Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:New Adhesive from Kiilto

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

A new adhesive line with further improved quality and efficiency in bonding of load-bearing wooden structures

In the production of wooden structures, Kiilto Pro SW, a new line of one-component polyurethane adhesives, can boost the bonding process by up to 30%. The adhesives meet the requirements of EN 15425:2023 I 90 GP 0.3 w (adhesive type I). The different stages involved in the production of engineered wood have been extensively studied in developing the adhesive. In addition to improved production efficiency, this attention to detail can be seen in the excellent foaming properties of the adhesive. These properties reduce the need for adhesive in production.

Wood construction is becoming increasingly popular, as it contributes to achieving the goal of carbon neutrality. Wood is also a warm, safe and aesthetic construction material. Cross-laminated timber, or CLT, has provided the industry with new opportunities, and log construction has once again become popular.

Kiilto has developed a new adhesive line, offering a wide range of technical solutions for the engineered wood industry. The Kiilto Pro SW line is suitable for applications requiring strength and quality that can withstand decades of use. According to Business Development Manager Juha Rinne of Kiilto, the product’s applications include not only cross laminated timber but also roof trusses, glulam beams, log construction and structural finger jointing.

Optimal ratio between open and pressing time

As RDI Manager Jussi Hänninen of Kiilto points out, the required open time of adhesive vary, depending on the number of layers that the CLT element is to be made up of – for example, three, five or seven.

“The Kiilto Pro SW line includes options with an optimal ratio between the open and pressing times. This way, the customer can choose the adhesive that is best suited for their factory and production.”

Often, the optimal solution for the engineered wood industry is one with a long open time but the shortest possible pressing time.

“Usually, when the pressing time is divided by the open time, the resulting coefficient is 2.5. However, with the Kiilto Pro SW line, in standard conditions the coefficient can be as low as 1.5,” says Hänninen.

Rinne calculates that optimising the ratio between the open time and pressing time can help increase the efficiency of the bonding process by up to 30%.

“In other words, productivity can also be improved by simply changing the adhesive, without the need to invest in a new press, for example.”

 

Less adhesive – without compromising on quality

“The adhesive spreads well and penetrates the wood during the pressing phase. A high-quality bonding result can be achieved with less adhesive, which reduces production costs. Material efficiency also contributes to environmental friendliness,” Rinne points out.

The product is highly shear-thinning, meaning its viscosity is high when stationary and decreases during movement.

Bio-based option on the way

Wood construction is already a good option for achieving a lower carbon footprint in construction. If the carbon footprint of the end products is to be further reduced, there is also an option for that.”

“Kiilto will also launch a product with identical technical properties but made of partly bio-based components instead of fossil ones. The proportion of bio-based materials can be up to 25%,” says Hänninen.

Arkema wins award for ZEBRA project

Arkema wins award for ZEBRA project

The JEC Composites Innovation Awards 2025 ceremony held on 13th of this month, rewarded 11 innovative collaborative projects. Arkema and its partners won in the "renewable energies" category for the ZEBRA project.

ZEBRA stands for Zero wastE Blade ReseArch. A research project launched in 2020 in full confinement with the aim of creating the first 100% recyclable wind turbine blade. A project which, 5 years on, has lived up to its promise.

The Awards recognize the research work of the teams who have succeeded in developing the world's largest 100% recyclable wind turbine blade using our Elium® thermoplastic resin and a Bostik adhesive.

"The JEC Award for the ZEBRA project in the renewable energy category is a major recognition for Arkema and Elium® resin, underlining our commitment to sustainable innovation. This distinction reflects our ability to offer advanced solutions that combine performance, sustainability and respect for the environment, thus helping to accelerate the energy transition and meet global challenges", Pierre Gérard, Materials R&D Engineer.

In addition to Arkema and Bostik, the project is above all a collaborative effort involving a number of partners: CANOE, Engie, IRT (Institut de recherche technologique) Jules Verne, LM Wind Power, Owens Corning, Suez.

source:Arkema

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : ULTRAMID T6000 GRADE FOR EV APPLICATIONS

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

BASF launches innovative Ultramid® T6000 grade for electric vehicle applications

BASF’s newly developed flame retardant (FR) grade of Ultramid® T6000 polyphthalamide (PPA) is now used in terminal block application. This upgraded solution replaces non-FR material, enhancing safety for the inverter and motor system in electric vehicles (EVs).

