Ampacet Expands ELTech™ Range to Include Color Masterbatches for Optical Fiber Cable

Ampacet, a global masterbatch leader, has expanded its ELTech™ portfolio to include a range of high performance color masterbatches based on a Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT) carrier resin and specifically designed for optical fiber cable PBT jacketing.

Optical fiber cable jacketing is often made of Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT) to benefit from its mechanical properties such as high strength and stiffness as well as resistance to heat and chemicals. PBT jacketing is often selected for indoor optical fiber cables used in building and construction as well as in data centers. For ease of installation, optical fiber cable manufacturers use a color-coding system such as the RAL system to identify individual optical fibers.

ELTech masterbatches for optical fiber cable preserve high-performance signal transmission and feature excellent opacity at a low addition rate, high resistance to heat and color fading and include 16 colors that comply with RAL color references. Additional shades using custom colors or color-coding systems such as RAL or Pantone can be developed upon request.

“The significant increase in consumer and business demand for high-speed internet has resulted in dramatic growth in the fiber optic cable market, ,” says François Thibeau, Ampacet Strategic Business Manager E&E. “We have responded to customer needs by expanding our ELTech range to include color masterbatches for optical fiber cable.”

The ELTech product range also includes masterbatches combining color with functional additives. For proper functionality and operability of E&E applications, Ampacet offers advanced additive masterbatches, including laser marking, metal deactivators, UV stabilizers, flame retardants, antimicrobial, scratch resistance, slip and release, odor absorbers, process stabilizers and processing aids.

source: Ampacet

EVERTIS LAUNCHES EVERCARE™ BRAND FOR THE HEALTHCARE PACKAGING MARKET

Evertis launches Evercare™ brand, set to be a leading provider of specialty and innovative medical-gradefilms designed to provide superior performance and support regulatory compliance to the healthcare market. Evercare™ is built on over 65 years of trusted technical Evertis experience in developing PET and PETG films for regulated applications that meet sustainability credentials, and now compliant in meeting the rigorous needs of the healthcare industry.

Evercare™ sits in avertically integrated Group that delivers a unique value proposition to Healthcare customers in terms of innovation, sustainability and supply chain security. As film converters for packaging, Evertis is integrated with Selenis,a premium supplier of innovative copolyesters resins with solutions specifically developed, and certified for the medical value chain to further support patient safety. As a Group it fully understands and plays its part in circularity whilst reducing the carbon footprint of its products.

Evercare™ PET and PETG drop-in solutions offer performance and sustainability advantages when compared to other materials. Their films facilitate the thermoforming process, provide improved mechanical and optical properties, and have a better resistance to sterilization. Manufactured in strict compliance with GMP standards and support regulatory compliance needs, Evercare™ films are offered with declarations such as ISO10993, USP661.1, ISO11607, as well as change notification.

Gonzalo Lopez-Oleaga, Evertis Europe Deputy CEO said; “This is another key milestone in the journeyof our Group of businesses. As innovators and thought leaders in polyester-based materials we are now positioned to help healthcare companies meet their sustainability packaging goals, now, and into the future. Behind Evercare™ we have made large investments operationally, in technology and most importantly GMP manufacturing supported by full certifications to service this market”.

Similar to other industries, the healthcare packaging industry faces the challenges of improving sustainability. This is why the Evercare product range not only offers plug&play recyclable PET based solutions, but also two other sustainable options: bio-based and chemically recycled materials with up to 50% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content. All of these options take advantage of vertical integration with Selenis, meeting the same quality and regulatory standards and representing a great opportunity to lower carbon footprint.

Casimiro Sacchetti, CSO Evertis Americas said; “It’s an exciting and unique offering for the Healthcare market. It’s the coming together of experience, deep technical knowledge underpinned by a truly integrated, vertical operational set-up from resin production to extrusion of medical-grade films.

source:Evertis

Turning Plastic Waste Into Carbon Nanotubes

Welsh-based startup TrimTabs has developed an innovative process to upcycle waste polymers into a light, super-strong composite material with applications in the energy storage and transmission, automotive, construction, electronics, medical and aerospace industries.

Trim Tabs leadership team: David Ryan and Professor Alvin Orbaek White

Plastic waste is a growing global challenge, with millions of tonnes disposed of every year. It is perhaps the most totemic waste problem of our age. Despite increasing efforts to improve recycling rates, many types of plastic remain difficult or uneconomical to recycle, demanding innovative solutions.

One company taking a novel approach to this is TrimTabs, a UK-based startup that has developed a process to turn plastic waste into high-value carbon nanotubes. By harnessing the inherent value in discarded plastics, TrimTabs aims to commercialise a new option for the circular economy, addressing the environmental burden of some waste plastics.

