Toray Develops PPS-GFRP Recycling Technology that Produces High-quality Recyclates

Toray Industries, Inc., announced that it has developed a technology that makes it possible to recycle glass fiber-reinforced #polyphenylenesulfide (PPS-GFRP) whose performance matches initial performance of virgin resins. By Increasing recycling ratio of PPS-GFRP, it will contribute to reducing CO2 emission.

Proprietary Technology Blends PPS Resin with Special Reinforcing Fibers:

Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS) resin is an engineering plastic with excellent heat resistance and chemical resistance. More than 90% of PPS resin is glass fiber reinforced and applied for various types of industrial applications. Also, PPS resin has excellent insulation resistance. It is applied for electronic parts such as semiconductors and EV parts. Demand of PPS resin is expected to increase along with these applications and the need of PPS recycling resins.

The conventional process for recycling PPS-GFRP shortens glass fibers and break them. This significantly decreases mechanical strength. To meet the performance requirements of resin molded products, manufacturers generally apply them in applications with lower quality requirements. This makes it difficult to increase the recycling ratio of #PPS resin.

Toray developed pellets for recycling materials by leveraging proprietary compounding technology to blend PPS resin with special #reinforcingfibers. Blending these pellets with recycled material makes it possible to maintain comparable performance with virgin material and can be applied to same application, such as horizontal recycling and expected to be used for various applications.

This technology can deliver comparable mechanical strength with #injectiongrade moldings wholly made with virgin material. This is even when recycled material accounts for 50% or more of the PPS-GFRP. Another benefit of 50% recycled content is that it reduces #CO2emission by at least 40%.

Collaborating to Embark on #ClosedRecycling Initiatives with its Technology:

The company is working on technologies to broaden variations by designing different resins and additives in pellets for recycling materials. It looks to supply recycled #PPSGFRP pellets after engineering optimal pellet blend ratios and formulations that meet customer demand requirements and by drawing on Materials Informatics-based prediction technologies.

#Collaborating with several #molding companies and other business partners, #Toray has already embarked on closed #recycling initiatives with its technology. One move has been to supply customers with recycled PPS-GFRP pellets blended with those for materials recycling based on process remnants from customer plants.

Source: Toray/omnexus.specialchem.com

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LG Chem and Eni Sustainable Mobility to Develop Biorefinery Utilizing Bio-feedstock

LG Chem and Eni Sustainable Mobility jointly announce that they are exploring the possibility to develop and operate a new biorefinery at LG Chem’s Daesan chemical complex, 80 kilometers southwest of Seoul, South Korea.

Together, the companies are examining the technical and economic feasibilities for the proposed project. Final decision for the investment is scheduled by 2024 and the plant will be completed by 2026 at the existing integrated petrochemical complex in Daesan, Korea.

Committed to Produce More Sustainable Chemicals:

The new biorefinery will leverage LG Chem’s integrated value chain as well as the existing utilities and facilities of the industrial site.

The potential biorefinery aims to meet the growing demand for more sustainable fuels and plastics produced by low-carbon processes, as well as to help progressively decarbonize the energy and mobility sector.

It is designed to process approximately 400,000 tons of #biofeedstocks annually using Eni's Ecofining™ process, developed in collaboration with Honeywell UOP. It will also have the flexibility to process renewable bio-feedstocks and produce multiple products including Sustainable Aviation Fuel (#SAF), Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (#HVO), and bio-naphtha.

Committed to producing more sustainable chemicals, LG Chem will leverage its knowledge and resources to ensure the project's success. LG Chem has been manufacturing eco-friendly plastic products using bio-naphtha since 2020.

Bringing Extensive Experience in Biorefining:

In April 2021, LG Chem became the first South Korean chemical company to receive ISCC Plus certification for nine Bio-circular Balanced products. Four months later, LG Chem started shipping its first bio-balanced SAP (#SuperAbsorbentPolymer) products, also certified with ISCC Plus, to overseas markets.

In October 2022, #LGChem expanded its #ISCCPlus certified eco-certified product portfolio to over 50 items, reaffirming its ever-growing commitment to #sustainability. LG Chem will now work closely with Eni to increase the visibility of its eco-friendly integrated brand LETZero.

