Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:Carbon Fiber Engine Block

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

An engine block made of carbon fiber? 

Filed with the World Intellectual Property Office, @Nissan has come up with a patent for a composite engine cylinder block! Nissan does not expressly indicate the reason for this new design, only explaining how it would construct it. There is a lot of superfluous information relevant to engine builders and mechanics who may be interested in how Nissan intends to route oil lines and other systems, but the main takeaway is that the case of the engine would be made of composite materials, with the innards of the motor still produced from hard-wearing metals. 

That being said, this patent does not suggest that an engine made entirely of composite materials is not possible... 

Nissan simplifies the design as "a resin outer member which is welded to the main block." The main block is where the cylinders are housed and where combustion takes place, so this is where most of the heat stresses take place. In this design, the gap between the resin outer member and the inner main block would act as a water jacket, insulating the carbon fiber (or other composite material) that makes up the casing. 

One obvious benefit is a reduction of weight, but another is better management of thermal events. Nissan notes that a composite outer material would not warm up at the same rate as metal. Thus, this design would bring an engine to optimal operating temperature sooner after startup than if all materials were made of metal, reducing the risk of premature wear from inadequate lubrication. 

The obvious drawbacks include a potential increase in manufacturing costs and a possible reduction in reliability if the design is improperly implemented, but it has merit, and numerous outfits have sought to unlock the benefits of composite construction in engine manufacture. 

source: CarBuzz/ #managingcomposites/ #thenativelab

Neste, Marubeni & Resonac Partner to Produce Renewable Olefins in Japan

Neste, Marubeni Corporation and Resonac Corporation have entered into a cooperative agreement to enable the production of renewable olefins and derivatives.

The cooperation involves Neste RE™, a Neste-produced renewable raw material, being used to manufacture products at Resonac’s Oita Complex in Japan. Marubeni will coordinate all logistical arrangements from Neste to Resonac.

Building Value Chain for Renewable Chemicals:

Renewable Neste RE™ is a bio-based feedstock used in steam crackers. It is made from 100% renewable raw materials such as waste and residue oils and fats. Consisting of pure hydrocarbons, Neste RE™ can be used to replace conventional feedstock such as fossil naphtha in chemicals value chains, contributing to a reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

“Replacing fossil resources in the production of plastics is one of the major challenges the industry faces. We are excited to team up with Marubeni and Resonac in tackling this challenge. The sustainability transformation requires committed frontrunners and that is exactly what Marubeni and Resonac are,” says Carrie Song, senior vice president, Commercial, Renewable Products at Neste.

“We are excited to embark on a project to build the value chain for renewable chemicals, partnering with Neste, the world's leading renewable feedstock supplier, and Resonac, a leading chemical company in Japan. We aim to contribute to the carbon neutrality of the petrochemical industry by establishing a trade flow of diverse renewable feedstocks in addition to conventional raw materials,” says Yoshiaki Yokota, chief executive officer Energy & Infrastructure Solution Group at Marubeni.

“We are very happy to work cooperatively with Neste and Marubeni to cater to the need for renewable olefins and derivative products in the market. Resonac’s Oita Complex has been ISCC PLUS certified. The Oita Complex will continue providing the market with renewable olefins and derivative products by applying a mass balance method based on the ISCC system,” states Hirotsugu Fukuda, general manager of the Olefins & Derivatives Business Unit at Resonac Corporation.

Source: Neste Corporation/adhesives.specialchem.com

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:Researchers Find Bright Plastics May Degrade Faster, Creating More Microplastics

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share 

Researchers led by the University of Leicester have demonstrated that plastics with bright colors such as red, blue, and green degrade and form microplastics quicker than those with plainer colors.

Their findings reveal that the colorant used in the formulation of a plastic product can significantly affect the rate at which it degrades and breaks down, potentially introducing harmful plastics into the environment more quickly.

Conducted Two Complementary Studies to Compare Degradation:

Published in the journal Environmental Pollution, it is the first time this effect has been proven in a field study and could be important for retailers to consider when designing plastics and packaging.

Researchers from the University of Leicester, UK and the University of Cape Town in South Africa used two complementary studies to show that plastics of the same composition degrade at different rates depending on what is added to color them.

One study used bottle lids of various colors and placed them on top of the roof of a university building to be exposed to the sun and the elements for three years. The second study used different colored plastic items that were found on a remote beach in South Africa. Importantly, samples were only analyzed when the date of the manufacture of the plastic was known by a date stamp embossed into the plastic items.

The scientists measured how chemically degraded the samples were by looking at how much they had reacted with oxygen in the air using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). They also measured the structural integrity before and after, using a breaking strength test to measure how brittle and easy to break apart they were.