The potential applications using carbon nanotubes are vast, from enhancing the performance of lithium-ion batteries to creating stronger, lighter composites for industries like aerospace and automotive. The use of nanotubes in electronic components, solar cells, and water filtration systems also holds significant promise.

The idea behind TrimTabs originated with founder and CEO Prof. Alvin Orbaek White, whose background spans physics, chemistry, mechanical engineering, and chemical engineering. "I was working on a Ph.D. program in Barcelona, where we were making a device that will go to the moon and turn lunar regolith, moon soil, into solar cells and breathing oxygen," Prof. Orbaek White explains. "In order to do that, in space physics, you really need robust, lightweight materials that have long durability. And there was one critical material that was capable of doing this - carbon nanotubes."

Prof. Orbaek White's fascination with carbon nanotubes led him to Rice University, where he was inspired by the late Professor Richard Smalley, a Nobel laureate for his work on buckminsterfullerene (soccer ball-shaped carbon molecule). Under the supervision of Professor Andrew Baron "I learned to make carbon nanotubes and was just totally enamoured by them," Orbaek White recalls. "They're light like ash but have tensile strength 100 times greater than steel. So I thought to myself, this is a magic material."

It was during a meeting with the Welsh Government about opportunities in India that Orbaek White considered moving forward on his ideas about the potential for using waste plastics as a feedstock to produce carbon nanotubes. "I knew instinctively as a chemist that plastics can be a very viable source of carbon for making carbon nanotubes, but I didn't have the data."

source:Trim Tabs

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:Biodegradable plastic waste into green energy

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

New Project to Turn Biodegradable Plastic Waste into Green Energy:

This research project involves AIMPLAS, the Plastics Technology Centre, the Research Institute of Water and Environmental Engineering at the Universitat Politècnica de València (IIAMA-UPV), the CALAGUA Group UPV-UV Mixed Unit, and the companies Global Omnium Medioambiente and Fych Technologies.

Recovery of Bioplastics Through Anaerobic Co-digestion:

Recovering biodegradable plastic waste through anaerobic co-digestion treatment with sludge from sewage treatment plants (STP) to obtain a biogas stream that can be used as an energy vector and a digestate for agriculture.

This is the main objective of VALPLAST (Recovery of bioplastics through anaerobic co-digestion at sewage treatment plants), a strategic project in which a consortium of members participates, including AIMPLAS, the Plastics Technology Centre, the CALAGUA Group UPV-UV Mixed Unit (made up of the Research Institute of Water and Environmental Engineering at the Universitat Politècnica de València and the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Universitat de València), and the companies Global Omnium Medioambiente and Fych Technologies.

The project is financed by the Valencian Institute of Competitiveness and Innovation (IVACE+i) within the framework of the European Union’s 2023 strategic cooperation projects. It seeks to implement an alternative to current management of biodegradable plastic packaging waste that is aligned with circular economy principles.

Evaluating Possible Effects of Additives in Plastic Synthesis:

“The main innovation of the project involves understanding that bioplastics are a resource that can be recovered and transformed into green energy,” according to researchers participating in the project.

The aim will therefore be to study, at laboratory and pilot scale, the degradation of different plastics through biological treatment with sludge from municipal sewage treatment plants under anaerobic conditions. The possible effects of the additives used in the synthesis of plastics (conventional and bioplastics) in the anaerobic treatment process and the subsequent quality of the digested sludge will also be evaluated, given that its main application is agricultural use.

Work will also be done on the development and optimization of pilot plant instrumentation and control systems, as well as the analysis of costs and the life cycle. As consortium members highlighted, “They are essential to be able to evaluate the environmental and economic sustainability of the proposed treatment.”

After the recovery process, analysis will be carried out to measure the presence of microplastics in the sludge. For this analysis, the methodology developed by AIMPLAS in previous projects (MICROPLAST and PREVENPLAST) will be used. This method makes it possible to measure these emerging contaminants in both wastewater and the sludge generated at treatment plants.

This process will be used to develop a methodology for energy recovery from bioplastics at STP digesters for better management of these wastes resulting in greater energy recovery.

Also of note is the previous experience that part of this consortium acquired during implementation of and collaboration on other R&D projects related to the goal of this project, such as AVI MICROPLAST and AVI PREVENPLAST.

source:AIMPLAS/omnexus.specialchem.com

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:Indian-made metro trains in Sydney

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Indian-Made Metro Trains Take Sydney by Storm!

