Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : OptiCut™ WashOff linerless label to promote plastic packaging reuse

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

UPM Raflatac launches OptiCut™ WashOff linerless label to promote plastic packaging reuse

UPM Raflatac, a global supplier of sustainable labeling solutions, is expanding its direct thermal (DT) linerless label offering with the launch of its new OptiCut™ WashOff solution. The new linerless label is specifically designed for returnable and reusable plastic food containers, including PP, HDPE and PET crates used in food logistics. Available to customers now, the label launch meets the need for innovative plastic packaging solutions, driven by evolving regulations and consumer demand.

The OptiCut WashOff label, which is compatible with most direct thermal printers and weighing scales, offers excellent washability and easy, adhesive residue-free separation for both industrial processes and home washing machines.

While ensuring excellent washability, the OptiCut WashOff solution meets end-use requirements by offering the same benefits as the entire OptiCut linerless portfolio including:

-         Excellent adhesion with a clean cut to a variety of surfaces.

-         Minimized service spend.

-         Increased efficiency with a longer maintenance cycle.

-         Flexibility to print and cut to any length.

In addition, all products in the UPM Raflatac OptiCut linerless portfolio are CarbonNeutral® certified by Climate Impact Partners in accordance with The CarbonNeutral Protocol. While UPM Raflatac is working to reduce internal emissions, the unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions from this product have been compensated for through the purchase of high quality carbon credits. This means that partners can promote their printed labels as CarbonNeutral® certified.

“As retailers, HORECA and logistics companies are increasingly shifting towards returnable and reusable containers, we are thrilled to introduce our new wash-off solution for direct thermal printing,” comments Andoni Rodriguez, Director, Business Segment Logistics, Retail, Office & Linerless, UPM Raflatac. “With the largest global distribution network for direct thermal linerless products, we are proud to now offer our partners the OptiCut WashOff label. This solution demonstrates our commitment to innovation and to supporting our customers on their sustainability journey.”

source:UPM Raflatac

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : biobased content of polycarbonate diols

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

MCG increases biomass content of polycarbonate diols

Mitsubishi Chemical Group (MCG) has introduced grades of its Benebiol biomass-based polycarbonate diols that have a higher biomass content. The product is primarily used in the manufacture of polyurethane resins for coatings in sectors such as automotive, furniture and outdoor products. It is also used in the production of artificial leather.

Existing Benebiol grades had a bio-based content of 20-50%, but the new HSS and NLDS grades have a biomass content in excess of 80%. Some of its previous petroleum-derived grades have also been converted to biomass, as the NLS grades. This, the company said, allows it to offer bio-based grades of all its Benebiol products.

The shift to biomass-based raw materials while maintaining high-quality functions will contribute to our customers’ efforts to achieve sustainable manufacturing.

source:MCG/www.utech-polyurethane.com

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : Researchers Create Deployable Silk Fibers for Adhering and Lifting Objects

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

The stream of liquid silk quickly turns to a strong fiber that sticks to and lifts objects

These sticky fibers, created at the Tufts University Silklab, come from silk moth cocoons, which are boiled in solution and broken down into their building block proteins called fibroin.The silk fibroin solution can be extruded through narrow bore needles to form a stream that, with the right additives, solidifies into a fiber when exposed to air. 

Nature is the original inspiration for deploying fibers of silk into tethers, webs, and cocoons. Spiders, ants, wasps, bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, and even flies can produce silk at some point in their lifecycle.Nature also inspired the Silklab to pioneer the use of silk fibroin to make powerful glues that can work underwater, printable sensors that can be applied to virtually any surface, edible coatings that can extend the shelf life of produce,a light collecting material that could significantly enhance the efficiency of solar cells, and more sustainable microchip manufacturing methods.

However, while they made significant progress with silkbased materials, the researchers had yet to replicate the mastery of spiders, which can control the stiffness, elasticity, adhesive properties of the threads they spin. 

A breakthrough came about purely by accident.Working on a project making extremely strong adhesives using silk fibroin, and while I was cleaning my glassware with acetone, I noticed a web-like material forming on the bottom of the glass.

