Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Adolf von Baeyer-The Nobel Prize in 1905

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Adolf von Baeyer-The Nobel Prize in 1905

The Discovery of Indigo:

In 1860,#AdolfvonBaeyer habilitated in Berlin and accepted a teaching position for organic chemistry at the Gewerbeinstitut in Berlin. In 1866, the University of Berlin, at the suggestion of A.W. Hofmann, conferred on him a senior lectureship, which, however, was unpaid. In this period however, Baeyer started his work on indigo, which soon led to the discovery of indole and to the partial synthesis of indigotin. Also in this period, Baeyer developed his theory of carbon-dioxide assimilation in formaldehyde. He was appointed chair at the University of Munich after Justus von Liebig had passed away and Baeyer was able to perform the synthesis of indigo.One year later, in 1881, the Royal Society of London awarded him the Davy Medal for his work with indigo. In 1883 Baeyer succeeded in correctly elucidating the structure of indigo. Although Baeyer patented the synthesis of indigo, it was not really economically feasible. The manufacturing costs were too high compared to the natural dye, so that this synthesis route had to be abandoned. Later, Baeyer and Viggo Beutner Drewsen developed an industrially insignificant indigo synthesis from nitrobenzaldehyde. Only in 1900 Karl Heumann developed an economical indigo synthesis.

The Synthesis of Alizarin:

Another economically important natural dye at the time was alizarin, which Baeyer’s assistants Carl Graebe and Liebermann reduced to #anthracene using zinc dust. They now developed a new #anthraquinone synthesis from anthracene with #potassiumdichromate and #sulfuricacid. By treating the anthraquinone with bromine at 100 °C and subsequent treatment with potassium hydroxide, the #alizarin could also be synthesized. Baeyer and Carl clarified the position of the hydroxy groups in alizarin. Baeyer also discovered the group of triphenylmethane dyes. To celebrate Baeyer’s 70th birthday, a collection of his scientific papers was published in 1905.

In 1905 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in #Chemistry for his services to “the development of organic chemistry and the #chemicalindustry through his work on #organicdyes and #hydroaromaticcompounds”.

Source:scihi.org

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Fraunhofer to Replace Fluoropolymers with High-Performance Elastomers and Plasma Coatings

Fraunhofer’s work marks a significant step toward sustainable, high-performance alternatives in areas where fluoropolymers have long been considered irreplaceable, such as the paints and coatings market.

The Fraunhofer Institutes have launched a new research initiative aimed at replacing fluoropolymers in demanding technical applications in response to growing regulatory pressure on fluorinated substances. The project, titled HATE-FLUOR, began in February and is a collaboration between the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability (LBF) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials (IFAM).

The initiative comes at a time when manufacturers across industries are seeking alternatives to poly- and perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), also known as ‘forever chemicals.’ These compounds, widely used for their chemical resistance and thermal stability, are facing increasing scrutiny from the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Fluoroelastomers, a significant subset of PFAS used in sealing applications, are among the materials under threat.

The HATE-FLUOR project aims to develop a new generation of high-performance elastomers that are entirely fluorine-free. These materials will be enhanced with tailored antioxidants, novel formulations, and advanced coatings to provide the durability and resistance currently achieved through fluoropolymers.

The project targets a broad range of industries, including mechanical and medical engineering, cleanroom and semiconductor technology, chemical process engineering and electronics, many of which depend on fluoroelastomer components to withstand harsh conditions.

Moreover, Fraunhofer LBF is developing thermally and chemically robust elastomer compounds, focusing on improving thermal and thermo-oxidative stability with cutting-edge antioxidant technologies, as well as creating application-specific formulations to ensure high resistance and strong adhesion. Meanwhile, Fraunhofer IFAM is advancing coating technologies to protect these new elastomers. Key developments include polyimide-based coatings reinforced with layered silicates, designed to block harmful gases and moisture. These coatings are expected to significantly reduce ageing and degradation, especially in sensitive electronics and high-performance environments. Modifications to the layered silicates aim to reduce the permeation of water vapour and oxygen by up to 99%.

The combined expertise of LBF and IFAM in PFAS alternatives and surface technologies underpins the project’s modular approach. By integrating advanced elastomer compounds with plasma and coatings, the HATE-FLUOR initiative promises a scalable and adaptable solution to the looming regulatory and environmental challenges posed by fluorinated materials.

source: Fraunhofer Institutes/ ipcm

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : New rules for safer toys in the EU

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

New rules for safer toys in the EU

The European Commission welcomes the provisional political agreement between the European Parliament and the Council on the new toy safety rules, following the Commission's proposal for a Regulation on Toy Safety from 28 July 2023.

