ENVALIOR AND FORD WIN SPE AUTOMOTIVE AWARD FOR MOST INNOVATIVE USE OF PLASTICS

Envalior and Ford Motor Company received the "Most Innovative Use of Plastics" award in the "Materials" category at the 53rd SPE Automotive Innovation Awards.

Ford redesigned an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Cold Tube and diffuser, incorporating Xytron™ PPS thermoplastic material, to enhance fuel efficiency, reduce emissions, and improve durability.

The award celebrates the partnership between Envalior, Ford, Sogefi, and Viking Plastics, with each contributing to the development, molding, and supply chain of the innovative EGR assembly.

Livonia, MI, DECEMBER 5, 2024 – Envalior, in collaboration with Ford Motor Company, has been honored with the Most Innovative Use of Plastics award in the "Materials" category at the 53rd Annual SPE Automotive Innovation Awards Competition & Gala. This highly regarded event, held at Laurel Manor in Livonia, Michigan, celebrates groundbreaking achievements in automotive plastics.

The award recognizes the development of a re-engineered Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Cold Tube and diffuser, a critical component designed by Ford. By replacing Stainless Steel, with Envalior's advanced Xytron™ PPS thermoplastic material, the application realized a 28% part weight reduction and achieved superior chemical resistance to withstand extreme environments for long-lasting performance.

With Xytron™, the EGR Cold Tube and diffuser can now withstand a highly acidic environment with pH levels of 2.2 and temperatures up to 200°C. Furthermore, the new design eliminates the need for multiple components, including a gasket, O-ring and fasteners, resulting in a greatly simplified part that directly integrates into the air intake assembly. This sets a new standard for EGR system efficiency, greatly simplified manufacturing and assembly processes, and significant cost savings.

“This award validates Envalior's commitment to material innovation and the collaborative expertise of our team,” said Russ Bloomfield, Application Development Engineer at Envalior. “It highlights the power of partnerships between Envalior, Ford Motor Company, Sogefi, and Viking Plastics.”

Envalior also extends its congratulations to its partners, Sogefi and Viking Plastics, for their vital roles in this achievement. Sogefi serves as the Tier 1 supplier for the EGR assembly, while Viking Plastics molds the Xytron EGR Tube supplied to Sogefi.

“This recognition underscores Envalior's dedication to pushing the boundaries of innovation and fostering successful collaborations,” added Grace Showalter, Regional Commercial Director – Americas at Envalior. “We are incredibly proud of our team and partners for achieving this milestone.”

source : Envalior

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:Jiangsu Suoteng Offers Dicumene as a Non-toxic, Synergistic Flame Retardant

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Jiangsu Suoteng Offers Dicumene as a Non-toxic, Synergistic Flame Retardant

Jiangsu Suoteng offers Dicumene (DMDBP), a non-hazardous, carbon-based initiator with excellent performance. It is mainly used for polymer cross-linking or grafting reactions at higher temperatures. 

Solution for Halogen-antimony Systems and Halogen-free Alternatives:

In recent years, the flame retardant industry has seen growing demand for dicumene. It is known for its high stability, safe use, and good environmental performance.

Dicumene is primarily used as an initiator, grafting agent, and flame retardant synergist in engineering plastics, flame retardant polyolefins, and other applications.

As environmental regulations become stricter, traditional flame retardants are facing restrictions due to low efficiency, large dosages, and environmental concerns. This has led to a shift toward greener, more efficient, and low-toxicity flame retardants.

Dicumene, as one of the earliest free radical initiators used as a flame retardant synergist, fits well with this trend. Its non-toxic, smoke-suppressing, and cost-effective properties are attracting increasing market interest.

It is widely used in flame retardant polystyrene, polypropylene, brominated and phosphorus flame retardants, bromine-phosphorus composite flame retardants, and engineering plastics. In the halogen-antimony flame retardant system, dicumene reduces the amount of halogen flame retardants and antimony trioxide, which lowers costs, enhances polymer performance, suppresses smoke, reduces toxicity, and improves flame retardancy and mechanical properties of plastics.

Dicumene also serves as a synergist in flame retardancy for polyolefin plastics, replacing antimony trioxide in bromine systems to boost flame retardancy and improve plastic properties. It is used as a grafting catalyst for polystyrene and polypropylene and as a polymer cross-linking initiator.