The accidental discovery overcame several engineering challenges to replicating spider threads. Silk fibroin solutions can slowly form a semi-solid hydrogel over a period of hours when exposed to organic solvents like ethanol or acetone, but the presence of dopamine, which is used in making the adhesives, allowed the solidification process to occur almost immediately. When the organic solvent wash was mixed in quickly, the silk solution rapidly created fibers with high tensile strength and stickiness.

The next step was to spin the fibers in air.The researchers added dopamine to the silk fibroin solution, which appeared to accelerate the transition from liquid to solid by pulling water away from the silk. When shot through a coaxial needle, a thin stream of the silk solution is surrounded by a layer of acetone which triggers the solidification. The acetone evaporates in mid-air, leaving a fiber attached to any object it contacts. The researchers enhanced the silk fibroin-dopamine solution with chitosan, a derivative of insect exoskeletons that gave the fibers up to 200 times greater tensile strength, and borate buffer, which increased their adhesiveness about 18-fold.

The diameter of the fibers could be varied between that of a human hair to about half a millimeter, depending on the bore of the needle.

The device can shoot fibers that can pick up objects over 80 times their own weight under various conditions.

Natural spider silk is still about 1000 times stronger than the man-made fibers in this study. But with a little added imagination and engineering, the innovation will continue to improve and pave the way for a variety of technological applications. 

“As scientists and engineers, we navigate the boundary between imagination and practice. That’s where all the magic happens,” said Fiorenzo Omenetto, Frank C. Doble Professor of Engineering at Tufts University and director of the Silklab. “We can be inspired by nature. We can be inspired by comics and science fiction. In this case, we wanted to reverse engineer our silk material to behave the way nature originally designed it, and comic book writers imagined it.”

source:Tufts University

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : Plastic-Degrading Microbes in Mangrove Soil

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Researchers Identify Plastic-Degrading Microbes in Mangrove Soil

An international team of researchers has developed a novel method to select bacteria from mangrove soils capable of transforming plastic. This breakthrough offers a potential new approach to tackling plastic waste pollution. By analyzing the effects of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) particles and seawater intrusion on the microbiome of mangrove soil, the team was able to cultivate a collection of PET-degrading microbes.

With plastic pollution reaching alarming levels globally, even in remote ocean environments, ecosystems like mangroves—crucial biodiversity hotspots—are under threat from various stressors, including plastic contamination.

“Mangrove ecosystems are exposed to significant plastic pollution, and their soils harbor diverse microbial communities, including those with potential plastic-degrading capabilities,” explained Diego Javier Jiménez Avella, a research scientist from the Microbial EcoGenomics and Biotechnology Laboratory (MEGBLab) at KAUST, who led the study. “We hypothesized that these soils could be a valuable source of plastic-degrading microbes, although microbial diversity and metabolic activity in mangrove soils remain largely unstudied.”

The research revealed the presence of a novel bacterial genus, Mangrovimarina plasticivorans, which carries genes encoding enzymes known as monohydroxyethyl terephthalate hydrolases—capable of breaking down PET byproducts. This is the first time a bacterial consortium from mangrove soil has been shown to transform a fossil-fuel-based plastic like PET.

"Engineering microbiomes to effectively degrade plastics is a promising yet complex task," Jiménez said. "While we are excited about these findings, scaling the approach and applying it in natural environments pose significant challenges."

This innovative approach to microbial inoculation and enzyme cocktail design could be extended to a variety of ecosystems, potentially uncovering more novel plastic-degrading microbes or enzymes. The research team, which began their collaboration in 2021, includes experts from Colombia, Brazil, the U.S., Germany, Australia, the U.K., and Saudi Arabia. 

“These findings represent a significant step toward addressing plastic pollution, but further research and development—such as optimization and scalability—are needed before they can be practically applied on a large scale,” said Alexandre S. Rosado, the principal investigator at KAUST and leader of the MEGBLab.

The team continues to explore the plastic-degrading potential of microbial communities from Red Sea mangroves, with the goal of advancing these early laboratory results into effective solutions for real-world applications.

source:King Abdullah University of Science and Technology/wkaiglobal.com

 

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : Carbon Fiber Production Part1/5

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Insights into carbon fiber production (Part 1/5)!

Oxidation - the beginning of carbon fiber production

Large piles of PAN precursor mark the beginning of carbon fiber production with PAN precursor, the main precursor valued for its high strength and heat resistance. The oxidation process consists of several stations where the fiber is continuously oxidized and cleaned of anything that is not carbon. After the fifth oxidation oven, the fiber finally emerges from the ovens completely dark and chemically refined.