Eni will bring its extensive experience in biorefining, along with its Ecofining™ technology. In 2014, Eni accomplished the world’s first refinery-to-biorefinery conversion at Porto Marghera, Venice, followed by a second converted #biorefinery that has been working in Gela (Sicily) since 2019.

In June 2023, #Eni entered in a joint venture with #PBFEnergy acquiring 50% interest of St. Bernard Renewables LLC bio-refinery in Louisiana (USA) also based on the use of the Ecofining™ technology.

Source: LG Chem/specialchem

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Sports powered by natural flax fibres

The Alliance for European Flax-Linen and Hemp, previously known as CELC, has reported an increasing adoption of flax fibres in composites for sporting goods applications this summer, exploiting the fibre’s excellent vibration damping properties.

Many end users took to the court this summer with flax reinforced tennis, padel and pickleball racquets from brands including adidas, Babolat and Revolin. Alternatively they headed out on the water with lower impact European flax boards, canoes, kayak or paddles from manufacturers such as Notox, Predn Surf, and Melker.

A key example, Babolat, (Lyon, France), recently incorporated a new technology called NF2-Tech into its latest range of Pure Aero racquets.

NF2-Tech – natural flax filtration technology – is a flax fibre insert developed with EcoTechnilin, of Valliquerville, France, which has been incorporated into the handle and sections of the #racquet heads to dampen #vibrations and deliver optimised #acoustics with a much softer sound. This results in an enhanced feeling as a player strikes the ball.

Carlos Alcaraz claimed the 2023 Wimbledon Men’s Final using his signature Babolat Pure Aero 98. Founded in 1875, Babolat has also supplied racquets to many other all-time great tennis champions including René Lacoste, Arthur Ashe, Björn Borg and Rafa Nadal.

The adidas Metalbone Greenpadel padel #racquet similarly incorporates Bcomp ampliTex flax fibres – as an alternative to typically used carbon and glass fibres – to provide a new level of performance thanks to the outstanding vibration damping they provide.

Winter sports

Flax fibres are also making inroads into #wintersports. Zag Skis, based in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France, has also collaborated with Bcomp and uses ampliTex flax fibre composite reinforcements across its Slap collection. The company says the flax fibres ensure a smoother ride and provide 250% higher vibration damping than carbon fibres for even the most demanding freeride #skiers.

Also applying #flax to its latest generation #equipment, Rome Snowboards, headquartered in Waterbury, Vermont, is working with EcoTechnilin to integrate flax textile reinforcements into the impact plates and side walls of its boards. The low-density #fibres have been shown to improve durability, rigidity and stability without impacting the crucial ‘feel’ of the board.

Source:www.allianceflaxlinenhemp.eu/jeccomposites

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Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:Carbon-Carbon composites

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Have a look at this beautiful microscopy! 

This scanning electron microscope image shows a carbon-carbon composite composed of carbon fibers (in blue) and silicon carbide (in brown)! 

Besides high mass-specific properties and high thermal stability, functional properties like low thermal expansion and good tribological behavior play increasing importance for commercial applications of carbon-carbon composites. Originally developed for space and military applications, nowadays this class of materials is mainly used in brake discs and pads, clutches, calibration plates, or furnace charging devices! 

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#composites #materialscience #carbonfibers #lightweight #reinforcedplastics

Solvay Launches New PPS Grades Produced with Recycled GlassFibers

Solvay has announced the introduction of two new Ryton® #polyphenylenesulfide (PPS) grades as part of the company’s growing range of Supreme polymers targeting significant performance leaps in electrification.

Ryton® Supreme HV and HF are specifically developed to make drivers’ lives easier with shorter charging times and greater driving ranges.

Superior Heat Resistance with UL94 V0 Flammability Ratings:

“OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers in #automotive are constantly seeking ways to improve safety, reliability and sustainability without compromising system cost efficiency,” says Brian Baleno, head of Automotive Marketing at Solvay Materials. “We constantly work with our customers to find solutions to their challenges, leveraging the potential of our materials portfolio and our expertise to bring new innovations to life”.