2,3-Dimethyl-2,3-Diphenylbutane (DMDPB) is versatile in plastic applications and works as a synergistic flame retardant in both bromine-antimony and halogen-free systems. Its high heat resistance makes it suitable for engineering plastics requiring higher processing temperatures. Dicumene is a popular, low-cost, non-toxic, and smoke-suppressing flame retardant.

Product Applications

Flame Retardant Enhancement: Used in polymers like PP, EPS, HIPS, XPS, ABS, etc. In halogen-antimony systems, it reduces halogen flame retardant and antimony trioxide usage, suppresses smoke, cuts toxicity, lowers costs, and improves polymer properties. It also enhances flame retardancy in halogen-free systems.

Minimal Impact on Tensile Strength: Adding 0.1%-0.2% to the system has minimal impact on tensile strength while enhancing flame retardant properties. This reduces the overall flame retardant usage by 15%-30%, offering a cost-effective solution.

Source: Jiangsu Suoteng/www.polymer-additives.specialchem.com

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : Resonac Develops New Photosensitive Film for Advanced Semiconductor Packages

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Resonac Develops New Photosensitive Film for Advanced Semiconductor Packages

"Resonac has developed a new high-resolution photosensitive film for use in the manufacturing of advanced semiconductors, such as AI processors. This film enables the formation of ultra-fine copper circuits with a line width and spacing of 1.5 micrometers (μm) on organic interposers 1. (Patent acquired).

 

Semiconductors have evolved to integrate more functions on a single integrated circuit by miniaturizing circuits, allowing for complex computational processing at high speeds. In recent years, packaging technologies have continued to innovate, including chiplet technology*2 which interconnects multiple chips on an interposer to achieve both high functionality and high-speed processing.

Currently, interposers are manufactured using wafers, but as the number of chips increases, the interposer area needs to be enlarged, presenting challenges such as yield rates. As a solution, organic interposers, which are produced using organic materials and copper plating in a square panel with a side length of about 500 to 600 millimeters, have gathered attention. The newly developed photosensitive film by Resonac achieves a resolution of 1.5 μm in both line width and spacing for organic interposers. The product is provided in a film type suitable for the panel manufacturing process.

In the development process, co-creation was carried out by four organizations. This time, we developed a new polymer resin that is key to achieving the required high resolution. In this development, we utilized AI technology provided by the Research Center for Computational Science and Informatics to perform optimal resin design, while the Institute for Polymer Technology was responsible for the actual resin development. Furthermore, the Photosensitive Materials Development Department conducted the formulation and film processing using this resin. Finally, the Packaging Solution Center 3 conducted prototype testing and evaluation of copper wiring on panels using this film, verifying the optimal process.

Resonac will continue developing and providing cutting-edge materials to support the evolution of semiconductors for the next generation.

 

source:Resonac

Bio-based Engineering Plastic DURABIO used on front grille of Suzuki's new Fronx compact SUV

DURABIO™, a bio-based engineering plastic from the Mitsubishi Chemical Group ("the MCG Group"), has been adopted for use in the front grille of the new Fronx compact SUV from Suzuki Motor Corporation ("Suzuki") launched on October 16.

DURABIO™ is a bioengineering plastic made from isosorbide, a renewable plant-derived raw material that reduces the consumption of petroleum, a depletable resource, and contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gases because the plants used as raw materials absorb CO2 during their growth. Offering excellent impact resistance, scratch resistance, and colorability, this material is being developed for use across a wide range of fields, including automotive interior and exterior parts, optical and electronic device components, and everyday sundries.

DURABIO™ has been widely used for front grilles on Suzuki's domestic and overseas models such as Swift, Spacia Custom and Vitara since S-Cross was launched in Europe at the end of 2021. The recently released Fronx has earned a strong reputation for its impact resistance, weather resistance and other outstanding features, which include a glossy, sophisticated design achieved simply by adding a colorant that eliminates the painting process previously required and reduces the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) generated during manufacturing.

 

The MCG Group will continue providing high value-added products and helping bring about sustainable societies through more extensive utilization of DURABIO™.

source:Mitsubishi Chemical Group

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : World’s First Ultra-Thin Polyimide Film

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

The World’s First Ultra-Thin Polyimide Film at Just 4 Micrometers (μm)!

