Evonik Develops Osteoconductive PEEK Polymer for Improved Bone Fusion

 Evonik has developed a new osteoconductive polyether ether ketone (PEEK), VESTAKEEP® iC4800, for the medical technology market that improves the fusion between the bone and the implant.

With the introduction of the new biomaterial, Evonik is launching a new product line of next-generation, PEEK-based implant materials that it will market under the brand name VESTAKEEP® Fusion. Evonik will unveil the product at the virtual Eurospine conference October 6–9.

Easy Osteointegration for Accelerated Bone Fusion

The osteoconductive properties of the new PEEK material were achieved by using a special functional additive - biphasic calcium phosphate - and allow bone cells to adhere to implants more quickly, thus positively influencing fusion, so called osteointegration, at the boundary between the bone and the implant. This, in turn, will accelerate bone fusion and convalescence.

As the first biomaterial in Evonik’s new Fusion product line, VESTAKEEP® iC4800 will impress customers with its outstanding mechanical properties, which are similar to those of human bone. Similar to all other PEEK-based, high-performance polymers for medical technology applications, the newly developed biomaterial does not produce any artifacts in imaging processes such as X-ray or MRI. However, the additives provide a natural desired shadow for accurate placement and observation of the fusion process.

The new product line and its osteoconductive properties expand Evonik’s existing portfolio of biomaterials for implants in long-term contact with the body, offering a metal-free alternative to titanium implants.

Customer-specific Materials with Bioactive Properties

“Introduction of the new VESTAKEEP® Fusion product line represents an important step in the strategic development of our portfolio. This work draws upon our decades of expertise in polymer chemistry and on Evonik’s global innovation and production network. That foundation means we can offer patients a one-of-a-kind product and significantly improve their quality of life,” says Marc Knebel, head of the medical systems market segment at Evonik.

In addition to VESTAKEEP® iC4800, Evonik will offer to its customers within the new PEEK Fusion product line the development of further exclusive, customer-specific materials with bioactive properties as so-called VESTAKEEP® Fusion Select products. They are developed from a library of established osteoconductive substances with close involvement with each customer.

Excellent Processing Characteristics

Consciously developed for processing using a variety of production technologies, VESTAKEEP® Fusion will come both as a granulate and as a semi-finished stock-shape product. Like all previous PEEK products, it can be milled, compression molded, and extruded as usual.

Evonik’s new osteoconductive PEEK biomaterial can also be injection molded in the proven manner. It has been specially designed so that the functional additives are available on the surface and no film formation occurs. In collaboration with Samaplast, a Swiss company specializing in plastics engineering, Evonik has successfully demonstrated and documented the processing characteristics of VESTAKEEP® Fusion in injection molding.

Developing a 3D Printable Filament

Evonik’s polymer experts are also studying the possibility of developing a 3D printable filament with VESTAKEEP® Fusion for next-generation PEEK that could be processed using the fused filament fabrication (FFF) additive production technology.

Source: Evonik

Sukano's Masterbatches Show Antiviral Efficacy Against Feline Coronavirus

 Sukano has developed Antiviral Masterbatches for PET and PA fibers that have a strong antiviral effect on the plastic parts, while also potentially helping to reduce waste and improve the sustainability credentials of the final articles produced.

Antiviral Effect Maintained Even After Washing

Sukano’s Antiviral Masterbatches work by directly integrating an antiviral additive into the polymer, using proprietary technologies. The power of this technology is that the antiviral effect not only remains stable during the usage of the product, but that it is maintained after washing. This is because the additive is consistently present on the surface of the product, without being released into the environment.

Sukano conducted tests at an external laboratory specialized in microbiological testing and in accordance with ISO 18184:2019 (fabrics) and ISO 21702:2019 (plastics inject molded parts and films) to independently confirm the effectiveness of its antiviral effect on the plastic parts. The result showed that over 98 % of the Feline Coronavirus was eliminated within the first two hours. The tests were performed using the Influenza H1N1 virus and a Feline Coronavirus, which has structures and mechanisms similar to SARS-Cov-2.

SUKANO® Antiviral Masterbatches offer the highest performance and durability: the antiviral efficacy of the fibers remains after multiple washing cycles at 40° C. All this is possible without impacting the fibers’ physical properties or yellowing.

Application in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Reusable non-medical masks are typically made from fibers without antiviral properties. Manufacturing textile masks using fabrics that include SUKANO® Antiviral Masterbatch could help reduce viral contamination via surfaces, even if the mask is not washed after each usage.

The SUKANO® Antiviral Masterbatch is already included when spinning the fiber, which eliminates additional finishing steps like external coating. This helps the environment by reducing waste and energy, saving natural resources.

“Our SUKANO® Antiviral Masterbatch is already in use by our existing customers who have successfully and effectively produced face masks during the pandemic outbreak. We now have additional, external lab results to back up our claims regarding its antiviral effect,” said Alessandra Funcia, head of marketing and sales, Sukano.

Extending Viral Protection Beyond PPE

SUKANO® Antiviral Masterbatches for PET and PA applications have externally proven their efficacy against viruses at different dosage levels, polymers and conversion processes, all of which can impact potential antiviral protection performance.

