Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : New Ultramid® Advanced N for high-voltage connectors in electric cars

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

New Ultramid® Advanced N for high-voltage connectors in electric cars

BASF is now complementing its polyphthalamide (PPA) portfolio by Ultramid® Advanced N3U42G6, a polyamide 9T with non-halogenated flame-retardant, which minimizes electro-corrosion of metal contacts in electric and electronics (E&E) parts for e-mobility. The PPA increases the safety and durability of high-voltage (HV) connectors in e.g. inverters, DC-DC converters and batteries of electric cars. Due to its high strength and stiffness over a broad temperature range, its outstanding chemical resistance and dimensional stability, the Ultramid® Advanced N grade enhances the robustness and reliability of thin-walled HV connectors meeting growing industry needs for halide-free E&E components used in warm and humid conditions. The new Ultramid® Advanced N3U42G6 is available in uncolored with UL-certified masterbatches but also as pre-colored version with high color stability for easy processing and excellent color retention after heat ageing.

As one of the first E&E expert companies, the automotive supplier KOSTAL Kontakt Systeme, Lüdenscheid, Germany, now uses the new Ultramid® Advanced N in several components in its high-voltage connector KS22 Class 4 for high-current modules. The HV-connector, the smallest in its performance class, benefits from the BASF PPA in several ways: It enables miniaturization and saves installation space as it shows good flowability at thin wall thickness. Ultramid® Advanced N3U42G6 provides the connector with very high electrical insulation which beats aliphatic polyamides, especially at elevated temperatures. In addition, it has a high elongation at break so that there is no stress whitening when the different components are mounted. In this way, automotive customers can rely on the safe, long-term performance of KOSTAL’s HV-connector with the best combination of electrical insulation and mechanical properties.

The flame-retardant Ultramid® Advanced N3U42G6 extends the lifetime of E&E components as it is halide-free according to EN 50642. It thus prevents contact corrosion and subsequent failure of sensitive electrical parts exposed to heat and moisture. The PPA achieves fire protection class UL94 with V-0 at 0.25 mm. It also enables long-lasting color coding which is safety-relevant in areas with high voltages: It meets all the criteria of color stability and heat aging resistance. In in-house tests, the color stability was confirmed after 1,000 hours at up to 150°C. Pre-colored variants like the e-mobility standard orange RAL 2003 are available directly from BASF. For self-coloring, more than 50 inorganic and organic colorants, which are approved for coloring PPAs and show a heat stability up to 350°C, can be used.

Our new non-halogenated grade combines the excellent properties of our superhero Ultramid® Advanced N with better colorability, long color stability and outstanding anti-corrosion effect”, says Volker Zeiher from technical development engineering plastics at BASF. “With this optimized PA9T, our customers can develop innovative, best-in-class E&E components supported by BASF’s proven flame-retardant expertise and material know-how for electronics manufacturing. Ultramid® Advanced N3U42G6 is part of BASF’s tailored flame-retardant PPA portfolio for the E&E industry that advances the development of challenging parts in consumer electronics, automotive battery systems and electric powertrains.

Due to its low moisture uptake and high heat distortion temperature of 265°C, Ultramid® Advanced N3U42G6 is especially suited for connectors post-processed with surface mount technology (SMT): It guarantees a high dimensional stability and avoids blistering or changes in dimensions of the processed part during the SMT process. The new PPA grade is especially suited for SMT as it can withstand higher temperatures while maintaining its mechanical strength. This increases the quality of the post-processed E&E components and helps to reduce waste and costs.

source: BASF

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : A new approach could fractionate crude oil using much less energy

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

A new approach could fractionate crude oil using much less energy

MIT researchers’ new membrane separates different types of fuel based on their molecular size, eliminating the need for energy-intensive crude oil distillation.

Separating crude oil into products such as gasoline, diesel, and heating oil is an energy-intensive process that accounts for about 6 percent of the world’s CO2 emissions. Most of that energy goes into the heat needed to separate the components by their boiling point.

In an advance that could dramatically reduce the amount of energy needed for crude oil fractionation, MIT engineers have developed a membrane that filters the components of crude oil by their molecular size.

“This is a whole new way of envisioning a separation process. Instead of boiling mixtures to purify them, why not separate components based on shape and size? The key innovation is that the filters we developed can separate very small molecules at an atomistic length scale,” says Zachary P. Smith, an associate professor of chemical engineering at MIT and the senior author of the new study.

