New Two-step Process Turns Toxic FRs to Carbon Dioxide and Water

A team of environmental scientists from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and China has for the first time used a dynamic, two-step process to completely degrade a common flame-retardant chemical, rendering the persistent global pollutant nontoxic.

New Process to Breakdown Common FR TBBPA

This new process breaks down tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) to harmless carbon dioxide and water. The discovery highlights the potential of using a special material, sulfidated nanoscale zerovalent iron (S-nZVI), in water treatment systems and in the natural environment to break down not only TBBPA but other organic refractory compounds that are difficult to degrade, says Jun Wu, a visiting Ph.D. student at UMass Amherst’s Stockbridge College of Agriculture and lead author of the paper published in Environmental Science & Technology.

Oxic and Anoxic Process

“This is the first research about this dynamic, oxic/anoxic process,” Wu says. “Usually, reduction or oxidation alone is used to remove TBBPA, facilitated by S-nZVI. We combined reduction and oxidation together to degrade it completely.” Wu emphasizes that “the technique is technically simple and environmentally friendly. That is a key point to its application.”

Feasible Process to Degrade Refractory Brominated FRs

“This research can lead to a decrease in the potential risk of TBBPA to the environment and human health,” says Wu, who began the research at the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei. At UMass Amherst, Wu works in the pioneering lab of Baoshan Xing, professor of environmental and soil chemistry, corresponding author of the new study and one of the world’s most highly cited researchers.

“Our research shows a feasible and environmentally friendly process to completely degrade refractory brominated flame retardants in a combined oxic and anoxic system,” Xing says. “This is important for getting rid of these harmful compounds from the environment, thus reducing the exposure and risk.”

More Research Needed to Best Apply the Process

Among the most common flame retardants that hinder combustion and slow the spread of fire, TBBPA is added to manufactured materials, including computer circuit boards and other electrical devices, papers, textiles and plastics.

Associated with a variety of health concerns, including cancer and hormone disruption, TBBPA has been widely detected in the environment, as well as in animals and human milk and plasma.

Although Wu and Xing’s research breaks new ground in the efforts to develop safe and effective processes to remediate groundwater and soil contaminated with TBBPA, they say more research is needed to learn how to best apply the process.

Source: University of Massachusetts Amherst

Another Milestone in my Consulting service

Another Milestone in my service:

Have started discussions with various State Governments (more than 10 states so far) for adding FRP and Polymeric products in the Government projects (Construction,Electrical,Automotive,Agriculture,Medical,Railways etc).It's been a good start and have started meeting both officials and ministries this month.The talks were encouraging me to offer business consulting service to the players in Indian market.

Interested product manufacturers can approach me with your private message on Linkedin/rosaram211@gmail.com to move proceed and expand your business activities in Indian market.

A New Eco-friendly Way to Produce Cashew Nut Shells-derived UV Absorbers

A team of international scientists has found an environmentally friendly way of producing aromatic compounds that show good UVA and UVB absorbance by using cashew nut shells, a waste material. 

Eco-friendly Way of Producing Aromatic Compounds

The team of “green chemists” from the University of the Witwatersrand, along with colleagues from Universities in Germany, Malawi and Tanzania, are working on techniques to produce useful compounds from wood and other fast growing non-edible plant waste, through a chemical process named xylochemistry (wood chemistry). 

By using cashew nut shells, the team has produced new aromatic compounds that show good UVA and UVB absorbance, which may be applied to protect humans, livestock, as well as polymers or coatings from harmful rays from the sun. The research has just been published as the cover article of the European Journal of Organic Chemistry.

Conventional UV Filters

To mitigate UV damage, both organic and inorganic compounds are used as UV filters. Ideal organic UV filters display a high UV absorption of UVA rays (in the region ranging from 315–400 nm) and UVB rays (280–315 nm). One important family of UV absorber molecules are derived from aromatic compounds known as phenols, which contain a hydrogen-bonded hydroxyl group that plays an important role in the dissipation of the absorbed energy.

For example, an organic compound known as oxybenzone is a common ingredient that has also been added to plastics to limit UV degradation. Apart from their petrochemical origin, a major drawback of current UV protection agents is their negative effect on aquatic ecosystems associated with a poor biodegradability. 

As a result, there is growing attention from regulatory bodies and stricter regulations are being enforced on the production of sun filtering products. 