“Beyond the textile and fiber applications, our external lab results confirm the efficacy of our technology used in our PET and PA based masterbatches when applied in film extrusion processes and injection molded parts,” states Michael Kirch, global head of R&D for Sukano.

Source: Sukano

New Project to Sustainably Recycle Polystyrene Waste into New Products

 VTT and its partners will explore in their two-year MoPo project how recycling of polystyrene could be substantially increased by reshaping its collection and handling. The goal is to convert waste into pure polystyrene or styrene monomers used in other plastics and chemicals.

Technically and Economically Feasible Solution

In the new MoPo project the target is to offer a technically and economically feasible solution to the recycling of polystyrene waste in Europe. VTT will explore the state of polystyrene production, consumption and recycling in Finland and in selected European countries. A logistics model for collecting polystyrene waste and methods for its mechanical and chemical recycling will be developed.

Polystyrene is typically used in its hard form and as a foam known as Expandable Polystyrene (EPS) when insulating or damping properties are needed. Both types can be mechanically recycled, which means they can be molded into new polystyrene products by melting the material. The amount of collected polystyrene waste is, however, quite small in Finland, so it usually ends up incinerated. The collection of EPS is especially challenging, as EPS takes up a lot of space for its weight and crumbles and stains easily.

New Thermochemical Recycling Methods

As not all polystyrene waste is suited for mechanical recycling, thermochemical recycling methods will be developed in the MoPo project as well. In thermochemical recycling polystyrene is pyrolyzed, i.e., heated in the absence of oxygen, and thus disintegrated into shorter polymer chains and even to styrene monomers. The resulting pyrolysis oil, upon purification, can replace oil fractions when producing for example aromatics, latex, polystyrene and carbon black. A method will also be developed to allow safe utilization of polystyrene waste containing flame retardants and other hazardous components.
Budget and Partners

The MoPo project led by VTT has a total budget of EUR 964 000, which will be covered by Business Finland, VTT and research and business partners: Aalto University, L&T, HSY, Finnfoam, PS Processing, CH-Polymers, Pohjanmaan Hyötyjätekuljetus and Suomen Uusiomuovi.

“Together with our partners we can develop the whole value chain involved in polystyrene recycling. We expect that the project will substantially increase recycling opportunities and create new businesses. Our goal is to lead the way in polystyrene recycling Europe wide,”Muhammad Qureshi, senior scientist says.

During the project, participants will demonstrate various processes such as separate collection of polystyrene waste, handling of polystyrene waste with a new kind of extruder developed at VTT, and mechanical and chemical recycling of polystyrene waste.

Source: VTT

New Nanocomposite Material to Prevent Malfunctioning of Electronics

 Scientists from South Ural State University in collaboration with colleagues from Belarus, India and China have created a composite material for nanoelectronics. The material can be used as a dielectric (insulating substance) in polymer capacitors. These devices store energy and may be used in the electronics of the future: They last longer, weigh less, have high strength and charge speed.

Unique Material for Nanoelectronics

The material created by scientists can improve the capacitors properties. Senior Researcher at the Nanotechnology Research and Education Center Aleksey Trukhanov says, “the composite was created on the basis of encapsulated nanostructures consisting of dielectric nanosized magnesium oxide (MgO) with a ferroelectric nanosized shell of barium titanate (BaTiO3). The addition of just three weight percent of these components in the polymer matrix increases the discharge current density by 187% thus demonstrating outstanding energy storage performance.”

Such research is relevant, since the rapid development of micro- and nanoelectronics requires new approaches and the development of new materials to reduce the size of functional components. A fundamentally significant result of this research is the development of new composite materials with improved dielectric characteristics, combining several technologies: core-shell - the technology of creating nanoparticles of dielectric MgO with a nanoscale shell from the ferroelectric BaTiO3, as well as the technology of dispersing these nanostructures in a polymer matrix.

Future of Functional Composites

During the "breakdown" of the dielectric, there will be no electric voltage and no charge injection from the electrodes. The new material will prevent malfunctioning of electronic systems. This was achieved by developing a new core-shell nanostructure and coating the shell with highly insulating magnesium oxide. The new nanoparticles significantly increase the strength of polymer nanocomposites, making them ideal materials for dielectrics.

“The results of our joint work will be used for controlling the electrical characteristics of functional polymeric materials of this class. At the moment, there are plans to continue research of functional composites with controlled properties. Currently, active research work is being carried out in the field of composite materials with magnetic fillers”, Aleksey Trukhanov adds.

The material developed by SUSU scientists can be used in capacitors for "green" energy, electric transport and medical equipment.

Source: South Ural State University

Study Unveils Wood-based Degradable Material for Lightweight 3D Pri

 A viscous biopaste that is easy to process, solidifies quickly and is suitable for producing even complex structures using the 3D printing process has been developed by a research team headed by Prof. Dr. Marie-Pierre Laborie from the Chair of Forest Biomaterials at the University of Freiburg. The wood-based biodegradable synthetic could potentially be used in lightweight construction, amongst other things.

