Teknor Apex’s New Medical-grade TPEs Replace Silicone in Biopharmaceutical Tubing

Three new medical-grade thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) for biopharmaceutical tubing provide performance superior to the industry standard TPE in this application, making them effective alternatives to widely used silicone.
Teknor Apex Company will introduce the new Medalist® compounds at MD&M West (Booth 2015) and will make a presentation on grades for peristaltic pump applications at the “Tech Theater” during the show. The presentation is scheduled for 1:30 pm on Wednesday, February 6.

Clear & Translucent Medalist® Medical TPEs

Teknor Apex recommends three compounds for challenging tubing applications in the biopharma industry for peristaltic pumps and extreme low temperature applications. The materials designed for peristaltic pump tubing provide the elasticity required to keep pace with rapid pump action and the durability needed for the tubing to retain its shape and remain intact over time. In comparison with the industry-standard TPE alternative to silicone, the Medalist TPEs exhibit lower levels of spallation—the shedding of particles from the inner and outer surfaces of the tubing caused by repeated compression and release during pump operation.

Three New Medalist® Compounds

 • Medalist MD-12352 is a 52 Shore A translucent TPE designed for peristaltic pump tubing.
• Medalist MD-50357 is a clear, slightly harder TPE (58 Shore A) for peristaltic pump tubing, which can be sterile welded and heat sealed.
• Medalist MD-10353 is a clear compound used in biopharma tubing in extreme low temperature applications. With a brittleness temperature below -60° C, this TPE can be used for tubing that remains flexible and elastic, facilitating fluid transfer in the manufacturing process of heat-sensitive biopharmaceuticals.
These three Medalist compounds exhibit significantly lower permeability than silicones. They can be sterilized by means of e-beam, gamma irradiation, and ethylene oxide (EtO).
Ross van Royen, senior market manager of regulated products, said: “At a time when silicones are in short supply, Teknor Apex can provide an assured global supply chain for all Medalist TPEs, producing them at ISO-13485-certified facilities in the U.S, and Singapore. As alternatives to silicone, our three new Medalist compounds provide better performance than the industry-standard TPE used thus far.”

Certifications & Compliance

The new Medalist compounds are made with FDA-listed ingredients, are certified at a minimum to the ISO 10993-5 standard for biocompatibility, and are REACH SVHC compliant. They are free of DEHP and other phthalates, BPA, and latex. Standard grades are ADM-free.
 
Source: Teknor Apex Company

Scientists to combine ultrasonic, vibration and heat for flaw detection in aviation

Daria Derusova, JRF from the TPU Research School of High Energy Physics is developing a system combining three methods of non-destructive testing including a vibrational, resonant ultrasonic and thermal ones to test composites for aviation applications.

This approach is of interest for aviation and automobile industries as it will make it possible to monitor the quality of complex and large-sized products made of composite materials taking into account their physical properties. The Russian Science Foundation has supported this two-year project up to 2020.

The project manager Daria Derusova says ‘Every year, new composite materials appear and they challenge existing methods of non-destructive testing. Joints between the materials are of particular complexity and importance.’

Now classic ultrasonic and X-ray testing are used at the production.

The latter is the most accurate but it does not fit to large-sized objects that are presented in aviation a lot. In turn, ultrasonic facilities consume kilowatts of electricity to stimulate materials with a mono-frequency acoustic signal. Laser vibrometry in the combination with resonant stimulation of defects is seen as the most promising modern method. Such an approach allows activating local resonant vibration in the area of damage that also causes the increase of temperature in this area. In turn, an infrared camera will allow the registration of the temperature change and the addition of data about the quality of products. As a result, we expect to build a laboratory facility to test large and complex objects by form. 

Meantime, it will consume several times less electricity than high-power ultrasonic installations. The developed approach will be an alternative to the existing methods of non-destructive testing in aviation and machine-building industry,’ says the early-career researcher.

The facility will comprise of such elements as resonant ultrasonic stimulation using piezoelectric transducers, a scanning laser Doppler vibrometer and an infrared camera with specialized software.
‘The essence of the system is that a tested object – material is exposed to acoustic stimulation in a wide range of frequencies. 

 Elastic waves create vibrations of both material itself and its inhomogeneities. The resonant frequency of vibrations of defects’ walls differs from that of the object that can be detected with a scanning vibrometer. In addition, due to intense resonant vibrations defect areas are locally heated. We register these changes with an infrared camera. The data of quality testing allow us to identify a defect itself, its location, form, and size,’ clarifies Daria Derusova.

In the framework of this project, TPU scientists cooperate with peers from the Institute of Strength Physics and Materials Science SB RAS (Laboratory for Quality Testing of Materials and Structures), the University of L'Aquila (Italy) and the Symbiosis Institute of Technology (India). The S.А. Chaplygin Siberian Research Institute of Aviation (SibNIA, Novosibirsk) provides samples of materials for testing proposed technology.

