Recent Study Reveals New Renewable FR Material Using Coffee Waste

Dr Henry Leung from the School of Chemical and Life Sciences and his team of three final-year students from the Diploma in Medicinal Chemistry found a way to lessen the environmental impact of coffee waste. They have turned used coffee grounds into a flame retardant that could potentially be used to improve fire safety in homes and offices.

Leveraging Slow-burning Properties of Coffee By treating coffee waste and mixing it with epoxy resin – a material commonly found in floorings and walls of homes – the team were able to leverage the slow-burning properties of coffee to create a material that could withstand a fire by as much as two times that of regular epoxy resin. This new material has also attained an “HB” grading, which indicates slow burning on a horizontal specimen, based on initial findings by a third-party testing laboratory. Apart from its fire-resistant qualities, the coffee-epoxy resin has the potential to become a total solution for reducing coffee waste as grounding coffee waste into compost requires large storage space. The incineration of compost is also a space- and energy-consuming process. Source: NYP

Calvera delivers mobile gas pipeline to transport biomethane in Finland

The Industrial Group Calvera has recently supplied a customer in Finland with several units of their containers for the transport of biomethane, a mobile gas pipeline solution. The innovative equipment is designed under the flexible Hooklift system that includes easy loading and unloading with a Multilift hydraulic arm coupled to a truck, which makes logistics much easier by taking natural gas storage where it is needed and without leaving the tanker truck, only the container.

Calvera’s equipment was custom-made in terms of capacity and weight, adjusting the product as much as possible to the client’s specific needs and offering high levels of efficiency and profitability through the use of the latest available technology.

In this case, the client produces renewable natural gas from a wood waste digester, which is then compressed and marketed in biomethane service stations that serve buses, trucks, cars and light vehicles in Finland.

The Nordic countries and Finland in particular have been betting on biomethane and on this type of mobility solutions that are gradually being extended thanks.

Source: Calvera/Gasnam

Teijin extends Bombardier contract

Teijin Limited has been awarded a contract to supply its carbon fiber material to Bombardier Aerostructures for another seven years, until 2025.

Teijin says that part of its focus on aircraft business growth during 2017-2019 and developing carbon fibers with higher tenacity and higher tensile modulus, intermediate materials, carbon fiber thermoplastic consolidated laminate, thermoset prepreg and non-crimp fabric.

Teijin was awarded a contract by Bombardier to supply materials for major primary and secondary composite structures in 2010 and the company’s Tenax carbon fiber has been used for primary structure applications including wing, center wing box structures and empennage applications.

Source;Teijin

Avantium Acquires BASF’s Stake for Full Ownership of Bioplastics Business Synvina

Avantium has retaken full ownership of its YXY plants-to-plastics technology through the purchase of BASF’s shares in the Synvina joint venture. Avantium has appointed Marcel Lubben as Managing Director of Synvina to lead the commercialization of the YXY technology, effective 1 February 2019.
Avantium has regained the intellectual property, people and assets for YXY and has paid BASF €13.7 million for its equity stake in Synvina, as agreed in the Joint Venture Agreement. A net payment of €3.7 million was made for full ownership of the assets acquired by Synvina in the last two years.

Redefining Commercialization Path for Renewable Chemistries

Avantium is redefining the path to commercialization for the YXY technology, which it developed to catalytically convert plant-based sugars into FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid) and materials such as the new plant-based packaging material PEF (polyethylenefuranoate).

• PEF can fulfil the demand of leading brands and consumers for next-generation materials that are environmentally friendly and recyclable
• PEF has the potential to be a game changer in the circular economy

Avantium plans to make further announcements on its new strategy to commercialize YXY during the first half of 2019.
 

Synvina - New Business Unit of Avantium

Synvina has become a new business unit of Avantium, alongside the existing Catalysis and Renewable Chemistries business units.

Avantium’s renewable chemistry programs include:

• Dawn Technology™, which converts non-food feedstock to industrial sugars and lignin, and 
• Mekong technology, which transforms sugars into plant-based monoethylene glycol (MEG) used in the production of materials including renewable plastics and polyesters

Marcel Lubben - New Managing Director of Synvina

Experienced chemicals and biotech executive Marcel Lubben is appointed Managing Director of Synvina and will join Victor Vreeken (Chief Operations Officer) and Willem-Jan Meijer (Financial Director) in Synvina’s leadership team. Lubben worked for 25 years at DSM in various senior business roles, in licensing, corporate venture capital and technology. In his last role, he was president of Reverdia, a joint venture between DSM and Roquette for the production and sale of bio-based succinic acid.