Alternative Way to Use Lignin

Lignin strengthens the cell walls of plants and causes them to turn woody (lignify) – a mechanism that helps plants to protect themselves against wind or pests. It is a waste product from paper manufacture and largely incinerated to produce bioenergy.

“This is why we’re researching into alternative possibilities for making better use of this raw material in future,” says Laborie. As a result, the team started to reexamine a combination of materials which was already investigated in the 1980s by an American research team. In this system, liquid crystals based on cellulose, the main component of plant cell walls, ensure not only the strength but also the good flow properties of the biopaste.

The other component, lignin, can ‘stick together’ the microstructure in the process of creating the biosynthetic. Its orientation subsequently determines the characteristics of the biosynthetic: for instance, it can respond more rigidly or more flexibly, depending on the direction from which the force comes.

Trials to Test Waste as Raw Material

Further research work will be necessary until industrial application is possible, for example as a composite in lightweight construction. Until now the team has used exceptionally pure lignin which is produced in a pilot biorefinery at the Fraunhofer Center for Chemical-Biotechnological Processes (CBP) in Leuna – whether the waste product from the paper industry can also be directly processed still has to be researched.

The characteristics of the biosynthetic can also be varied in many ways, for instance by chemically processing or varying the components: Trials to date have used lignin from beech trees – if it is obtained from other plants it will have slightly different material characteristics such as different liquid crystals, even though they are all based on cellulose. The optimal quantity ratios also differ depending on the planned application. In addition, the researchers will soon be testing an entirely different possible use: the quality of soil can be analyzed with the help of the bio-based material. This takes place by studying the degradability of lignin and cellulose in various types of soil.

Source: University of Freiburg

Boom Supersonic, Rolls-Royce collaborate on Overture aircraft engine

 Boom Supersonic (Denver, Colo., U.S.) an aerospace company building the world's fastest civil aircraft, and leading industrial technology company, Rolls-Royce (London, U.K.), announced on July 30 an engagement agreement to explore the pairing of a Rolls-Royce propulsion system with Boom's composite-intensive flagship supersonic passenger aircraft, Overture. Boom’s XB-1, the world’s first independently-developed supersonic jet, makes extensive use of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) composites, as detailed in its blogs, “The big 3 components of supersonic aircraft” and “Going the distance: Materials made for supersonic”.

Boom says the goal of the new agreement is to work together to identify the propulsion system that would complement Boom's Overture airframe and will involve teams from both companies collaborating in engine-airframe matching activities for the aircraft. The teams will also examine certain key aspects of the propulsion system including an investigation for whether an existing engine architecture can be adapted for supersonic flight, while Boom's internal team continues to develop the airframe configuration.

"We've had a series of valuable collaborations and co-locations with Rolls-Royce over the past years to lay the groundwork for this next phase of development," says Blake Scholl, Boom founder and CEO. "We look forward to building on the progress and rapport that we've already built with our collaboration as we work to refine Overture's design and bring sustainable supersonic transport to passenger travel."

Boom notes that the priorities of this engagement are informed by Boom and Rolls-Royce's shared commitment to sustainability. Both companies recognize that supersonic passenger travel has to be compatible with a net-zero carbon future, and the two teams will work together to address sustainability in Overture design and operations. Boom admits that overcoming the technological challenges of supersonic flight provides a unique opportunity to accelerate innovation sustainably.

"We share a strong interest in supersonic flight and in sustainability strategies for aviation with Boom," says Simon Carlisle, director of Strategy at Rolls-Royce. "We're now building on our valuable experience in this space as well as our previous work together to further match and refine our engine technology for Boom's Overture."

As a result of this collaboration, Boom and Rolls-Rouce expect to make significant progress toward finalizing Overture’s aircraft configuration and propulsion system. 

Source:BOOM SUPERSONIC

Hexagon granted funding by the US department of energy

Hexagon has been granted USD 2.6 million (approx. NOK 24 million) in initial funding by the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) to research how carbon fiber and composite structure can be optimized to reduce hydrogen and natural gas storage tank costs.

Hexagon’s research project was chosen following a competitive selection process and the DOE has announced funding opportunities for a total of 18 projects that support H2@Scale’s vision for affordable hydrogen production, storage, distribution, and use.

H2@Scale is a DOE initiative that supports innovations to produce, store and utilize hydrogen across multiple sectors. 

Rick Rashilla, SVP Research & Development in Hexagon, says

We are excited to be selected for funding by the DOE. The funding will enable our team to deep dive into the details of how we can reduce tank costs without compromising on safety. This is an important step towards a large-scale acceptance of zero and low emissions vehicles. We look forward to working with our teammates at the National Labs and in the industry to accomplish a step change in cost reduction, and we are pleased that our competence, experience and potential have been recognized by the DOE.

Projects that receive the funding will fuel the next round of research, development, and demonstration activities under H2@Scale’s multi-year initiative to fully realize hydrogen’s benefits across the U.S economy.

Funding negotiations and work scope definition with the DOE is expected to be completed by Q3 2020.