Source: www.tpu.ru

Saertex wins JEC Asia Award 2018 and AVK Award for use of Saertex Leo materials in Deutsche Bahn’s ICE-3 fleet

The Saertex Leo series stands for optimum fire protection in rail transport, the marine market or the construction industry. For the renovation of the floor panels in 66 trains of the ICE fleet of the Deutsche Bahn with fireproof Saertex Leo materials, Saertex received two awards.

 On November 5th, Saertex was awarded 3rd place at the AVK Award in the Products/Applications category for its project at the International Composites Congress (ICC) in Stuttgart. In addition, the entry won 1st place in the Railways category at the JEC Asia Innovation Award, which was presented on November 15th at the JEC Asia trade fair in Seoul, Korea. 

The Saertex Leo composite system meets the high HL2 fire protection requirements in R10 in accordance with EN 45545 for use in rail vehicles. In contrast to conventional fire protection systems, Leo does not negatively influence mechanical parameters. The Leo system consists of four components, with SAERfoam as the core material, an NFC layer of fiberglass, special Leo infusion resins and a Leo protection layer as the finish.

Saertex Leo thus meets international fire protection standards in the rail vehicle, shipbuilding and construction industries with regard to flame propagation and smoke development. Compared to conventionally manufactured components, the Leo laminates offer impressive mechanical properties and, in the case of the floor panels in the ICE-3 fleet, 50 percent less weight. Train floors are frequently exposed to moisture not only in snowy regions; as opposed to the materials used up to now, the material components contained in the Leo system do not rot.

Source:Saertex

New Medical-grade PEEK & PPSU Filaments by Solvay for Additive Manufacturing

Solvay has broadened its portfolio of high-performance filaments for premium additive manufacturing (AM) applications with the introduction of three medical grade products for use in the healthcare industry.

Medical-grade AM Filaments

A neat KetaSpire® polyetheretherketone (PEEK) AM filament (NT1 HC) and a 10-percent carbon fiber reinforced KetaSpire® PEEK AM filament (CF10 HC), together with a neat Radel® polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) AM filament (NT1 HC) are Solvay’s first medical grade AM filaments for limited contact applications (<24hr bodily="" br="" contact="" fluid="" tissue="">
Christophe Schramm, Additive Manufacturing business manager at Solvay’s Specialty Polymers global business unit (GBU), said:
“The healthcare industry is quickly emerging as a leading market to benefit from AM technology which makes customized parts for single use or low volumes possible. However, there is still a very limited choice of high-performance filaments that meet the stringent regulatory requirements in healthcare and this is the gap we want to close with our new selection of medical grade products.”

KetaSpire® PEEK & Radel® PPSU AM Filaments

• Solvay’s KetaSpire® PEEK AM filaments are designed to allow excellent fusion of printed layers, enable high part density and deliver exceptional part strength, including along the z-axis. 
• Radel® PPSU AM filaments also provide excellent fusion of printed layers in addition to transparency, high elongation and toughness. 

Jeff Hrivnak, global business manager for Healthcare at Solvay’s Specialty Polymers GBU, said:
“These new medical grade AM filaments emphasize Solvay’s continuing, pro-active initiatives to support our customers. The filaments can be used for a range of healthcare applications such as patient-specific cutting guides for surgery and for complex components in single-use and reusable medical devices.”

® KetaSpire and Radel are registered trademarks of Solvay.

Source: Solvay

Stora Enso Acquires Cellutech, a Wood-based Components Manufacturer

Stora Enso has increased its ownership up to 100% in Cellutech AB. The company specializes in the development of new materials and applications based on cellulose, micro-fibrillated cellulose (MFC) and other wood-based components.

Replacing Fossil-based Materials with Renewable Ones

The acquisition of Cellutech supports Stora Enso’s vision of replacing fossil-based materials with renewable ones originating from wood. The acquired company works, among others, in the areas of foams for packaging and hydroponics where the markets are continuously growing. Cellulosic foams can, for example, be used in packaging to replace polystyrenes which are the most widely used plastics.

Adding a New Dimension to Fiber and Cellulose Capabilities

“The acquisition of Cellutech will add a new dimension to our fiber and cellulose capabilities particularly in lightweight cellulose foams and spheres. We are investing in technologies and expertise that will further broaden application development competence in Stora Enso’s Biomaterials Division,” says Markus Mannström, EVP, Stora Enso Biomaterials.

Established in 2013, Cellutech is an agile team of eight scientists and researchers serving as a link between academia and industry. Cellutech was formed to take world class scientific research developed at SweTree Technologies and Wallenberg Wood Science Center and develop the ideas into commercially successful technologies and products.

The transaction will not have a material financial impact on the Group.