Producing New UV Absorbers from CNSL

“With the current concerns over the use of fossil resources for chemical synthesis of functional molecules and the effect of current UV absorbers in sunscreens on the ecosystem, we aimed to find a way to produce new UV absorbers from cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) as a non-edible, bio renewable carbon resource,” says Professor Charles de Koning, of the Wits School of Chemistry and principal author of the paper, together with Till Opatz from Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany. 

“Cashew nut shells are a waste product in the cashew-farming community, especially in Tanzania, so finding a useful, sustainable way to use these waste products can lead to completely new, environmentally friendly ways of doing things.”

The team has already filed a patent application in order to commercialize the process in South Africa. 

Source: University of Witwatersrand

Braskem to Launch Sugarcane-based Hydrocarbon Solvent

Committed to developing sustainable and innovative solutions, Braskem has announced its first solvent made from renewable resources. The product will reinforce the company's already robust portfolio of specialty chemicals and has applications in segments such as inks, thinners and adhesives. 

New Solvent with Lower Toxicity and Greater Solvency Power

Made from sugarcane, HE-70S is the result of an investment of R$1 million and Braskem's constant search for sustainable solutions. The new biobased oxygenated solvent features lower toxicity and greater solvency power compared to traditional hydrocarbon solvents. The solution already has been adopted in clients' production process and others are in the test phase to customize the product to the specific needs of each application.

In Brazil, the hydrocarbon and oxygenated solvent segments has annual production of approximately 700,000 tons. As one of the country's industry leaders, Braskem seeks to offer alternatives to ensure the industry's sustainable growth. In line with the company's strategic vision to foster Green Chemicals, bioproducts can be used as a tool for capturing carbon from the air, which helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

Innovating and Standing Apart in Industry

"We focus on offering clients the possibility of innovating and standing apart in their industry. We work to maintain close relationships to understand better our clients' challenges and to meet their needs as effectively as possible, including by customizing solutions to leverage their performance in the market," explained Cláudia Madrid, sales manager at Braskem's Solvents Business. 

HE-70S solvent is the first product developed by the Solvents Laboratory, which was inaugurated by Braskem in 2018 at the Petrochemical Complex in the ABC region of Greater São Paulo. "Since the lab's inauguration, we have made progress in the research that already was being conducted internally, and we arrived at this new product that will serve an important part of the value chain," added Cláudia. 

Source: Braskem

Beijing wants hydrogen energy projects sped up to be ready for two major events

The Yanqing District in Beijing is accelerating the construction of two hydrogen projects.

Beijing’s Yanqing District, which is a subdivision of Beijing located about 75 kilometers north-west of China’s capital city, has multiple hydrogen energy projects underway, including two hydrogenation stations and a support hydrogen plant. According to Xinhua, the official state-run press agency of China, the Yanqing District is speeding up the construction of these projects in time for the Alpine Skiing World Cup in 2020 and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games.

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will reportedly be used for transportation during the events.

The hydrogen energy projects will produce a public transport line, which will be opened in Yanqing District. The plan is that for the Alpine Skiing World Cup in 2020 and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games, athletes, spectators and workers will be transported between venues with green, carbon-free, environmentally-friendly hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

Hydrogen power for transportation and for other applications is gaining in significance around the globe, especially in countries hosting multi-national events that draw mass worldwide attention.

For instance, the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games will not be the first to have a hydrogen energy component. The upcoming Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games will be very hydrogen-focused. Beyond integrating hydrogen power into the Athletes’ Olympic Village, Hydrogen Fuel News reported that hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will be the official vehicles of the 2020 Olympic Games.

China is well-known for its pollution and poor air quality, especially in its major cities, such as Beijing. Industrializing alternative energies, such as hydrogen, could go a long way in helping the country combat its greenhouse gas emissions.

At the end of 2017, Beijing reportedly issued a document that noted the city would promote the application of hydrogen production and hydrogenation core technology in the relevant areas of the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Earlier this year, Yanqing District and China Power International Development Limited collaborated to plan the construction of Yanqing Hydrogen Industry Park. They carried out equipment research and development, production, and technology application around the green hydrogen industry in an effort to accelerate the industrialization of hydrogen power.

That said, it has not yet been revealed what hydrogen production method will be used in the Yanqing District hydrogen energy projects.

Source:Xinhua

SICOMIN LAUNCHES SR GREENPOXY 28 - THE NEW BIO BASED EPOXY RESIN FOR HP-RTM PROCESSING

As the Automotive industry focuses on more sustainable manufacturing, Sicomin, the leading supplier of eco-resins, has announced a replacement for petroleum based materials with the launch of its new bio-based epoxy resin aimed specifically for HP-RTM processing techniques.