The new Regulation will ban the use of harmful chemicals, such as PFAS, endocrine disruptors and bisphenols, in toys. All toys will have a Digital Product Passport to prevent unsafe toys sold online and offline from entering the EU. The Regulation sets stricter rules on online sales and give inspectors greater powers to remove dangerous toys from the market. This will ensure that imported toys are as safe for consumers as toys manufactured in the EU.

The new requirements

Building on the existing rules, the new Toy Safety Regulation will update the safety requirements that toys must meet to be marketed in the EU, whether they are manufactured in the EU or elsewhere. More specifically, today's agreement will:

Better protect against harmful chemicals: In addition to the substances already banned, the new Regulation will prohibit the use of chemicals that affect the endocrine system (#endocrinedisruptors) or the respiratory system, those that can create skin allergies or are toxic to a specific organ. It will also ban the use of dangerous #bisphenols and per- and #polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in toys.

Better use of digital tools: with the new Regulation, all #toys will be required to have a Digital Product Passport in the format of a data carrier, such as a QR code, on the toy. Consumers or authorities will easily see the toy's product, compliance and other information. Importers will have to submit digital product passports at the EU borders, including for toys sold online. A new IT system will screen all digital product passports at the EU's external borders and will identify the shipments that need detailed controls at customs. Checks on toys by national inspectors will be facilitated, as information will be readily available in the digital product passport. This will streamline actions against unsafe toys in the EU and ensure that all toys manufacturers can compete equally and fairly.

Next step:

The political agreement is now subject to formal approval by the European Parliament and the Council. It will entry into force after 20 days following its publication in the Official Journal. The Regulation foresees a transition period for industry and authorities to adapt to the new rules.

Background

Directive 2009/48/EC on the safety of toys lays down the safety requirements that toys must meet to be placed on the #EU, irrespective of whether they are manufactured in the EU or in third countries. This facilitates the free movement of toys within the Single Market.

source : European Commission

Green Dot Bioplastics Announces Metallization Success with Terratek® BD3003

Metallization is used in many flexible packaging applications to improve barrier performance, as well as for decoration and marketing differentiation. Green Dot Bioplastics is excited to announce initial film metallizing success in collaboration with Rol-Vac, LP, a leader in the metallization of plastic films and other flexible substrates. This success expands the application possibilities for our TUV Austria certified home and industrial compostable material Terratek ® BD3003.

The metal adhesion is quite good, making this home and industrial compostable resin a promising option for metallized film applications. Like LDPE, Terratek® BD3003 is a softer film even after it is metallized and maintains its great puncture and tear resistance properties. The softer feel of the film, quite different from the stiffness of other compostable films such as those made from #polylacticacid (PLA), will make a package stand out to consumers. #GreenDotBioplastics is eager to continue this metallization work with leaders in the food and consumer #packaging industries.

Terratek® BD3003 has a natural dyne level of 39 lending itself well to adhesion, coating, and laminating. With properties similar to low density polyethylene (LDPE), this #compostable resin does not require major processing parameter changes or significant adjustments in downstream secondary operations.

“Film metallization is important to give compostable plastics necessary barrier properties”, said Mark Remmert, Green Dot CEO, “and we are excited that research at Green Dot Bioplastics has brought forth another breakthrough advancement for the industry.

source :Green Dot Bioplastics

 

ALBA Tridi Achieves FDA Approval for Food-Grade rPET

 PT ALBA Tridi Plastics Recycling Indonesia in Kendal, Central Java, reached a major milestone by receiving a No Objection Letter (NOL) from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). This approval confirms that its mechanically recycled post-consumer PET plastics are suitable for food-grade packaging. Click here to view the ALBA Tridi FDA NOL certification.

This FDA NOL is a testament to the premium quality of our recycled PET flakes and validates our operational excellence, stated JIAQING LYU (Estelle), COO of Plastics Recycling at ALBA Group Asia. “As the first and only food-grade recycling facility in Central Java, the Kendal facility reflects our commitment to advancing the circular economy in Asia. We are dedicated to partnering with local communities and our trusted customers to share our vision of a world without waste delivering recycled PET that meets the highest global standards.

Located in Kendal City, Central Java, PT ALBA Tridi is equipped with state-of-the-art machinery, including a BoReTech washing line, TOMRA sorters, and a Starlinger extruder and SSP (solid-state polycondensation) system from Austria. These technologies enable the production of 24,000 tons of rPET flakes and 12,000 tons of food-grade rPET pellets annually. The FDA’s NOL is recognized in the U.S. and other regions under FDA jurisdiction.