The findings across both studies showed that black, white, and silver plastics were largely unaffected whereas blue, green, and red samples became very brittle and fragmented over the same time period. In fact, older samples in South Africa were all plain colors and not brightly colored plastic items were found. But the sand itself was full of many colored microplastics.

Black, White, and Silver Colorants Protect the Plastic from Damaging

This demonstrates that the black, white, and silver colorants protect the plastic from damaging ultraviolet (UV) radiation whereas other pigments do not. UV damage changes the plastic’s polymer structure, making it brittle and susceptible to fragmentation.

The research was led by Dr Sarah Key, who conducted the studies while a PhD student at the University of Leicester School of Chemistry and funded by CENTA – The Central England NERC Training Alliance and is now a senior research analyst with climate action NGO WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Program).

Dr Key said, “It’s amazing that samples left to weather on a rooftop in Leicester in the UK and those collected on a windswept beach at the southern tip of the African continent show similar results. What the experiments showed is that even in a relatively cool and cloudy environment for only three years, huge differences can be seen in the formation of microplastics. Colorful plastics, such as red and green, degrade and form microplastics pretty quickly. When you look at plainer colors, such as black and white, they’re actually quite stable and remain intact. Next time you clean up some plastic litter, take note of the color and think about how soon it would have otherwise broken down. Whatever the color, always check the packaging for details of how to recycle plastic packaging.”

Suggestion to Give More Consideration to Color of Short-lived Plastics:

Microplastics display different properties from their original bulk materials, and little is understood about their impact on the environment. We know that they can release toxic plastic additives into the environment, and they can potentially be transferred to humans, as well as toxic chemicals on their surfaces, through the food chain and water supplies.The study has significant implications for material design and suggests that manufacturers should give more consideration to the color of short-lived plastics.

Dr Key added, “Manufacturers should consider both the recyclability of the material and the likelihood of it being littered when designing plastic items and packaging. For items that are used outdoors or extensively exposed to sunlight, such as plastic outdoor furniture, consider avoiding colors like red, green, and blue to make them last as long as possible. Where the plastic is designed to break down, such as by using pro-oxidant additives, consider the role that color could play in this.”

Co-author professor Sarah Gabbott, from the University of Leicester School of Geography Geology and the Environment, said, “I’ve often wondered why microplastics in beach sand often appear to be all the colors of the rainbow. Until our study I assumed that my eyes were being deceived and that I was just seeing the more colorful microplastics because they were easier to spot. Turns out there really are likely to be more brightly colored microplastics in the environment because those plastic items pigmented red, green, and blue are more susceptible to being fragmented into millions of tiny, yet colorful microplastic particles.”

Source: University of Leicester/polymer-additives.specialchem.com

Worthington Enterprises will acquire 100% of Hexagon Ragasco

Worthington Enterprises will acquire 100% of Hexagon Ragasco at an enterprise value of NOK 1,050 million. Depending on the full year 2024 performance of Hexagon Ragasco, the value may be adjusted between minus NOK 50 million to plus NOK 100 million.

Hexagon Ragasco is the market leader in LPG composite cylinders used for leisure, household, and industrial applications with production in Norway and sales to more than 100 countries worldwide. Worthington Enterprises, through its Building Products business segment, delivers products and solutions for heating, cooling and construction applications worldwide and is a global leader in cylinders for LPG and refrigerant gases.

“Hexagon Ragasco has been an important part of the Hexagon Group’ for over 20 years, and we take great pride in the position the company has developed to date. Worthington Enterprises is a highly respected player in our industry. This transaction will enable Hexagon Ragasco to grow in new geographies and verticals,” says Jon Erik Engeset, CEO Hexagon Composites.

“Hexagon Ragasco is one of the pioneers of the composite cylinder,” said Jimmy Bowes, president, Building Products, Worthington Enterprises. “Now for more than 20 years, they’ve been bringing innovative products to the market that are raising expectations of the performance, quality and capabilities of an LPG cylinder. We’ve followed their growth closely and believe that their composite cylinders are a great complement to our existing cylinder business. We can’t wait to get started with the exceptional team at Hexagon Ragasco.”

The sale of Hexagon Ragasco is expected to close on or around 3 June. Today’s announcement concludes the strategic review initiated by Hexagon in September 2023.

Acquisition of a non-controlling stake in Worthington’s SES business segment

Combined with the sale of Hexagon Ragasco, Hexagon Composites has signed an agreement to acquire a 49% stake in Worthington’s Sustainable Energy Solutions (SES) business segment for an enterprise value of USD 20 million on a 100% basis. SES is a leading European supplier of high-pressure cylinders and systems for storage and distribution of compressed natural gas, hydrogen and industrial gases, and generated revenues of EUR 127 million and adjusted EBITDA of EUR 2.9 million in calendar year 2023. Worthington will retain 49% of the shares, while senior executives will hold the balance.