SR GreenPoxy 28 is the sixth product to be added to Sicomin’s renowned GreenPoxy range and is available with immediate effect in the industrial quantities typically required by Automotive OEM’s.

Certified by Veritas, SR GreenPoxy 28 is a fast cycle, low toxicity, third generation bio based formulation aimed specifically at the HP-RTM moulding processes used for both high performance structural parts and aesthetic carbon fibre components. The new formulation has been optimized for fast production cycle times and superior mechanical performance.

SR GreenPoxy 28 can be fully cured using a 2-minute cure cycle at 140 Deg C, producing an onset Tg of 147 Deg C, as well as exceptional mechanical properties under both dry and hot/wet test conditions.

Comments Philippe Marcovich, President, Sicomin; “More and more manufacturers and suppliers are betting on bio-based alternatives derived from renewable raw materials. The latest addition to our GreenPoxy range, SR GreenPoxy 28, is an exciting alternative to traditional resins providing exceptional performance and quality for high volume programmes.”

Source:SICOMIN

A New Way to Turn Chicken Feathers into High-performing Fire Retardant

Researchers at the University of Auckland have developed a way to turn chicken feathers into a high-performing fire retardant. 

New Safer Alternative to FRs

Chicken is a popular source of protein in most parts of the world and millions of chickens are produced each year for us to eat – in New Zealand it’s estimated we each eat, on average, about 40 chickens a year.

Billions of chicken feathers are produced by the poultry industry, most of which end up in the incinerator or landfill. Chicken feathers are, in short, an international waste problem.

However, Distinguished Professor Debes Bhattacharyya of the Faculty of Engineering has found a way to use chicken feathers as a base for a fire-retardant, one that is safer than many fire-retardants, cheaper to produce, and solves an international waste problem at the same time.

“People pay to get rid of chicken feathers,” he says.

Keratinous Fibers from Chicken Feathers

Chicken feathers are made of keratinous fibers which are found in the hair, wool, horns and hooves of mammals. They are also naturally occurring flame inhibitors. Fire retardants are added to industrial and consumer products such as furniture, textiles, electronics, even Christmas trees, as well as building products such as insulation. Traditionally halogen compounds were added to create flame retardant material, but while they were effective, they were highly toxic. 

“They might have saved you from death by burning, but have exposed to many more effects that are detrimental to health. Furthermore, as a result of the environmental long life and bioaccumulation, traces of the compounds have been detected in everything from household dust to breast milk, causing hormone-disrupting effects", says Dr Bhattacharayya. 

As a result there has been a global shift away from halogenic retardants and toward other types of retardants among which ammonium polyphosphate (APP) is the most prominent. However, as they are expensive to produce there is an increasing demand for alternatives.

Dr Bhattacharayya and his team have previously shown that chemically modified wool fibers also made of keratin can also be used as an effective retardant. This could potentially provide a revenue stream for low-grade wool in an era when the price of and demand for wool have declined.

Alternative Source of Keratinous Fibers

They more recently turned to chicken feathers as an alternative source of keratinous fibers, which are even cheaper and in many countries, more of a waste problem.

The team has developed a rapid and simple way to chemically modify the keratinous fibers of both wool and chicken feathers, and convert them into a flame retardant powder that can be added to polymeric materials.

The powder enhances the fire retardancy of the polymer by accelerating char formation, the solid material produced in the initial stages of combustion, and which inhibits combustion.

“Moreover, standard fire retardants need to be added in high concentrations which can reduce strength as a result, but what we’re showing is that we can optimize the process so that this fire retardant removes this disadvantage of inferior mechanical performance compared to current fire retardants,” says Dr Bhattacharyya.

“We also assessed this from a commercial perspective and have been able to show that the cost around this compound is around a third lower than the existing standard compounds used as a fire retardant. So it’s a perfect fire retardant material, passes most of the fire retardant standards, and can be used with polymeric materials.”

He acknowledges that the method has so far been proven in the lab and getting it to market will require getting companies on board to develop ways to produce the keratinous fiber-based product at a large scale, and to ensure that it is compatible with existing manufacturing processes.

“However, initial results are very promising and has attracted the interests of several multi-national companies."

“Our invention, whose intellectual property rights are protected, has been tested to show that it could be a direct replacement for APP, the predominant existing product.”

Source: University of Auckland