With three operational recycling facilities across Asia New Life Plastics (Hong Kong SAR), ALBA RORR New Material (Jiangxi, China), and ALBA Tridi (Central Java, Indonesia)—ALBA Group Asia continues to be your reliable partner for global plastics recycling. The company leverages its technological know-how, operational excellence, and global sales and marketing capabilities to produce high-quality rPET.

source: PT ALBA Tridi Plastics Recycling Indonesia

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : Sir William Ramsay-Nobel Prize 1904

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Sir William Ramsay-Nobel Prize 1904

The Discovery of Argon

William Ramsay's involvement in the discovery of the noble gases argon, neon, krypton and xenon formed an entirely new group in the periodic table and earned him a Nobel Prize.

Ramsay was born in Glasgow in 1852 and studied there and in Tübingen, Germany, completing a doctorate in organic chemistry and a thesis entitled Investigations in the Toluic and Nitrotoluic Acids. His first academic posts were at the Universities of Glasgow and Bristol, where he conducted research on organic chemistry and gases. He joined SCI at its foundation in 1881. Together with William Shenstone, the Head of Science at Clifton College, he set up and actively promoted the Bristol Scientific Club.

In 1887 Ramsay became Professor of Chemistry at University College London, where he made his most notable discoveries, and his early papers on the oxides of nitrogen were well regarded by his peers. He also became known for his inventive and thorough experimental techniques, especially his methods for determining the molecular weights of substances in the liquid state.

In 1894 Ramsay attended a lecture given by the physicist Lord Rayleigh (John William Strutt). Rayleigh had noticed a discrepancy between the density of nitrogen made by chemical synthesis, and nitrogen isolated from the air by removing its other known components. The two collaborated, and some months later Ramsay told Rayleigh he had isolated a previously unknown heavy component of air, which had no obvious chemical reactivity, which he named argon, after the Greek word for inactive.

While investigating for argon in a uranium-bearing mineral, Ramsay found a new element, helium. Since 1868, helium had been known to exist, but only in the sun! This discovery led him to suggest the existence of a new group of elements in the periodic table. With colleagues he then followed this with the discovery of neon, krypton, and xenon, and in 1910, radon. Ramsay and Rayleigh received the Nobel Prizes in 1904 for Chemistry and Physics respectively, for their discovery of the noble gases, and Ramsay served as SCI president from 1903-4.

Practical applications were soon found. Helium replaced the highly-flammable hydrogen for use in airships (though not the Hindenburg) and argon was used to conserve the filaments in light bulbs. Today, noble gases are used in lighting, welding, space exploration, deep-sea diving, where a helium-oxygen mix is favoured.

Source: Wikipedia and the Chemical Heritage Foundation/soci.org

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Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : Building Better Bioadhesives for Long-Term Medical Implants

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Building Better Bioadhesives for Long-Term Medical Implants

A Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) researcher is developing a new class of medical adhesives by bringing together hydrogels and glue-like polymers to safely and reliably connect human tissues to therapeutic devices implanted in the body, such as pacemakers, insulin pumps, and artificial joints.

Jiawei Yang, an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering who is affiliated with the Department of Biomedical Engineering, has received a prestigious $644,659 CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation to create bioadhesives that can provide strong, stable adhesion and comply with the mechanical demands on biological tissues.

“Medical devices and human beings are made of very different materials,” said Yang. “Medical devices are mostly made of hard materials, such as metal or plastic. Human tissue is generally soft and wet. There is a critical need for better adhesives that are soft and wet, like human tissues, to knit together tissues and devices. Better adhesives can work better with the body and would significantly improve healthcare and quality of life for patients.

Yang will develop bioadhesives with two layers—a transparent solid hydrogel layer and a clear liquid adhesive layer. Yang will develop a modular system of hydrogels that are tailored to the mechanical properties of target tissues and polymers that can merge with human tissues. Together, the hydrogel-polymer bioadhesives will provide fast, strong, stable, and deep adhesion in the body. 

As part of his five-year project, Yang will collaborate with Dr. Steffen Pabel at Massachusetts General Hospital to develop a hydrogel heart patch loaded with medications to treat atrial fibrillation, a type of irregular heartbeat. He also will create education and research programs about hydrogels for children and college students. PhD student Jiatai Sun will work on the project with Yang.

There are many potential applications for new bioadhesives, Yang said. They might be used to pair with electrodes that are implanted in the body to treat Parkinson’s disease or manage and treat heart failure. They also could be combined with therapeutic agents to heal damaged cartilage or generate healthy new tissues.

Hydrogels are materials composed of water and networks of polymers, which are very large molecules. Wound dressings, contact lenses, and absorbent materials in diapers are all examples of hydrogels.

Hydrogel bioadhesives have been mostly used in emergency medicine to temporarily patch injuries, close wounds, and seal tissues. Yet they are less suited to long-term use in the body, specifically in implantation, because they cannot provide strong and stable adhesion while matching the mechanical properties of target tissues in the body.

source: Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)