Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:Reuse of Wind Blade:

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:

Reuse of Wind Blade:

We're facing a big problem when it comes to the recycling of wind turbines.

They generally have a service life of around 20 years, and they're unfortunately made of materials that aren't easy to recycle.

85% of the components in a wind turbine, such as the steel mast and electrical parts composed of metals like copper, can be recycled.

The problem however is that the turbine blades cannot be recycled, and they make up 10% of Europe's waste stream of fibre-reinforced composite materials.

By 2050, The University of Strathclyde estimates that globally there will be 2 million tonnes of wind turbine waste needing safe disposal.

Now for the good news!

Several innovative solutions have emerged, from using them as a bike shelter (pictured below), to using them to build bridges. The materials that make them hard to recycle also make them durable and strong, allowing them to be reused in a number of ways.

In 2021, Siemens Gamesa launched the world’s first recyclable wind turbine blade for commercial use, meaning that at the end of its lifespan the blade can be disassembled and recycled into new applications.

There are some progress taking place in the recycling of thermoset plastics in research projects in recent years.Advanced Pyrolysis recycling process will emerge as a solution to this problem in the coming years.

Source:Martijn Lopes Cardozo/Siemens Gamesa

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#composites #windblade #recycling #reuse #waste #sustainability

#windindustry #windturbines

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share: KENAF

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:

KENAF:

Kenaf, or Hibiscus Cannabinus, belongs to the Malvacean family and producers are based around the globe, although India and China are the major producers. Often compared with jute and hemp, kenaf applications could be classified as it follows:

• traditional uses, low value: rope, twine, clothing, animal bedding and feed

• Innovative Applications, medium value: Paper, engineered wood, environmental mat, oil and liquid absorbent material

• Kenaf Oil: edible oil, can also be used in cosmetics, lubricants and production of biofuel

• Composite materials, high value: kenaf fibres can be used as filler or reinforcement, with either epoxy or thermoplastics

Apart from these applications kenaf also shares its condition as a hardy plant with jute or hemp.

Kenaf puts more carbon into the soil than trees. It will also produce more wood fibers per acre than trees by a factor of 4-5 times more than fast growing trees over a 15-20 year period. Farmers utilizing their fields for growing kenaf can have an impact on the harvesting of trees. Kenaf is a cost saving resource and a pollution reduction in the process of making paper products. The reduction of bleach in the process of whitening the fibers and this reduction means less bleach going into our natural waterways.

Kenaf fibers may be modified either physically or chemically and used for either thermoset or thermoplastic polymer systems. Fields of use for kenaf fiber-reinforced composites include construction, automotive, corrosion resistance, electrical, marine, and transportation.

Kenaf has an ability to absorb huge quantities of CO2, the global warming gas, comparatively 3 times more than a tree. It can convert more CO2 than a tropical rain forest during its growth. Further, it can also improve the soil structure while fixing soil nutrients. It is biodegradable, as no chemicals or pesticides are used during its cultivation.

Fibers spun from kenaf are extremely long, making it a good choice for weaving fabrics. The plant’s stalk contains less than 30% lignin, making its fiber extraction easier when compared with other natural fibers. Kenaf fibres find useful applications in making knit and woven textiles. These fibres blend very well with cotton and find commercial and healthy applications in making outerwear owing to its natural absorbency, and fire-retardant abilities.

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#kenaf #naturalfibers #environmentallyfriendly #environmentalsustainability #sustainability #co2capture #carbonneutral #automotive #oil #textileindustry #farming

Covestro Introduces PC Resin with 90% Recycled Content

Covestro offers a polycarbonate with 90 percent recycled content of plastic from post-consumer waste (PCR) that can be used in consumer electronics, among other applications.

Exceptional Whiteness and Highly Saturated Colors

The carbon footprint of the new Makrolon® PCR polycarbonate resin is 70 percent lower than that of a comparable fossil-based virgin plastic and is part of the CQ portfolio of circular solutions at Covestro. The company plans to initially offer this grade in the Asia-Pacific region.

"We are very proud of this breakthrough solution as it will enable our customers to achieve their sustainability goals faster. This is especially true for industries such as consumer electronics and audio and networking equipment manufacturers, which have ambitious sustainability goals of their own," said Lily Wang, global head of the Engineering Plastics segment at Covestro. "This is another step toward our vision of becoming fully circular, and an important contribution to accelerating the transformation of industries toward a recyclable and carbon-neutral future."

This type of plastic can achieve exceptional whiteness and highly saturated colors, which is typically a challenge for PCR plastics with high recycled content. This is made possible by selecting high-quality recyclates and optimizing the material composition during the compounding process. The PCR grade is manufactured with halogen-free flame retardants that meet performance requirements without increasing environmental impact. It also meets the highest V-0 rating of Underwriters Laboratories' UL 94 flammability standards.