Tom van Aken, Chief Executive Officer of Avantium: “Our belief in YXY and its market potential is rock-solid. Producing FDCA and PEF is a complex innovation process that requires a completely new value chain. I am convinced that the work done so far and the value chain we have built will spur the commercialization of PEF. We have the people, ambition and expertise to bring FDCA and PEF successfully to market, and are very pleased Marcel Lubben will strengthen the team to spearhead this.”

Marcel Lubben, new Managing Director of Synvina: “Green, innovative materials are essential elements in the global transition to a circular economy. I have been following the progress on YXY for several years and am impressed by how it has been built out to a platform for unique materials with significant performance benefits. I am delighted to assume leadership of this Avantium business unit and bring this important technology to market.”
 
Source: Avantium

Toyota and Panasonic agree to establish joint venture for automotive batteries

Toyota Motor Corporation and Panasonic Corporation concluded a business-integration contract and a joint-venture contract toward the establishment of a joint venture related to the automotive prismatic battery business.

 Main points of the agreements
Toyota and Panasonic will establish a joint venture (pending approval from the competition-law authorities in the countries and regions concerned) by the end of 2020. The ratio of equity participation in the joint venture will be 51 percent for Toyota and 49 percent for Panasonic. The scope of the joint venture's business operations will cover research, development, production engineering, manufacturing, procurement, order receipt, and management related to automotive prismatic lithium-ion batteries, solid-state batteries, and next-generation batteries.
Toyota will transfer equipment and personnel to the joint venture in the areas of development and production engineering related to battery cells. Panasonic will transfer equipment, other assets, liabilities, personnel, and other items to the joint venture in the areas of development, production engineering, manufacturing (at plants in Japan and in Dalian, China), procurement, order receipt, and management functions related to the automotive prismatic battery business.
The total number of employees from both companies related to operations subject to transfer to the joint venture is 3,500 (as of the end of December 2018).
Products produced by the joint venture will be sold to various automakers through, in principle, Panasonic.

In addition to changes in consumer needs for the automobile, as evidenced by such shifts as those toward connected vehicles, autonomous driving, and car-sharing services, today's automotive world is also being called on by society to help find solutions to such issues as those related to global warming, resources, and energy. As vehicle electrification accelerates toward the solving of such environmental issues, batteries are a most-important element.
However, numerous battery-related challenges must be tackled, including not only having advanced technological capabilities to address issues of cost, energy density, charging time, and safety, but also being able to ensure stable supply capacity and having effective recycling structures. The business environment is one in which independent efforts by battery manufacturers or automobile manufacturers are not enough for solving the issues concerned.
Against the backdrop of such a business environment, Toyota and Panasonic announced on Dec. 13, 2017 an agreement to study the feasibility of a joint automotive prismatic battery business. Since then, the two companies have achieved high-capacity and high-output automotive prismatic batteries that lead the industry in terms of both performance and cost. To contribute to the popularization of Toyota's and other automakers' electrified vehicles, Toyota and Panasonic have also repeatedly held earnest discussions on the concrete details of their collaboration.


Toyota and Panasonic are confident that the contracts concluded will further strengthen and accelerate their actions toward achieving competitive batteries. The joint venture will integrate management and other resources from both companies, fusing strengths of both Toyota and Panasonic.

Toyota is to contribute:

1. Know-how and market data related to electrified vehicles
2. Advanced technologies related to solid-state batteries and more
3. Toyota-style manufacturing capabilities (monozukuri)

While Panasonic, demonstrating its strengths as a battery manufacturer, is to contribute:

1. Technologies related to high-capacity and high-output batteries that are high-quality and extremely safe
2. Mass-production technologies
3. A customer base both in Japan and overseas.

In this way, the joint venture aims to become the leader in battery-development and battery-manufacturing capabilities.
Specifically, for the joint venture to become the leader in battery-development capability, Toyota and Panasonic intend to coordinate with each other from the vehicle planning and conception stage, and promote the acceleration of high-capacity and high-output battery development. For the joint venture to become the leader in battery-manufacturing capability, Toyota and Panasonic intend to share with each other their production-engineering resources and monozukuri know-how, and, in addition to establishing a high-quality, low-cost, stable supply structure, they plan to also, among other efforts, leverage merits of scale related to procurement and manufacturing costs.

