Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : KIT Demonstrates Technologies for Circular Economy at Pilot Scale

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Carbon Cycle Lab: From Waste to Industrial Raw Materials

With rising energy costs, dwindling resources, and growing volumes of trash, humanity has a waste problem. Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have created a new development platform for a more sustainable circular economy: the Carbon Cycle Lab (CCLab). Their research includes a project for chemical recycling of plastic waste, which is being shifted to pilot scale. The project’s aim is to include previously non-recyclable waste in material cycles.

Global plastic production has increased significantly over the past 70 years, reaching about 414 million tonnes in 2023. However, the recycling rate is only 10 percent. Since energy costs are expected to continue rising while resources become scarcer, industrial transformation must include higher recycling rates. KIT is contributing to efforts to achieve higher rates with its new research platform, the Carbon Cycle Lab (CCLab). With their bioliq® project, KIT researchers had already developed a complete recycling process for biological residues. The CCLab now extends their work to the chemical recycling of plastic waste. “For a carbon-neutral circular economy, we need to return waste from industry, households, agriculture, and forestry to our material cycles, and we need to use renewable energy to do so,” said Professor Dieter Stapf, who heads KIT’s Institute for Technical Chemistry. A closed carbon cycle is better for the environment and conserves scarce resources, according to Stapf. “In our country, energy and resources are scarce and expensive,” he added. “In the future, our waste will be a raw material. Recycling it is efficient and economical and will help us reduce our dependency on fossil fuel imports, which has become especially urgent with the crisis in Ukraine.

The Carbon Cycle Lab Benefits from bioliq® Insights

KIT is already conducting extensive research on the use of biogenic residues and renewable resources to produce sustainable chemicals and fuels. In the bioliq® project, which was completed late last year, KIT scientists and their partners set up the first pilot plant capable of producing tonnes of gasoline from straw. “Much of what we have learned from bioliq® is going into CCLab,” said Professor Frederik Scheiff, head of the Fuel Technology Division at KIT’s Engler-Bunte Institute. “In the last operating campaign, we demonstrated a potential way forward by converting plastic pyrolysis oils to chemical raw materials for the first time. That was something nobody else had really done yet,” Scheiff said. “We’ve learned how to develop and scale such technologies, and we’ve showed that they can also be used to convert complex and previously non-recyclable plastic waste into chemical raw materials.

source : Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : Short vs Long glass fibers

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Why do Long glass fibers impart unique mechanical properties compared to short fibers ?

Like in a rope pulling game, little stress can be transferred on a short fiber, so fiber pull-out will dominate in case of a tensile fracture. A long fiber is like a longer rope with more people pulling on each side. In this case the strength limit of the rope (fiber) can be reached, and fibers will break when testing the compound in tension.

Interfacial strength also works in this analogy. If the pullers have slippery hands, they will fail breaking the rope which will slip out of hand.

This is how/why one can define the concept of fiber "critical length" below which fibers will be pulled out rather than broken in a compound tensile test.

source : Vito leo

Birla Carbon Recognized as Judges’ Choice Winner at the 2025 Environment + Energy Leader Awards for Emission Control Innovation

Birla Carbon, one of the leading global manufacturers and suppliers of high-quality carbon-based solutions, has been honoured as the Judges’ Choice Winner in the Environmental Impact Project category at the 2025 Environment+Energy Leader (E+E Leader) Awards. This recognition highlights the company’s innovative emission control project at its North Bend plant in Louisiana, USA, advancing sustainability in industrial manufacturing.

Speaking about the achievement, Dale Clark, Chief Manufacturing Officer, Americas & EMEA, Birla Carbon, said, “This project sets a new benchmark for innovation in emission reduction and represents a significant step toward sustainable manufacturing. At Birla Carbon, we believe the future of industrial sustainability lies in engaging responsibly with the environment. Our purpose, to ‘Share the Strength,’ ensures that our innovations contribute to both industry and global progress and reinforces our commitment to Research, Reduce, Replace, and Repurpose our materials towards sustainable progress.

Birla Carbon implemented an innovative emission control project designed to effectively reduce sulphur dioxide (SO₂) emissions while enhancing environmental efficiency. Traditional flue gas desulfurization (FGD) technologies typically involve processes that require additional resources and by-products requiring additional handling. Birla Carbon’s forward-thinking approach leverages the natural alkalinity of seawater from the adjacent Gulf Intercoastal Waterway to neutralize sulphur compounds, converting them into naturally occurring salts that are safely returned to the ocean. This solution eliminates the need for additional chemicals and minimizes waste.