“Through our dialogue with Worthington on the sale of Hexagon Ragasco, we identified an opportunity for Hexagon within Worthington’s Sustainable Energy Solutions (SES) business. Together, these transactions support Hexagon’s strategic focus on high pressure, clean energy solutions” says Engeset.

source:Hexagon Ragasco/Worthington

BASF to Increase Production Capacity of PA and PBT Compounding Plants in India

 BASF India Limited will increase the production capacity of its Ultramid® polyamide grades and Ultradur® polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) compounding plant in Panoli, Gujarat and Thane, Maharashtra.

Its Polyurethane Technical Development Center India will be inaugurated on 28 May in Mumbai. It will support market development of polyurethane applications in industries such as transportation, construction, footwear, appliances and furniture.  

State-of-the-Art Applications Equipment for Customer Support:

The production capacity will be increased over 40% in Panoli and Thane. With this BASF has well-positioned itself to meet the strong market demand for the high-performance material solution in India. The increased capacity will be available in 2H 2025.

The capacity expansion of Ultramid® and Ultradur® in Panoli and Thane, as well as the inauguration of the Center shows our commitment to enhancing local production and capabilities. With this Made-in-India-for-India strategy, we increase our speed-to-market and stay close to our customers, enabling us to shorten our delivery time in terms of products, solutions and technical service,” said Andy Postlethwaite, senior vice president, Performance Materials Asia Pacific, BASF. 

The Center houses state-of-the-art applications equipment in an approximately 2,000 sq. meter space. It offers improved customer support services ranging from troubleshooting to customized formulations, line trials, and customer training sessions. It can further harness the know-how, synergies and competencies within the existing global polyurethane network, to provide fast and advanced technical service to customers. This will help drive innovation with customers alongside the Creation Center, located at BASF‘s Innovation Campus in Mumbai.

Source: BASF/omnexus.specialchem.com

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:Prosthetic made by Filament Winding Process

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Steptics brings automation to the prosthetic world via the filament winding process. “We first build a mandrel which has the inner geometry of the prostheses,” says Kun. “The fiber is pulled through epoxy resin and then wound onto the rotating mandrel. The resin is typically used for vacuum infusion processes in the aircraft industry, and we use T700 type carbon fiber from Toray [Tokyo, Japan], although we could also use glass fiber or basalt or other fibers. T700 has good properties that are very well known, and it is well proven in filament winding.”

“We filament wind a long, shaped tube that we then cure in an oven,” he continues. “It’s pretty much the same curing process as with filament-wound pressure vessels. We then we cut the long tube into slices, and cut the slices into halves to get semi-finished parts. These are then individually machined to tailor the geometry and performance to the individual amputee.”

AI-assisted customization

One reason prostheses have been challenging to industrialize is the need to customize each product for the individual amputee. “That’s true,” says Kun. “We need to know the amputee’s weight and whether a left or right foot prosthesis is needed. We also want to know what they want to do with the prosthesis. Are they a walker or a jogger? And that defines the spring characteristics needed in the final prosthesis.”

For the first process, says Kun, “we have the first production line, and have made a proof-of-concept prosthesis and tested it according to ISO 10328. It performed well and withstood 2 million cycles of loading without any degradation. This first product will be a CFRP blade or sole that is a sports prosthesis, amputation level 270.”

“Our first steps were to reduce costs through automated production and development of AI for individual customization,” says Kun. “Now, we want to tackle the issue of sustainable materials. Unfortunately, carbon or glass fiber do not have the best CO2 footprint. However, many natural fibers don’t have the strength and stiffness to withstand the predominant loads. Thus, by themselves, they aren’t yet suitable for running blades or even everyday prostheses. We are still researching what reinforcements could work.”

source:steptics/compositesworld.com

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:POM vs Nylon

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Comparative Analysis of POM with Other Plastics:

Some of the key advantages and limitations of POM compared to other plastics are highlighted below:

POM vs Nylon:

POM has lower moisture absorption and better dimensional stability than nylon

It has higher tensile strength, hardness and modulus than nylon

Nylon offers higher toughness, ductility and impact strength compared to POM

Nylon has better chemical resistance than POM, especially to bases, oils and greases

POM provides lower coefficient of friction than nylon

POM vs Polycarbonate:

POM has much higher strength, hardness and stiffness than polycarbonate

PC offers very high impact resistance compared to brittle

POMPolycarbonate has superior temperature resistance up to 140°C vs 90°C for POM

POM has lower moisture absorption and better dimensional stability

PC has higher ductility and fracture toughness compared to POM

POM vs Polyimide:

Polyimide can withstand much higher temperatures than POM

It has excellent strength retention at high temperatures vs POM

POM offers better impact strength and machinability

Polyimide has superior wear resistance and chemical resistance

POM has lower density and moisture absorption compared to polyimide

source:beeplastic.com