Ultramid T6000 bridges the gap between traditional PA66 and PA6T, offering superior mechanical and dielectric properties, particularly in humid conditions and at elevated temperatures. Its easy processing and low corrosion on tools make it the preferred choice for complex automotive applications. With its wide range of pre-color options, including vibrant shades, Ultramid T6000 enhances aesthetic flexibility while maintaining high performance standards.

"As safety becomes increasingly vital in the design and material selection for metal components in EVs, such as wiring terminals and busbars, BASF is committed to developing innovative solutions for the EV industry. Our goal is not only to meet today's design needs but also to equip our customers with the tools to develop cutting-edge technologies that address future technical requirements and safety standards," said Eng Guan Soh, Vice President, Business Management Engineering Plastics, Performance Materials Asia Pacific, BASF.

The FR grade of Ultramid T6000 is specifically designed for EV applications, offering exceptional high strength ideal for terminal block use. This innovative material enhances the durability of electrical systems in new energy vehicles by withstanding thermal shock from -40°C to 150°C for 1,000 cycles and provides excellent electrical isolation for terminal blocks and high voltage busbars, significantly improving safety on the vehicle's 800V platform. A standout feature is its non-halogenated flame retardant, which minimizes the risk of metal corrosion and meets stringent safety standards, ensuring protection for vehicle occupants in the event of a fire.

Additionally, its remarkable strength, stiffness, and dimensional stability allow for the creation of complex designs that can endure the rigors of automotive assembly, while also facilitating the integration of multiple functions into single components, ultimately simplifying assembly and enhancing space efficiency in EVs.

source:BASF

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : EPA begins evaluating Five Chemicals

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

EPA Begins Process to Prioritize Five Chemicals for Risk Evaluation Under Toxic Substances Control Act

 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it is beginning the process to prioritize five additional toxic chemicals for risk evaluation under the nation’s premier chemical safety law. If, during the 12-month long statutory process, EPA designates these five chemicals as High Priority Substances, EPA will then begin risk evaluations for these chemicals.

EPA plans to prioritize the following chemicals for risk evaluation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA):

Acetaldehyde (CASRN 75-07-0),

Acrylonitrile (CASRN 107-13-1),

Benzenamine (CASRN 62-53-3),

4,4’-Methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) (MBOCA) (CASRN 101-14-4), and

Vinyl Chloride (CASRN 75-01-4).

“Under the Biden-Harris Administration, EPA has made significant progress implementing the 2016 amendments to strengthen our nation’s chemical safety laws after years of mismanagement and delay. Today marks an important step forward,” said Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Michal Freedhoff. “Moving forward to comprehensively study the safety these five chemicals that have been in use for decades is key to better protecting people from toxic exposure.”

“Most vinyl chloride is used to make polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, which poses significant health and environmental problems that have been known for over 50 years. This is one of the most important chemical review processes ever undertaken by the EPA. I applaud the EPA for launching this review,” said Judith Enck, President of Beyond Plastics and former EPA Regional Administrator.

This step is consistent with a commitment from the Biden-Harris Administration to understand and address environmental and toxic exposures as part of the Cancer Moonshot’s mission to end cancer as we know it, and as progress on delivering environmental justice.

Going forward, EPA expects to initiate prioritization on five chemicals every year, which will create a sustainable and effective pace for risk evaluations. Prioritization is the first step under EPA’s authority to regulate existing chemicals currently on the market and in use – to evaluate whether health and environmental protections are needed.

source:EPA

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : CIRCULAR RECYCLING

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

I recently attended a presentation where many "passes" of processing of a PP were examined to understand the issues related to "circular recycling" where the same polymer would go around the circle of manufacturing, shredding and reprocessing possibly...forever.

There was no mention however of a very important and critical factor : additives consumption.

With almost no exceptions (PVDF might be one), all plastics are compounded into pellets with various additives, particularly to protect the polymer from oxidation and other degradation paths during processing (high T, high shear stresses, long residence times,...).

The bulk of these additives are actually "consumed" during processing (for instance to capture free radicals and terminate reactions).