The world's thinnest ultra-film :

By producing this 4-micrometer ultra-thin polyimide film, following the successful commercialization of a 5-micrometer ultra-thin film, PI Advanced Materials has demonstrated its unrivalled film-making technology on a global scale. The development is expected to provide a competitive edge to the company in the market for lightweight products, essential to the growing trend of slimmer electronic devices, including smartphones.

Essential material in the electronics 

Polyimide films are essential materials in the electronics, aerospace, and automotive industries due to their exceptional heat resistance and strength. While most polyimide films are produced in thicknesses ranging from 12.5 to 25 micrometers, PI Advanced Materials stands out as the only manufacturer worldwide offering a 4-micrometer polyimide film produced by a non-stretching process.

Lightweight and compact devices

These ultra-thin polyimide films are essential for developing lightweight, compact electronic devices such as smartphones, high-performance displays, and wearable technology. They are expected to provide innovative solutions across various applications, including battery materials. Notably, the 4-micrometer film, which is approximately 1/25th the thickness of a human hair, is both lightweight and flexible, making it ideal for miniaturizing components for flexible display panels. These ultra-thin polyimide films can dramatically reduce the thickness and weight of high-definition display panels while enhancing electric vehicle battery efficiency through weight reduction. Starting next year, it will also be applied to improve the heat resistance and durability of smartphones, tablets, and wearable devices.

source:Arkema

Researchers explore sunlight-based recycling for black plastic waste:

A new method for recycling black polystyrene plastics, such as coffee lids and food containers, could help divert these materials from landfills. The approach, reported in ACS Central Science, uses sunlight or white LED light to transform black and colored polystyrene waste into reusable chemical components.

Black plastics are notoriously difficult to recycle due to the color additives complicating sorting processes. Researchers at Cornell University and Princeton University, led by Sewon Oh, Hanning Jiang, and Erin Stache, have developed a technique that uses carbon black, a common additive in these plastics, to initiate a recycling process using light. “Simple, visible light irradiation holds the potential to transform the chemical recycling of plastics, using the additives already found in many commercial products,” the authors stated.

The method involves grinding polystyrene mixed with carbon black into a fine powder, which is then sealed in a glass vial. Exposing the vial to high-intensity white LED light for 30 minutes causes the carbon black to absorb the light and convert it into heat. The heat breaks the polystyrene’s molecular structure, yielding smaller chemical components — mainly one-, two-, and three-styrene units. These byproducts were effectively separated during the process, and both the carbon black and styrene monomer were recycled to create new polystyrene, demonstrating the potential for a circular recycling system.

When applied to post-consumer black plastic items such as coffee lids and food containers, the method converted polystyrene into styrene monomer at a rate of up to 53%. The process was slightly less efficient for plastics contaminated with substances like soy sauce or canola oil. However, switching from LED light to focused sunlight significantly improved efficiency, achieving conversion rates as high as 80%.

The technique was also tested on a multicolored mixture of polystyrene waste, including black, yellow, red, and colorless materials. Under sunlight, the conversion rate reached 67%, compared to 45% under LED light. The researchers attribute the improved results to the higher light intensity sunlight provides.

The study highlights the potential for a closed-loop recycling process for polystyrene waste, mainly using natural sunlight as a more sustainable energy source. By focusing on a commonly used additive like carbon black, the researchers aim to reduce the need for additional chemicals in recycling.

Cornell University, Princeton University, and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Catalysis Science Early Career program funded the research.

source:www.rdworldonline.com

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share :Warpage of Glass fiber filled Nylon

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Warpage of a GF filled nylon part is extremely dependent on temperature and moisture uptake.

Temperature increase is responsible for matrix expansion (negligible for the fibers though), and moisture uptake produces matrix swell (again GF does not care much).

So if a part is warped when dry as molded at room temperature (that is what simulation codes will predict for you !!) it will tend to "UNWARP" as you heat the part or let it uptake moisture.

This effect can perfectly be simulated, if you account properly for the anisotropic elastic properties and fiber orientation and know the swell rate with water uptake.

For temperature induced UNWARP you will need detailed CTE (T) in x, y and z though to get it right ! Those CTE's, with the needed level of detail, are not available directly from Flow Analysis codes for the moment, but e-Xstream engineering, part of Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division Digimat software can provide those.

source:Vito leo