Source:TOYOTA/PANASONIC
 

Nestlé Accelerates Actions to Meet its Sustainable Packaging Goals by 2025

Nestlé has announced its broader vision to achieve a waste-free future and announced a series of specific actions towards meeting its April 2018 commitment to make 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025, with a particular focus on avoiding plastic-waste.
Nestlé CEO Mark Schneider said, "Our broader vision and action plan outline our commitment and specific approach to addressing the plastics packaging waste issue.
While we are committed to pursuing recycling options where feasible, we know that 100% recyclability is not enough to successfully tackle the plastics waste crisis. We need to push the boundaries and do more. We are determined to look at every option to solve this complex challenge and embrace multiple solutions that can have an impact now. We believe in the value of recyclable and compostable paper-based materials and biodegradable polymers, in particular where recycling infrastructure does not exist.
Collective action is vital, which is why we are also engaging consumers, business partners and all of our Nestlé colleagues to play their part.
You can count on us to be a leader in this space!"
Addressing the multifaceted issue of plastic pollution requires a holistic view and a well-orchestrated effort. To realize this objective, specific actions are required. In line with this approach, Nestlé has announced tangible steps to pioneer alternative materials, shape a waste-free future and drive behavior change.

Pioneering Alternative Packaging Materials

In December 2018, Nestlé announced the creation of its Institute of Packaging Sciences to:

• Evaluate and develop various sustainable packaging materials 
• Collaborate with industrial partners to develop new packaging materials and solutions

"We believe in the value of recyclable and compostable paper-based materials and biodegradable polymers," Nestle's CEO Mark Schneider said. The company has pledged to speed up its commitment to tackle plastic waste. 

Between 2020 and 2025, Nestlé will phase out all plastics that are not recyclable or are hard to recycle for all its products worldwide. In doing so, Nestlé is rolling out alternative packaging materials across its global product portfolio and establishing partnerships with cutting-edge packaging specialists:
Starting in February 2019, Nestlé will begin to eliminate all plastic straws from its products, using alternative materials like paper as well as innovative designs to reduce littering.
Nestlé will also start rolling out paper packaging for Nesquik in the first quarter of 2019 and for the Yes! snack bar in the second half of 2019. Smarties will start rolling out plastic-free packaging in 2019 and Milo will introduce paper-based pouches in 2020.

Increasing the Recycled PET Content in Bottles

• Nestlé Waters will increase the recycled PET content in its bottles to 35% by 2025 at the global level and will reach 50% in the United States, with a specific focus on its iconic brand Poland Spring. 
• In addition, Nestlé Waters will increase the recycled PET content for its European brands Acqua Panna, Buxton, Henniez and Levissima to 50% by 2025.

Successful recycling requires an adequate infrastructure, which is currently not always in place. Nestlé Institute of Packaging Sciences is exploring new paper-based materials and biodegradable/compostable polymers that are also recyclable, among other alternatives. This could become a valuable option in places where recycling infrastructure does not yet exist and will not be available for some time.

• Nestlé is also collaborating with external partners. The Company has formed a global partnership with Danimer Scientific to develop a marine biodegradable and recyclable bottle for its water business. 
• Furthermore, Nestlé initiated a collaboration with PureCycle Technologies to produce food-grade recycled Polypropylene (PP). PureCycle Technologies is commercializing ground-breaking recycling technologies which can remove color, odor and contaminants from plastic waste feedstock in order to transform it into virgin-like resin. 

Shaping a Waste-free Future - Project STOP

Over and above delivering on its 2025 commitment, Nestlé has a longer-term ambition to stop plastic leakage into the environment across its global operations. This will help avoid further accumulation of plastics in nature and achieve plastic neutrality.

Nestlé has become the first food company to partner with Project STOP, which was launched in Indonesia in 2017.

• Project STOP is a leading initiative to prevent the leakage of plastic into the ocean by developing partnerships with cities and governments in Southeast Asia. 
• Project STOP is creating sustainable, circular and low-cost waste systems that capture as much value from waste as possible. 
• It supports the many existing local initiatives and informal waste pickers in Indonesia’s coastal areas. 

 Over the coming months, company aims to take the learnings from this project to other countries where they operate in an effort to deliver ‘plastic neutrality’ in those markets. Nestlé will provide more details at the appropriate time.

Driving New Behavior to Tackle Plastic Waste

Addressing the plastic waste challenge requires behavior change from all of us. Nestlé is committed to leading lasting and impactful change mentioning there is no better place to “start than from within our own Company”.

• All 4,200 Nestlé facilities worldwide are committed to eliminating single-use plastic items that cannot be recycled. These items will be replaced by materials that can easily be recycled or reused. For recyclable materials such as PET and aluminum, company will ensure that the proper means to collect and handle are available where consumed and their commitment to recycling is well communicated.
• Nestlé employees in all locations worldwide and at all levels will dedicate their volunteering days to the removal of litter and participate in clean-up activities on World Ocean Day on June 8, 2019. To lead the way, Nestlé’s Executive Board and employees at the Company’s global headquarters in Switzerland will volunteer to clean the shores of Lake Geneva in May 2019.

