Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:Fountain flow free surface

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Any surface particle on a molded part used to belong to the Fountain Flow free surface.

Free surfaces for a visco-elastic material typically suffer from flow instabilities, and these end-up creating surface defects on your molded part. High front velocity and especially flow front acceleration/deceleration will trigger flow instabilities and defects.

This is why the gate area and the end of flow (see picture) are so prone to surface defects. We do have the highest velocity at the gate and a potential extreme velocity at the end of flow (or slowdown due to switchover).

"Tiger Stripes" are a well known defect due to Fountain Flow instabilities triggered by a change of flowfront speed.

Source:Vito leo

Researchers Develop New Catalyst that Completely Breaks Down Nylon-6 within Minutes

Northwestern University chemists have developed a new catalyst that quickly, cleanly and completely breaks down nylon-6 in a matter of minutes — without generating harmful byproducts.

The process does not require toxic solvents, expensive materials or extreme conditions, making it practical for everyday applications.

Not only could this new catalyst play an important role in environmental remediation, it also could perform the first step in upcycling nylon-6 wastes into higher-value products.

Up to 1 Mn Tons of Fishing Gear is Abandoned in the Ocean Each Year

From clothing to carpet to seat belts, nylon-6 is found in a variety of materials that most people use every day. But, when people are done with these materials, they end up in landfills or worse: loose in the environment, including the ocean. According to the World Wildlife Federation, up to 1 million tons of fishing gear is abandoned in the ocean each year, with fishing nets composed of nylon-6 making up at least 46% of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

“The whole world is aware of the plastic problem,” said Northwestern’s Tobin Marks, the study’s senior author. “Plastic is a part of our society; we use so much of it. But the problem is: What do we do when we’re finished with it? Ideally, we wouldn’t burn it or put it into landfills. We would recycle it. We’re developing catalysts that deconstruct these polymers, returning them to their original form, so they can be reused.”

“Fishing nets lose quality after a couple years of use,” said Liwei Ye, the paper’s lead first author who is a postdoctoral fellow in Marks’ laboratory. “They become so water-logged that it’s difficult to pull them out of the ocean. And they are so cheap to replace that people just leave them in the water and buy new ones.”

“There is a lot of garbage in the ocean,” Marks added. “Cardboard and food waste biodegrades. Metals sink to the bottom. Then we are left with the plastics.”

Marks is the Charles E. and Emma H. Morrison professor of Chemistry and Vladimir N. Ipatieff professor of Catalytic Chemistry at Northwestern’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and a professor of materials science and engineering at Northwestern’s McCormick School of Engineering.

Source: Northwestern University/Omnexus-specialchem

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share: HEMP

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:

Interesting facts about hemp.

1. One hectare of hemp releases as much oxygen as 25 hectares of forest.
2. From one hectare of hemp you can get as much paper as from 4 hectares of wood.
3. While hemp can be turned into paper 8 times (recycle), wood can be turned into papers 3 times. Hemp paper is the best and strongest.
4. Hemp grows in 4 months and the tree grows in 20-50 years.
5. Hemp flower is a real ray trap. Hemp planters clean the air.
6. Hemp can be grown anywhere in the world, it needs very little water.
Also, since it can protect itself from pesticides, it doesn't need pesticides.
7. Hemp textiles surpass even linen products in their properties.
8. Hemp is an ideal plant to make ropes, ropes, laces, bags, shoes, headwear.
9. Hemp is banned in many countries. But technically hemp is drug-free.
10. The protein value of hemp seed is very high and the two fatty acids in it are no longer found anywhere else in nature.
11. It's much cheaper to produce hemp than soybeans.
12. Animals fed hemp don't need hormonal support.
13. All plastic products can be made from hemp, and hemp plastic is environmentally friendly and fully biodegradable.
14. If the car body is made of hemp-based compound, it will be 10 times stronger.
15. Hemp can also be used for insulation of buildings, it is durable, cheap and flexible.
16. Soap and cosmetics made of hemp do not pollute water, so it is completely environmentally friendly.

Source:Organic consumers association of Australia

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:Bio based Nylon66

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

OzoneBio Produces Nylon66 Using Adipic Acid Derived from Wood Waste:

OzoneBio, a Canadian cleantech start-up recently produced the wood waste derived Nylon66. It is claimed to be the only and first in the world Nylon66 made with wood derived bio-adipic acid.

Zombie Cells Eliminate the Need of Costly Metal Catalysts:

Their revolutionary approach utilizes “Zombie cells” catalysis technology to convert wood waste into premium-grade materials and products with zero emissions, reducing environmental impact from the very start.

OzoneBio is currently focused on improving and expanding their bioplastic production capabilities. Their innovative technology has garnered attention from several major chemical corporations and renowned sports apparel companies interested in more sustainable materials.

In 2021, OzoneBio completed the highly competitive IndieBio incubator program located in Silicon Valley, which accelerates emerging biotechnology and life science companies. After this achievement, OzoneBio became part of the Life Science Innovation Hub in Calgary in 2022. At this hub, they are concentrating efforts on commercializing their zero-emission bioplastic alternative to Nylon66, now trademarked as OzoNyl. OzoneBio aims to facilitate a shift toward a green, circular economic model through this technology.

Source: OzoneBio/omnexus-specialchem

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:Whisky wastewater into GreenHydrogen production

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:

Whisky wastewater into GreenHydrogen production

Researchers at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland have unlocked the potential to turn wastewater from the whisky industry into greenhydrogen source.

