polymerguru

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share TOP-PERFORMING HEAT RESISTANT PLASTICS There are numerous types of heat resistant plastics available, each of which has unique advantages and disadvantages that make it suitable for different applications. Some of the top-performing ones are: PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene ).  PTFE—commonly known by the brand name Teflon™—is characterized by its low coefficient of friction and high chemical resistance. It also demonstrates excellent flexural strength, electrical resistance, weather resistance, and thermal stability.It is suitable for use in temperatures ranging from -328° F to 500° . PEEK (polyetheretherketone).  PEEK is a high-performance engineering thermoplastic with a semi-crystalline structure. It is resistant to chemicals, creep, fatigue, heat, and wear and has the highest flexural and tensile strength of any high-performance polymer. These qualities make it a suitable alternative to metals as they allow the material to remain strong and adaptable ...

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share Fungi have more to offer than meets the eye. Their thread-like cells, which grow extensively and out of sight underground like a network of roots, offer huge potential for producing sustainable, biodegradable materials. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP in Potsdam Science Park are using this mycelium to develop a wide range of recyclable products, from wallets and insulation to packaging. Fungal Mycelium as the Basis for Sustainable Products: To most of us, fungi look like a curved cap and a stem. However, the largest part of the organism consists of a network of cell filaments called mycelium, which mainly spreads below ground and can reach significant proportions. This finely branched network has been underutilized until now. However, for researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP in Potsdam, mycelium represents a pioneering raw material with the potential to replace petroleum-based produ...

ResiCare, a subsidiary of the Michelin Group, and IFPEN announced last November the development of a bio-based production process for the platform molecule 5-HMF( 5 - hydroxymethylfurfural) . Non-toxic* and produced from plant-based fructose, this molecule offers industries a substitute for fossil-based products. The samples of the 5-HMF molecule produced by ResiCare are now available for industrial testing. 5-HMF is a particularly attractive platform molecule for the chemical industry, as it allows the replacement of fossil-based products with bio-based alternatives in numerous application areas: adhesives and resins, plastic polymers, solvents and acids, amines and amides, fuels and fuel additives, pharmaceuticals, and human and animal nutrition. ResiCare, a subsidiary of the Michelin Group, develops and markets innovative adhesive resins that combine high performance, non-toxicity, and renewable materials. Initially developed for the tire industry, ResiCare technology is now expandi...

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share "India’s 10,900 Crore PM E-DRIVE: Powering a Greener Future with Electric Mobility!" India is accelerating towards a greener future with the PM E-DRIVE Scheme, approved with a 10,900 crore outlay to revolutionize electric mobility. This initiative focuses on: 1. Subsidies/Demand Incentives : ₹3,679 crore allocated to encourage adoption of e-2Ws, e-3Ws, e-ambulances, e-trucks, and more, reducing emissions and costs. 2. E-Vouchers: Aadhaar-authenticated e-vouchers streamline the EV buying process, enhancing transparency and ease of access. 3. Electric Ambulances : ₹500 crore for e-ambulances to lower healthcare's carbon footprint and innovate public service. 4. Incentives for Scrapping Old Trucks: Encourages replacing polluting trucks with e-trucks, promoting a sustainable logistics sector. 5. Vehicle Testing Infrastructure*: ₹780 crore dedicated to enhancing testing standards for safety and performance in EVs. 6. Procurement of E-Buses: ₹4,391 c...

Dyneema®, owned by Avient Corporation, to provide ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber, unidirectional (UD) composite fabric, and film materials that are manufactured without intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for hard and soft ballistic armor, helmets, and vehicle armor. Also, unlike para-aramid alternatives, the unique properties of Dyneema®, enable personal protection products that can achieve desirable levels of water, liquid, and oil-repellency without a need for PFAS-based surface treatments. Addressing Supply Chain Uncertainty of PFAS Materials: Certain PFAS are often used in a range of personal protection products, including in their manufacturing processes or surface treatments. However, a growing body of research suggests that many PFAS break down very slowly over time and can persist in water and soil in the environment. As a result, authorities in the United States and beyond are considering actions to limit PFAS. At the No...

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share New Smart Thermochromic Polymer Blend Enables Energy-efficient Indoor Space Cooling Rice University researchers have developed a smart material that adjusts its transparency with changes in temperature, outperforming similar materials in terms of durability, transparency and responsiveness. The new polymer blend could significantly enhance energy efficiency for indoor space cooling, according to a new study published in Joule. Becomes Less Transparent as the Day Gets Warmer Cooling off can be a matter of life or death, but air conditioning ⎯ when and if available ⎯ already accounts for 7% of the world’s energy use and 3% of carbon emissions. With temperatures hitting record highs and heat waves growing more frequent worldwide, the need for more efficient ways to keep indoor temperatures in check has also grown more urgent. One way to mitigate the issue involves coating windows with materials that keep heat out while still allowing light to pass through. One ...

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share When trying to model Injection Molding one has to determine the transient frozen layer thickness. And it is more tricky than most might think. For amorphous polymers the best transition temperature would be available straight from the PvT data and will even include the important pressure dependence. It will however not include any cooling rate dependence and Tg is extremely sensitive to cooling rate, as people observe daily with DSC PvT is essentially measured in a quiescent state close to thermodynamic equilibrium (very slow heat/cool rates). For semi-crystalline materials the problem is worse. We need to capture the crystallization temperature which is pressure dependent also (that can be seen in PvT) but extremely dependent on cooling rate (crystallization kinetics aspects). Furthermore, the strong nucleation effect of shear-stress close to the outer layers will dramatically increase, locally, this transition temperature. Which means the transition temper...