Key project achievements:

->95% annual reduction in SO₂ emissions, contributing to improved air quality

->Avoidance of approximately 1.44 million pounds of gypsum waste disposal per week

->Lower greenhouse gas emissions by reducing transportation and disposal requirements

Randy Waskul, Global Director, Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE), Birla Carbon, added, “The emission control project in North Bend has resulted in several environmental benefits, including improved air quality, reduced smog, lower acid rain formation, and a decline in nutrient pollution. Achieving a 95% reduction in SO₂ emissions annually is a major milestone for Birla Carbon in responsible manufacturing. This project exemplifies how industrial processes can work in harmony with natural ecosystems while advancing sustainability goals.

The Judges’ Choice distinction is awarded to the top-scoring entry in each category, recognizing outstanding innovation and impact in environmental and energy management.

source:Birla Carbon

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : Thin Ply UD Tapes by A+ Composites

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

✈️ Thin Ply UD Tapes by A+ Composites: Enabling the Next Generation of Aerospace Lightweight Structures

Modern aircraft design faces increasing demands: reduced weight, enhanced safety, extended service life, and more sustainable manufacturing. With its advanced Thin Ply UD Tapes, A+ Composites delivers a breakthrough composite solution tailored for aerospace applications—ultrathin, highly durable, and automation-ready.

These unidirectional tapes feature extremely low ply thicknesses (<< 100 µm), allowing for highly optimized layups with precise fiber orientation and improved damage tolerance. The result: lighter, more fatigue-resistant structures that meet the most demanding aerospace requirements.

🔹 Key benefits for aerospace engineering:

✔ Significant weight savings through fiber path optimization

✔ Higher fatigue resistance and damage tolerance

✔ Ideal for complex geometries and curvature transitions

✔ Consistent quality in automated layup processes (e.g., AFP)

✔ Excellent thermal and chemical performance

💡 Versatile material options for every specification

A+ Composites offers its Thin Ply UD Tapes with a wide range of high-performance thermoplastic matrix systems, including:

• PEI (Polyetherimide) – flame retardant, heat resistant

• PPS (Polyphenylene Sulfide) – chemical resistance, dimensional stability

• LM-PAEK (Low-Melt Polyaryletherketone) –out-of-autoclave processing and back-injectable

• PC (Polycarbonate) – impact resistant, formable

🛠 Process integration made easy

Thin Ply UD Tapes are fully compatible with advanced manufacturing technologies such as Automated Fiber Placement (AFP), thermoforming, and hybrid molding processes. In particular, back-injection molding with e.g LM-PAEK-based tapes allows for efficient integration of structural and functional elements—opening new possibilities for lightweight design in aerospace interiors and substructures.

🌍 Lighter aircraft = greener aviation

By reducing structural weight and material waste, Thin Ply UD Tapes help decrease fuel consumption and support sustainability goals across the aerospace industry.

🎯 Conclusion:

Thin Ply UD Tapes by A+ Composites offer a next-generation composite solution for aerospace—combining high mechanical performance, processing efficiency, and material versatility.

source: A+ Composites

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : Council and Parliament agree on new rules to reduce microplastic pollution

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Plastic pellet losses: Council and Parliament agree on new rules to reduce microplastic pollution

Today, the Council and the European Parliament provisionally agreed on a regulation on preventing the loss of plastic pellets – the industrial raw materials used to make plastic products – into the environment. The new rules will help improve the handling of plastic pellets at all stages of the supply chain, both on land and sea.

Microplastics, including plastic pellets are now found everywhere — in our oceans, seas and even in the food we eat. Each year, the equivalent of up to 7,300 truckloads of plastic pellets are lost to the environment. Today, the EU has taken a landmark step toward reducing pellet pollution by adopting measures to tackle losses and ensure correct handling, including in maritime transport.

Stronger prevention of pellet losses

Under the new rules, prevention of plastic pellet losses would be the main objective for operators and EU and non-EU carriers. A clear framework sets out obligations for cases of accidental losses focusing on clean-up operations. A clear set of measures will be included in a risk management plan, prepared by each installation handling pellets. Such measures would tackle, among others,  packaging, loading and unloading, staff training, as well as necessary equipment.

To provide for a level playing field between the EU and non-EU carriers and to ensure accountability and transparency for all carriers of plastic pellets, non-EU carriers will have to designate an authorised representative in the EU.

Achieving simplification and compliance:

In line with the simplification goals for smaller companies and reflecting the Council’s approach, the provisional agreement strikes a balance between a high level of environmental protection and the requirements for companies adapted to their different size. In this sense, operators that handle above 1 500 tonnes of plastic pellets annually will have to obtain a certificate issued by an independent third party. Small companies also handling above 1 500 tonnes per year will benefit from lighter obligations, such as one-off certification to be done in 5 years after the entry into force. Finally, companies handling less than 1 500 tonnes annually and microenterprises will only need to issue a self-declaration of conformity.