PC Blend for Jabra's Headset Series

Covestro's Bayblend® FR3010 R75 polycarbonate blend is used, for example, in the ear cups of Danish brand Jabra's latest Evolve2 headset series for audio equipment and video conferencing systems. This type is made of 75 percent recycled material and has a 50 percent lower carbon footprint compared to its conventional fossil-based counterpart, but still meets performance requirements well.

To meet rising demand, Covestro is currently building a dedicated compounding plant for PCR polycarbonates at its integrated site in Shanghai. Once commissioned, which is scheduled for later this year, it will be able to supply more than 25,000 metric tons of high-quality PCR polycarbonates annually.

Raw Materials Using a Mass Balance Approach

In addition to PCR grades produced through mechanical recycling, Covestro is also making progress with polycarbonates attributed with raw materials produced using a mass balance approach derived from bio waste and residual materials and certified to the internationally recognized ISCC PLUS standard.

Source: Covestro/Omnexus.specialchem.com

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# #sustainability #polycarbonate #plastics #recycledplastic #carbonneutral #flameretardant

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:Molecular weight

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:

Molecular weight:

It is fairly common knowledge that a loss of molecular weight, as possibly induced by degradation, will produce parts with lower mechanical performances.

Some people however believe that a simple test like a stiffness/modulus check can confirm the absence of degradation. Wrong !

If you take, say, PP, a loss of molecular weight will actually speed-up crystallization kinetics typically resulting in slightly stiffer parts.

However, should you focus on strength, impact, creep performance, fatigue, crack growth, fracture toughness or similar long term properties, you would see a clear loss of performance.

Also, remember that chain scission in Injection Molding typically does not produce any smoke, discoloration or other easily spotted defects. This is why one should cautiously check molecular weight, one way or another, when chain scission is suspected.

Failing to do so creates a huge risk of part failure in the field with serious financial consequences and liabilities.

Source:VITO

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#plastics #polymers #injectionmolding #molecularweight #discoloration #failure #creep #polypropylene

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share: Corrosion is a 3.4% Problem

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:

Corrosion is a 3.4% Problem
Corrosion is the inevitable degradation of metals in various environments. It is an enormous economic and technical problem that has constantly plagued various industrial sectors worldwide. A study by NACE in 2000 (now AMPP) International, estimated the direct costs of corrosion in every U.S.-based industry to total 3.1% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The values could be much higher by today's industrial output! https://lnkd.in/ez_vtX5R

A large cost (1.4% of the U.S. GDP) is attributed to various corrosion mitigation techniques; 88.3% is allotted for organic corrosion protective coatings. The global cost of corrosion was estimated to be 3.4% of the global GDP. It was also estimated that up to 15-35% of this number can be reduced if the existing and new corrosion mitigation methods can be better implemented.

Can we do better? How about using more polymers?
Hopefully, many scientists and engineers from industry and academia are at it.
We have been working in this field for quite some time now. You may find some of our papers below useful on the use of polymers, additives, inhibitors, and coatings.

Polymer corrosion Inhibitors for oil and gas:
https://lnkd.in/duei5jxw

Anti-Corrosion Polymers and High-Performance Coatings and Additives
https://lnkd.in/duei5jxw
https://lnkd.in/ewFWJGrD
https://lnkd.in/e2KzbjDT
https://lnkd.in/e87NeFFD
https://lnkd.in/exPw4CP5

Graphene-Based anti-corrosion materials
https://lnkd.in/eZesCKQK
https://lnkd.in/eW9znTGD

Geothermal
https://lnkd.in/eriW34n7

Polymers and non-metallics
https://lnkd.in/ev4URJGs

Improved Corrosion Protection Due to Organic Corrosion Inhibitors in Waterborne Paint Coatings
https://lnkd.in/eU_6ekR6

Source:Rigoberto Advincula
Visit MY BLOG https://lnkd.in/fcSeK9e

#oilandgasindustry #corrosion #corrosionprotection #corrosionprevention #coatings #polymers #coatingsindustry

Plastics Additives Market

 I have completed an assignment on additives market for a well-reputed market research company and shared my insights on various additives that have been used in Plastics market in the global market mainly in China,India,Taiwan,Japan,,South Korea,Middle east ,EU and North American markets and also shared inputs on existing trends and comparison over other competitors in the global market.

I have covered an overview of the landscape of the additives market, key players of dominance in the Asia Pacific market and their market share in the various geographical regions.

Visit MY BLOG http://polymerguru.blogspot.com

#plastics #additives #marketresearch #asiapacific #northamerica #marketshare #demandforecasting #trends #pricing