As a result, sending the material into an endless loop without replenishing the compound with fresh amounts of additives will always lead to quick degradation and loss of properties.

Differential Scanning Calorimetry can be used to perform a standard test (Oxidation Induction Times Test, in short :OIT) on PP to assess the loss of additives and help define a reformulation strategy.

So in conclusion, NO, you cannot just reprocess a polymer many times without reformulating appropriately.

Any studies on recycling that do not account for this are basically useless and not representative of the future needs of our industry where regulations are moving fast towards mandatory increasing recycling fractions to be used in production, particularly in Automotive with recent Eu rules.

source: Vito leo

CRRC releases prototypes of CR450 high-speed train

The prototypes of CR450 high-speed EMU (electric multiple unit) were unveiled in Beijing. With a test speed of 450 km/h and a commercial operating speed of 400 km/h, the CR450 will become the fastest high-speed train in the world once it enters service.

The CR450AF and CR450BF models, produced by CRRC Sifang and CRRC Changchun respectively, boast five key improvements: increased speed, advanced safety, energy efficiency, enhanced comfort, and intelligent technology.

The CR450 is significantly faster than the CR400 Fuxing high-speed trains currently in service, which operate at speeds of 350 km/h. A lighter weight is crucial for high-speed trains. The CR450 has cut its weight by over 10 percent compared to the CR400, thanks to the adoption of new materials such as carbon fibre composites and magnesium alloys, as well as the topology optimisation technique.

The CR450’s development represents China’s venture into new and unexplored aspects of the high-speed train industry. CRRC says the R&D team of the CR450 has performed more than 100 experiments to explore how different parameters of the train are affected by the rising train speeds. They have gathered data features in different speed contexts and operating environments such as bridges, tunnels, and curves, laying a robust groundwork for the development of the CR450 high-speed train.

source: CRRC/jeccomposites.com

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : LSU RESEARCHERS CREATE LOW-COST METHOD TO RECYCLE PLASTIC

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

LSU researchers have created a new, low-cost way to break down plastic, a potential breakthrough that could save billions of dollars and eliminate billions of tons of plastic pollution.

Getting plastics to the recycling plant is only half the battle. The other half is reusing that plastic waste to create new products,” said James Dorman, program manger with the U.S. Department of Energy and former LSU Chemical Engineering professor. “Some estimates show as much as 95 percent of plastics in the U.S. ends up in landfills and incinerators. Our process breaks down commercial plastics, including polystyrene and high- and low-density polyethylene, so recycled material can be seamlessly integrated into new products.

Dorman and LSU Chemical Engineering Professor Kerry Dooley use electromagnetic induction heating along with special magnetic materials and catalysts to break down different types of plastic.

Electromagnetic waves melt the plastics from the inside out, which requires far less energy. Dorman and Dooley’s process also produces only small amounts of unwanted byproducts such as methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, unlike conventional recycling. The conventional method of melting plastic waste, pyrolysis, requires high temperatures and produces gases like carbon dioxide and hydrogen.

Dorman and Dooley’s method works at lower temperatures and offers more precise control of the breakdown process. Their method can be tailored to handle food residues and other contaminants that help limit plastics recycling. For example, recyclers commonly send plastic containers that still contain food yogurt for example to the landfill because the residue taints the recycled material.

Most plastic starts with fossil fuels. Refiners heat oil and natural gas to “crack” the large molecules into smaller molecules, among them ethylene and propylene. Those chemicals are the building blocks used to make a variety of plastics. By linking the monomers, plastics manufacturers create a long chain molecule called a polymer, or a plastic.

 “Our extraction process retains key, core monomers, so they can be reinserted into the polymerization process,” Dorman said. “For example, we can pull the ethylene from the polyethylene during recycling and use it to make new polyethylene.”

Ethylene and propylene are extremely valuable. The global market for ethylene alone is estimated at $150 billion.

“By recycling these chemicals, we can help reduce the need for new fossil fuels and lower greenhouse gas emissions Dooley said. “Basically, our extraction process helps clean up the environment and creates a way to make money from what was once trash.”

This breakthrough in plastic recycling is a crucial step in our Scholarship First Agenda mission to build a research platform for energy resilience.

source:Louisiana State University