest internal-combustion vehicle certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

All Civic Natural Gas models are produced by Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, LLC (HMIN) using domestic and globally sourced parts.  HMIN is the recipient of a 2011 Platinum Award for quality from J.D. Power and Associates.  In addition to being named 2012 Green Car of the Year, previous versions of the CNG-powered Civic have topped the "greenest vehicle" rankings of the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) for eight straight years.