Sydney, Australia - In a landmark achievement for Indian engineering, 22 metro trains manufactured in India began service on the Sydney Metro Line! This marks the first time ever that Indian-built coaches are running in a foreign country's rapid transit system.

A Testament to "Make in India".. This development is a significant boost for the Indian government's "Make in India" initiative, which aims to transform India into a global manufacturing hub. The Sydney Metro trains, built by Alstom at their facility in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh, showcase the growing capabilities of the Indian manufacturing sector.

A Moment of National Pride.. This successful project is a source of immense pride for India. It demonstrates the country's ability to produce world-class railway technology that meets international standards. The Sydney Metro trains are not only functional but also fully automated, highlighting India's advancements in automation and engineering.

A Sign of Things to Come? The Sydney Metro project paves the way for future collaborations between India and other countries. It signifies a shift in the global perception of Indian manufacturing, moving away from "Made in China" and "Made in USA" to a new era of "Made in India."

Looking Ahead.. This achievement is a stepping stone for India's ambitions in the global railway sector. With continued focus on technological innovation and quality production, India is poised to become a major player in the international railway market. The success of the Sydney Metro trains is a testament to the talent and dedication of the Indian workforce, and a promising sign for the future of Indian manufacturing.

source:Piyush Goyal

Celanese Corporation Declares Force Majeure on Western Hemisphere Acetic Acid and VAM

Celanese Corporation, a global chemical and specialty materials company, today confirmed a declaration of force majeure and sales control for acetic acid and vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) sold in the Western Hemisphere. This comes as a result of intensifying force majeure conditions and operational failures experienced by multiple suppliers of critical raw materials essential to Celanese’s production of these products. Production challenges caused by these raw material supply disruptions, as well as other operational issues in its Acetyl Chain U.S. gulf coast network, are being assessed and actions are being taken to offset production losses.

The Acetyl Chain business is focused on meeting customers’ needs by utilizing all available network capabilities. The business has invested over the years to strategically enhance the flexibility of its integrated supply chain and will exercise that optionality to minimize customer disruptions. While under sales control, all non-contracted orders will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

  

“Right now, we anticipate that our second quarter U.S. gulf coast production of acetic acid and VAM will be negatively impacted by 15 to 20 percent as a result of these temporary challenges which we are still navigating,” said Mark Murray, senior vice president of the Acetyl Chain. “As we work through these challenges, we are prioritizing continuity of supply for our customers by employing the optionality that has been the hallmark of this business. The primary financial impact of these challenges in the second quarter will be due to incremental costs associated with production at higher cost facilities, external sourcing, and logistics in order to minimize impacts to our customers. There may also be a volume impact in the quarter depending on the magnitude of lost production.”   

Celanese regrets the impact this could have on customers and will stay in close communication to minimize the impact of these challenges. At this time, Celanese cannot provide any further details or timing of the full impact to customers or to its financial outlook. Celanese will comment further on the resolution of these temporary challenges and the financial impact when it reports second quarter earnings.

source:Celanese

Coca-Cola India launches 100% rPET bottle in ASSP format

The light ASSP bottles reportedly reduce emissions by 36% compared to traditional virgin PET packaging.

Coca-Cola India has taken another step towards plastic circularity by introducing 100% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) bottles in an Affordable Small Sparkling Package (ASSP) format. 

The company is offering 250ml ASSP bottles in the Indian state of Odisha.

The initiative, led by Coca-Cola’s bottling partner Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages, is part of the company’s broader commitment to environmental responsibility and reducing its carbon footprint.  

The new ASSP bottles are designed to be light, which contributes to a 36% reduction in emissions compared to traditional virgin PET packaging.  

Furthermore, the switch to rPET for the ASSP solution is said to result in an overall 66% decrease in carbon footprint when compared to the standard non-ASSP packaging made from virgin PET. 

Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia Technical Innovation and Supply Chain vice-president Enrique Ackermann said: “Our efforts at expanding rPET in India is a testimony of our commitment to increase the availability of high-quality, food-grade, recycled plastic for consumers in India.  

“With these eco-friendly bottles we seek to drive a circular economy for packaging, reduce waste and carbon emissions, bringing us closer to the World Without Waste goal of making bottles with 50% recycled content by 2030.” 

The Coca-Cola Company has already introduced 100% rPET bottles in more than 40 markets globally. Through its World Without Waste initiative, it aims to collect and recycle a bottle or can for each one it sells by 2030. 

The company plans to make all its packaging recyclable by 2025.

In January this year, Coca-Cola India and Reliance Retail launched a new PET collection and recycling initiative.  

source:packaging-gateway.com