Responding to the plastic waste challenge and striving for zero environmental impact in its operations is an integral part of Nestlé’s commitment to creating shared value for shareholders and society. Nestlé is particularly dedicated to accelerating action in tackling the plastic waste issue and report on the Company’s progress publicly.
 
Source: Nestlé

BASF Aims to Develop Sustainable Chemicals Using Renewable Resources by 2030

Climate protection is firmly embedded in BASF’s new corporate strategy. A central goal of this strategy is to achieve CO₂-neutral growth until 2030. To accomplish this, BASF is continuously optimizing existing processes, gradually replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources and developing radically new low-emission production processes.

The company is bundling all of this work in an ambitious Carbon Management program. BASF presents the latest research findings on these new processes as well as innovative, climate-friendly products at its Research Press Conference in Ludwigshafen.

Large-scale Reduction in CO₂ Emissions

 “To reach the climate protection targets, a large-scale reduction in CO₂ emissions will be necessary. As a raw material, CO₂ is only suitable in selected applications and such uses will therefore not make a decisive contribution to slowing climate change,” stressed Dr. Martin Brudermüller, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors and Chief Technology Officer of BASF SE. In the past decades, the company has already avoided considerable CO₂ emissions by optimizing its production processes and increasing efficiency.

World’s First Electrical Heating Concept

Since 1990, BASF has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 50% while doubling its production volumes in the same period. “Achieving another significant reduction in CO₂ emissions will require entirely new technologies, which is why BASF has launched an ambitious R&D program,” said Brudermüller.

Because energy is needed to perform chemical reactions, fossil fuels are the largest source of CO₂ in the chemical industry. BASF’s steam crackers, for example, must reach a temperature of 850°C in order to break down naphtha into olefins and aromatics for further processing.

If this energy could come from renewable electricity instead of the natural gas typically used now, CO₂ emissions could be dramatically reduced by as much
as 90%. BASF therefore aims to develop the world’s first electrical heating
concept for steam crackers within the next five years.

At the same time, material testing will be necessary to determine which metallic materials can withstand the high electrical currents and are suitable for use in this type of high-temperature reactor.

The production of hydrogen also releases significant volumes of CO₂. The chemical industry uses large quantities of hydrogen as a reactant. At BASF, for instance, it is used in ammonia synthesis. Hydrogen will also be essential for many sustainable energy carrier and energy storage applications in the future. Together with cooperation partners, BASF is therefore developing a new process technology to produce hydrogen from natural gas.

This technology splits natural gas directly into its components hydrogen and carbon. The resulting solid carbon can potentially be used in steel or aluminum production, for example. This methane pyrolysis process requires comparatively little energy. If this energy comes from renewable sources, hydrogen can be produced on an industrial scale without CO₂ emissions.

Developing New Low-emission Processes

As a central, high-volume intermediate, olefins represent an especially important area where BASF is looking to develop new low-emission processes. The considerable CO₂ emissions resulting from current production methods in the steam cracker could also be significantly reduced through “dry reforming” of methane.

This process creates a syngas which is then transformed into olefins via an intermediate step of dimethyl ether. BASF researchers have now been able to find a way to do this for the first time thanks to new, high-performance catalyst systems. These new-generation catalysts are being marketed in cooperation with Linde.

Depending on the availability of raw materials and renewable electricity, this innovative process could then be a complement or alternative to the potential electrical heating of steam crackers.

Using CO₂ as a Chemical Feedstock

BASF is also presenting a new approach for using CO₂ as a chemical feedstock, with the production of sodium acrylate from ethylene and CO₂. Sodium acrylate is an important starting material for super-absorbents, which are widely used in diapers and other hygiene products.

A few years ago, researchers at the BASF-supported Catalysis Research Laboratory (CaRLa) at the University of Heidelberg were able for the first time to successfully close the catalyst cycle for this reaction. In the meantime, BASF experts have made important progress in scaling up this process to industrial scale and have demonstrated that it can be successfully implemented at laboratory scale in a mini plant.

Compared to the current propylene-based production method for super-absorbents, in the new process CO₂ would replace around 30% of the fossil fuels, provided that a larger-scale process also proves to be stable and energetically favorable.

BASF’s Groundbreaking Innovative Leaps

The four projects presented are representative of the unique portfolio of topics addressed by BASF’s research activities, which also include work on groundbreaking innovative leaps. BASF aims to maintain its research and development expenditures at the high level of previous years.

These expenditures amounted to €1,888 million in 2017, and the figure for 2018 will be published at the Annual Press Conference at the end of February. BASF’s research pipeline includes around 3,000 projects, which are being worked on by more than 11,000 employees in research and development worldwide. An important component of the Know-How Verbund is the network of R&D collaborations with excellent universities, research institutes and companies.

Source: BASF