The team developed nanoscale materials that utilize distillery wastewater to produce carbon-free green hydrogen.Typically, the process of creating green hydrogen consumes massive amounts of fresh water, about 20.5 billion liters annually.

In contrast, the team's innovation aims to repurpose the one billion liters of wastewater generated by distilleries each year.

Dr. Sudhagar Pitchaimuthu Ph.D., FRSC highlighted the importance of reducing fresh water use and leveraging waste materials for sustainable practices.

The nanoscale material, a nickel selenide #nanoparticle, enables distillery wastewater to replace fresh water in the green hydrogen production process, showing promising results in research.

This breakthrough not only reduces the freshwater footprint associated with #greenhydrogen production but also aligns with global efforts to utilize resources more sustainably for clean energy.The next steps include developing an electrolyser prototype and scaling up production of the #nickelselenide nanoparticles, emphasizing the potential of this innovative process.

Source:Energy Theory

BASF Presents Anti-scorch Solution without Aromatic Amines for PU Foams

BASF presents Irgastab® PUR 71, an innovative and advanced anti-scorch solution that not only ensures adherence to regulations but also offers exceptional performance.

This premium solution has been formulated without aromatic amine, effectively addressing the limitations of conventional anti-scorch additives. With its superior environmental, health, and safety profile, this solution meets the increasing regulatory pressure on substance classification and sustainability in the industry.

Reducing Levels of Volatile Organic Compounds:

In the manufacturing of polyurethane foams, the heat generated during the process can cause discoloration, loss of mechanical properties, and even fire hazards if the polyols, the main raw materials, are not properly stabilized.

While conventional anti-scorch packages rely on phenolic antioxidants combined with aromatic amine stabilizers, they come with significant drawbacks such as unpleasant odor, toxicity concerns, or high volatility.

The use of anti-scorch additives can greatly minimize degradation caused by exothermic reactions during the processing of PUR foam. Irgastab® PUR 71, formulated without intentionally added aromatic amine, effectively decreases emissions, and lowers the potential harm to both humans and aquatic organisms. Consequently, this leads to significantly reduced levels of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and condensable emissions (FOG) released from PUR foams. Due to these properties, air quality within the interior of vehicles can be greatly improved, creating an advantage in the automotive industry.

“Irgastab® PUR 71 reaffirms BASF's commitment to innovation and partnership with the industry: We offer our customers a sustainable alternative to conventional solutions, empowering them to gain a significant advantage in the everchanging global market,” said Dr. Bettina Sobotka, head of global marketing and development, Plastic Additives, BASF. “With a proven track record in additives, backed by our global team of experts dedicated to the development of the automotive and comfort industry, we strive to pioneer cutting-edge technologies and solutions that not only enhance performance, but also promote sustainability.”

Irgastab® PUR 71 provides targeted application benefits in various industries. It enables lower emissions in compliance with the most stringent automotive industry specifications and improves the vehicle interior air quality. In the comfort sector, it offers state-of-the-art anti-scorch resistance to polyol as well as foam producers, preventing heat degradation during the foaming process. In addition, it has no Carcinogenic, Mutagenic and Reprotoxic (CMR) classification, allowing polyol producers to comply with environmental voluntary certifications and keep their anti-scorch recipe confidential.

Source:BASF/specialchem

Heat-resistant nanocatalyst ‘more than doubles green hydrogen production

A new nanocatalyst that can withstand extremely high temperatures has more than doubled the rate of hydrogen production during lab tests.

The material, which was developed by researchers at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), could help reduce the price of green hydrogen.

The fuel can be made using water electrolysis, which uses renewable energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The production cost of green hydrogen is about $5 per kilogram however – two- to three-times higher than grey hydrogen, which is obtained from natural gas.

Water electrolysis must therefore be improved to make green hydrogen use practical, the researchers said. This could be particularly important in Korea, where use of renewable energy is limited by geographical constraints.

Dr Kyung-Joong Yoon’s research team at KIST’s Energy Materials Research Centre developed the new nanocatalyst for high-temperature water electrolysis. The material can retain a current density of more than 1A/cm2 for a long time, at temperatures above 600ºC.

To improve the performance and stability of water electrolysis cells, the team investigated the degradation mechanisms of nanomaterials at high temperatures and identified reasons for abnormal behaviour.

Electrolysis technology can be classified into low- and high-temperature electrolysis. While low-temperature electrolysis at below 100ºC has been developed for a long time and is technologically more mature, high-temperature electrolysis above 600ºC offers higher efficiency. Commercialisation has been hindered by the lack of thermal stability and insufficient lifetime owing to high-temperature degradation, such as corrosion and structural deformation.

Nanocatalysts, which are used to improve the performance of low-temperature water electrolysers, quickly deteriorate at high operating temperatures, making it difficult to effectively use them for high-temperature water electrolysis.

To overcome this limitation, the team developed a new technique for nanocatalyst synthesis, which suppresses the formation of compounds that can cause degradation.

By systematically analysing nanoscale phenomena using transmission electron microscopy, the researchers identified specific substances causing severe structural alterations, such as strontium carbonate and cobalt oxide. They successfully removed those materials to achieve highly stable nanocatalysts, in both chemical and physical properties.

When the team applied the nanocatalyst to a high-temperature water electrolysis cell, it more than doubled the hydrogen production rate and operated for more than 400 hours at 650ºC without degradation. The technique was also applied to a large-area water electrolysis cell, which the team said confirms its “strong potential for scale-up and commercial use”.

Source:www.Hydrogen-central.com