Source:Stora Enso

New Copolyester Filaments to Advance FDM 3D Printing by ElogioAM at Formnext 2018

ElogioAM B.V., a newly formed Joint Venture between Swedish Perstorp AB and Dutch 3D4Makers B.V, continues to introduce its new filament solutions to advance FDM additive manufacturing. Following its breakthrough, easy to print Facilan™ C8 delivering superior finish, mechanical properties and minimum post-processing for demanding prototyping, models and spare parts, ElogioAM now introduce its new addition, Facilan HT.

Designed to Overcome Common Product Limitations

FDM Additive Manufacturing requires more durable and high strength materials to take full benefits of 3D printing. PLA and PET are of limited use for durable application due to their relatively low temperature resistance while ABS suffers of warping and relatively low strength.

• Facilan HT is designed to address those common product limitations and specifically designed for 3D printing. 
• It is safe copolyester with high temperature resistance with heat deflection temperature of 89°C. 
• Its high stiffness enables design optimization for faster rigid part print jobs.

Like all Facilan products, it is designed to easily be printed on most conventional FDM printers available with minimum warping. It is fully amorphous and enables the production of translucent parts in the z direction. FacilanHT has been extensively tested during its development and the feedback has been very positive.

Facilan HT - Great Potential

3D Printed Coffee Cup Model from Facilan™ HT

Matthew Forrester, 3D printing Tech leader L`Oréal, France, said:
“Excellent technical support from the Elogio team, Facilan HT is as easy to print as PLA, with a good level of translucidity, perfect for our prototyping needs.”

Nomura Toshihito, J-Techno Inc. Digital Manufacturing Systems, Japan, said:
“Facilan HT is excellent; it is printing with no warping and good stability.”

Dick Potharst, Multi-3dPrint, the Netherlands, said:
“I tested Facilan HT on the DDDrop and the Ultimaker, very easy to print with and nice glossy shine.”

Imants Treidis, CEO, Mass Portal, Latvia, said:
“We are proud to work together with ElogioAM and showcase the Facilan HT at our booth. The material has great potential for applications where exceptional stability and simple printing process is a requirement.”

ElogioAM at Formnext 2018

Facilan HT is being showcased at Formnext, November 13-18th, 2018 on 3D printer manufacturer Mass Portal Booth stand 3.1 H89.
 
Source: ElogioAM B.V.

Ashland to Sell its Composites Business in Germany to INEOS Enterprises for USD 1.1 Bn

Ashland Global Holdings Inc. has recently announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to sell its Composites business and the butanediol (BDO) manufacturing facility in Marl, Germany, to INEOS Enterprises in a transaction valued at approximately $1.1 billion. The transaction is expected to close prior to the end of the June 2019 quarter, contingent on certain customary regulatory approvals, standard closing conditions and completion of required employee information and consultation processes.

Divestment to Become Premier in Chemical World

Ashland expects net proceeds from the sale to total approximately $1 billion and anticipates that proceeds primarily will be used for debt reduction. Prior to reporting its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2019, Ashland plans to update its outlook for both the first quarter and for the full 2019 fiscal year to reflect the impact of moving these businesses to discontinued operations.

Ashland's Composites unit is among the global leader in unsaturated polyester resins, vinyl ester resins and gel coats, while the BDO facility in Germany and related merchant products included in the agreement are part of Ashland's Intermediates and Solvents (I&S) segment. Ashland's Composites and Marl BDO facility have combined sales of more than $1.1 billion per year and approximately 1,300 employees. Ashland will retain its BDO plant in Lima, Ohio, to ensure consistent supply for the company's internal needs.

Placing itself in a Better Position

Bill Wulfsohn, Ashland chairman and chief executive officer, said:
"Composites and Marl are outstanding businesses with strong market positions and high-performing teams. At the same time, the divestiture of these businesses is consistent with Ashland's vision of becoming the premier specialty chemicals company. With a more streamlined and focused product portfolio, improved margins and reduced earnings volatility, Ashland will be better positioned to deliver sustained earnings growth and unlock significant value for shareholders. Over the past two years, we have taken specific actions to sustain and grow Ashland's premium mix while also improving our competitiveness, particularly within Specialty Ingredients. These actions are driving strong earnings growth, as evident in our fiscal 2018 financial results."

Privately owned INEOS is one of the world's largest manufacturers of chemicals and oil products, with annual sales of $60 billion and approximately 20,000 employees. The London-based company operates 171 sites in 24 countries.

Ashley Reed, CEO, INEOS Enterprises, said:
"We believe that the Ashland Composites business will have great potential for growth under INEOS ownership and we are looking forward to working with a great team of people who are determined to meet the developing needs of our customers."

Citi is acting as financial advisor to Ashland, and Squire Patton Boggs LLP is acting as legal advisor.

Source: Ashland Global Holdings Inc