As a high-voltage #PPS material, Ryton® Supreme HV combines a comparative tracking index (CTI) of 600 V for best-in-class electrical performance and electric thermal index (RTI) >175°C for superior heat resistance with UL94 V0 #flammability ratings. This property provides a step-change towards safer and more reliable components in #powerelectronics, such as housings and chip carriers.

Ryton® Supreme HF offers high #mechanicalstrength and excellent flowability for 0.3 mm thin-wall components. It can make a significant contribution to miniaturization and package optimization. Target applications include #bobbins for stators and insulators, where lower wall-thicknesses reduce the temperature of coils and facilitate reliable #thermal management.

The new Ryton® PPS Supreme materials will be on display at #Solvay’s Booth 4213 in Hall B4 during the Fakuma show in Friedrichshafen, Germany. The experts will appear at the Exhibitor Forum on October 17 at 11:40 hours, presenting ‘The Supreme range: designed to meet e-mobility challenges and make drivers’ lives easier’.

Source: Solvay/specialchem

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#polymers #plasticindustry #automotive #electrical

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:Plastic Implants:

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Plastic Implants:

Interesting article which covers the deterioration of using Ti alloy for orthopaedic implants over the period of time due to corrosion and not achievable biocompatibility with the surrounding tissues in the body.

For the betterment of the people life,the plastic based bone,hip and knee etc

that gives very good biocompatibility when compared to Ti based parts.

3D printing Additive manufacturing is going to play a vital role in the plastic orthopaedic implants in the coming days.A lot of research is carried out with various combinations of the plastic materials to meet the required mechanical such as tensile strength,compressive strength,elongation at break and antibacterial properties etc.

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#3dprinting #additivemanufacturing #plasticimplants #biomedical #orthopaedic

Source:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02670836.2023.2230417

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:Sauber Technologies 3D printing

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

3D Printing Quality Test: How Sauber Technologies AG Benefits From a Vibrophore 100

In motorsports, Formula 1 is generally regarded as the premier class: next to the quality of the driver, technology and materials also determine success on the track. To test the latter, as well as offer customers in other industries and with different applications the highest level of quality—Sauber Technologies AG uses a ZwickRoell Vibrophore 100 in the area of additive manufacturing and light weight construction. This machine provides support within the scope of material development with tests on 3D printed components—not only for #Formula1racecars. But always with one common goal: to maintain pole position.

The Sauber Group with headquarters in Hinwil, Switzerland, specializes in the development and production of race cars and high-performance vehicle components. Founded in 1970, the company was initially entirely devoted to motorsports. Since 2015, one division of the Sauber Group has been focusing on developing technologies and solutions for different industries under the Sauber Technologies brand. These include the automotive Industry, aerospace, energy and medical engineering, and in addition offers engineering and consulting services. #SauberTechnologies is also an important supplier of components for different industry sectors.

“Quality and fatigue strength monitoring are essential criteria when it comes to serious #additivemanufacturing at its highest level.

Determining the effects of hot isostatic pressing (HIP process)

The determination of material properties of specimens in terms of durability and fatigue strength along with traceable documentation of the results present the main challenges in the Sauber Technologies AG testing lab. “For material development and quality testing in 3D printing, the process parameters in the downstream HIP process play an important role for us: HIP stands for hot isostatic pressing and is used in the context of #3Dprinting as a method for post-processing printed parts. For example, 3D printed parts can be porous or have microscopic cracks, which can sometimes affect their strength and durability. The HIP process can eliminate these defects by exposing the printed part to high pressure and high temperatures. The process starts by placing the printed part in a special chamber filled with a gaseous pressurized medium such as argon or nitrogen. The chamber is then heated up to a very high temperature and increased to a very high pressure. This combination of pressure and heat evenly compresses the material of the printed part, sealing porous areas and cracks. With the HIP process, printed parts can reach a higher density and strength, which makes them appealing for use in challenging applications in the aerospace, medical and automotive industry.

Images: Copyright Sauber Technologies AG

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