Maritime transport:

The persistence of a plastic pellet in an aquatic environment can be measured over decades or more, since plastic pellets are not biodegradable. Moreover, maritime transport accounted for around 38% of all pellets transported in the EU in 2022.

Therefore, the co-legislators also agreed to set obligations for the transport of plastic pellets by sea (in freight containers), including ensuring good quality packaging and providing transport and cargo-related information, following the guidelines of the International Maritime Organisation.

Next steps:

The provisional agreement will now have to be endorsed by the Council and the Parliament. It will then be formally adopted by both institutions, following a legal and linguistic review, and published in the Official Journal of the EU. The regulation will then become applicable 2 years after publication. To facilitate compliance within the maritime sector, the co-legislators agreed to postpone the application of relevant rules by one year (compared to the rest of the rules set out in the regulation).

Background:

It is estimated that between 52 140 and 184 290 tonnes of pellets were lost into the environment in the EU in 2019. Pellet losses can occur at various stages along the value chain. Currently, no EU rules specifically cover plastic pellet losses, despite their adverse impacts on the environment, the climate, the economy and potentially on human health. Plastic pellets rank third among the largest sources of unintentional microplastic releases, after paints and tyres.

source : European Council

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : Avantium to develop PEF-based spacer fabric for Auping mattresses

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Avantium Advances PEF-Based Spacer Fabric For Auping Mattresses With Consortium Of Textile Innovators

Avantium N.V., a leading company in renewable and circular polymer materials, is pleased to announce significant progress in its collaboration with leading textile innovators to develop PEF (#polyethylenefuranoate)-based spacer fabric for #Aupingmattresses. #PEF is a plant-based, fully circular polymer material. Recently, a consortium comprising of Auping, Muller Textiles, ANTEX and Monosuisse has successfully developed a PEF-based spacer fabric, a key component in Auping mattresses.

#Spacerfabric is an innovative material known for its breathability, cushioning, and versatility. Unlike traditional #2Dfabrics, spacer fabric is constructed by joining two separate layers of fabric with monofilaments , creating a breathable 3D "microclimate" between the layers. This unique structure allows heat and vapor to escape from the body while enabling cool air to circulate through the permeable layer, ensuring optimal temperature control and maximum air circulation.

Over the course of 2024, Auping, renowned for its commitment to sustainable innovations in premium sleeping solutions, has been working closely with Muller Textiles, a leader in fabric development. Muller Textiles has been developing and supplying PEF-based spacer fabric, while ANTEX and Monosuisse have supplied yarns to Muller Textiles. The consortium has completed the initial proof of concept study and is now progressing towards prototype development. Simultaneously, efforts are being directed towards scaling up the development and production process.

Pavan Kumar Manvi, Technical Application Manager at Avantium, says: "We are proud to collaborate with Auping, Antex, Monosuisse, and Muller Textiles to drive innovation in the textile industry. This partnership underscores our collective commitment to minimizing the environmental footprint of textile production. By harnessing #Avantium's innovative technology and the combined expertise of our partners, we can make meaningful progress towards a more sustainable textile industry."

source : Avantium

Praj industries latest partnership with ThyssenKruppUhde for PLA production

Praj industries:

We’re proud to announce a 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 between Praj Industries and thyssenkrupp Uhde's polymer experts, Uhde Inventa-Fischer GmbH to revolutionize the 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐲𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐜𝐢𝐝 (𝐏𝐋𝐀) — a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics.

This collaboration combines 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐣’𝐬 𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠-𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐀™ technology with 𝐔𝐈𝐅’𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐧𝐞𝐨® process to deliver a seamless, end-to-end integrated solution for PLA production — from feedstock to final polymer.

Key highlights:

🔹 Joint expertise in industrial biotechnology and chemical engineering

🔹 Sustainable, cost-effective production of lactic acid and PLA

🔹 Applications across packaging, textiles, hygiene, and more

🔹 Adaptable to first- and second-generation (non-food) feedstocks

🔹 Backed by Praj's Demonstration Facility for Biopolymers and a Centre of Excellence & Innovation with ICT Mumbai

Together, we’re advancing the circular bioeconomy and enabling industries to transition from fossil-based plastics to innovative, eco-friendly materials.

Let’s create a more sustainable world, one bioplastic at a time.

 

#Bioplastics #PLA #PrajIndustries #thyssenkruppUhde #PLANERA #PLAneo

source: Praj Industries