Safety is our top priority: Our ovens are equipped with advanced fire protection systems to minimize the risk of fire. Even in the event of yarn breakage, our sophisticated systems ensure that each yarn is returned to the process without waste.

source:Teijin Carbon America,Inc

#carbonfiber #carbonfiberproduction #oxidation

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : BASF additional production capacity for expandable polystyrene (EPS)

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

BASF Ludwigshafen announces additional production capacity for expandable polystyrene (EPS) granules by 50,000 tonnes/year.

BASF is strengthening its styrene value chain at the Ludwigshafen site by increasing annual production capacity for Neopor by 50,000 tonnes. The increase is aimed at meeting the growing market demand for grey insulation materials. The new production facility is scheduled to be commissioned in early 2027.

 

Neopor is a graphite-containing expandable polystyrene (EPS) granule developed by BASF as a raw material for the production of energy-saving thermal insulation for building envelopes. The graphite content gives the material a grey colour and improves the thermal insulation performance of the sheets by 30% compared to white EPS. Neopor insulation sets new standards for new and refurbished buildings.

 

"BASF's sustainability assessment ranks Neopor as a 'pioneer' in the highest category and is part of BASF's 'solutions for a sustainable future'," said Stephan Kothrade, member of the Board of Executive Directors and Chief Technology Officer of BASF SE. "Our goal is to be the chemical company of choice for our customers and help them achieve a green transition. Neopor is a great example of how we can achieve this goal."

 

BASF expects that the demand for energy-efficient building renovation materials will increase significantly in the coming years. The EU's goal is to make the European construction industry climate neutral by 2050. To achieve this ambitious goal, all EU member states implement the European Building Energy Efficiency Directive, which places high demands on improving building energy efficiency.

 

“Well-insulated building envelopes are essential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving climate targets. This is also a prerequisite for the rational use of modern heating technology. Our polystyrene insulation materials play an important role in this regard,” said Klaus Ries, Head of Business Management Europe at BASF Styrenics.

 

“Over their decades-long service life, they significantly reduce CO2 emissions and energy consumption for heating/cooling buildings. This is not only good for the climate, but also saves energy costs. Neopor with graphite has excellent insulation values and is easy to process, cost-effective and recyclable. Neopor is one of the most environmentally friendly insulation materials.

souce:BASF/echemi.com

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : Issues with color masterbatches in Injection Molding

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Understanding Common Issues with Color Masterbatches in Injection Molding

The use of color masterbatches is prevalent in injection molding. However, over the years, I have frequently encountered several issues that typically result in surface defects on the molded parts.

These issues can be categorized into three main scenarios:

1. Incompatible Carrier Materials

Sometimes, masterbatches (e.g., with 50% pigment and 50% carrier) use a high-flow carrier like LLDPE, even when the host polymer to be colored is not LLDPE-based.

Issue: The incompatible high-flow carrier is pushed to the surface by hydrodynamic forces. For instance, small amounts of LLDPE in a nylon part can readily create blisters or delamination.

2. Neglecting to Dry the Masterbatch

In nylon or polyester parts, even when the masterbatch uses the correct carrier (same as the host matrix to be colored), users often neglect to dry the masterbatch, drying only the bulk resin to be molded.

Issue: Users may assume that the small amount of masterbatch added doesn’t need drying. However, a very wet, small amount of carrier can cause surface blooming, silver streaks, and potentially significant hydrolytic degradation issues in sensitive materials like PET or PBT.

3. Improper Dispersion of Masterbatch

Even when the masterbatch uses the correct carrier and is properly dried before feeding into the hopper, part issues can still arise.

Issue: The problem often stems from less than perfect dispersion of the masterbatch in the injection molding machine screw. These screws are not always ideally designed and may lack the ability to fully disperse the pigment, leading to color issues due to inhomogeneous color concentrate.

Understanding and addressing these common issues can significantly improve the quality of injection molded parts. Ensuring compatibility of carriers, proper drying of materials, and optimal dispersion techniques are crucial steps in achieving defect-free products.

credit:Vito leo

#plastics #injectionmolding #plasticmasterbatch