The new filtration membrane can efficiently separate heavy and light components from oil, and it is resistant to the swelling that tends to occur with other types of oil separation membranes. The membrane is a thin film that can be manufactured using a technique that is already widely used in industrial processes, potentially allowing it to be scaled up for widespread use.

Taehoon Lee, a former MIT postdoc who is now an assistant professor at Sungkyunkwan University in South Korea, is the lead author of the paper, which appears today in Science.

Oil fractionation

Conventional heat-driven processes for fractionating crude oil make up about 1 percent of global energy use, and it has been estimated that using membranes for crude oil separation could reduce the amount of energy needed by about 90 percent. For this to succeed, a separation membrane needs to allow hydrocarbons to pass through quickly, and to selectively filter compounds of different sizes.

Until now, most efforts to develop a filtration membrane for hydrocarbons have focused on polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs), including one known as PIM-1. Although this porous material allows the fast transport of hydrocarbons, it tends to excessively absorb some of the organic compounds as they pass through the membrane, leading the film to swell, which impairs its size-sieving ability.

To come up with a better alternative, the MIT team decided to try modifying polymers that are used for reverse osmosis water desalination. Since their adoption in the 1970s, reverse osmosis membranes have reduced the energy consumption of desalination by about 90 percent - a remarkable industrial success story.

The most commonly used membrane for water desalination is a polyamide that is manufactured using a method known as interfacial polymerization. During this process, a thin polymer film forms at the interface between water and an organic solvent such as hexane. Water and hexane do not normally mix, but at the interface between them, a small amount of the compounds dissolved in them can react with each other.

In this case, a hydrophilic monomer called MPD, which is dissolved in water, reacts with a hydrophobic monomer called TMC, which is dissolved in hexane. The two monomers are joined together by a connection known as an amide bond, forming a polyamide thin film (named MPD-TMC) at the water-hexane interface.

While highly effective for water desalination, MPD-TMC doesn’t have the right pore sizes and swelling resistance that would allow it to separate hydrocarbons.

To adapt the material to separate the hydrocarbons found in crude oil, the researchers first modified the film by changing the bond that connects the monomers from an amide bond to an imine bond. This bond is more rigid and hydrophobic, which allows hydrocarbons to quickly move through the membrane without causing noticeable swelling of the film compared to the polyamide counterpart.

“The polyimine material has porosity that forms at the interface, and because of the cross-linking chemistry that we have added in, you now have something that doesn’t swell,” Smith says. “You make it in the oil phase, react it at the water interface, and with the crosslinks, it’s now immobilized. And so those pores, even when they’re exposed to hydrocarbons, no longer swell like other materials.”

The researchers also introduced a monomer called triptycene. This shape-persistent, molecularly selective molecule further helps the resultant polyimines to form pores that are the right size for hydrocarbons to fit through.

This approach represents “an important step toward reducing industrial energy consumption,” says Andrew Livingston, a professor of chemical engineering at Queen Mary University of London, who was not involved in the study.

“This work takes the workhorse technology of the membrane desalination industry, interfacial polymerization, and creates a new way to apply it to organic systems such as hydrocarbon feedstocks, which currently consume large chunks of global energy,” Livingston says. “The imaginative approach using an interfacial catalyst coupled to hydrophobic monomers leads to membranes with high permeance and excellent selectivity, and the work shows how these can be used in relevant separations.

Efficient separation

When the researchers used the new membrane to filter a mixture of toluene and triisopropylbenzene (TIPB) as a benchmark for evaluating separation performance, it was able to achieve a concentration of toluene 20 times greater than its concentration in the original mixture. They also tested the membrane with an industrially relevant mixture consisting of naphtha, kerosene, and diesel, and found that it could efficiently separate the heavier and lighter compounds by their molecular size.

If adapted for industrial use, a series of these filters could be used to generate a higher concentration of the desired products at each step, the researchers say.

“You can imagine that with a membrane like this, you could have an initial stage that replaces a crude oil fractionation column. You could partition heavy and light molecules and then you could use different membranes in a cascade to purify complex mixtures to isolate the chemicals that you need,” Smith says.

Interfacial polymerization is already widely used to create membranes for water desalination, and the researchers believe it should be possible to adapt those processes to mass produce the films they designed in this study.

“The main advantage of interfacial polymerization is it’s already a well-established method to prepare membranes for water purification, so you can imagine just adopting these chemistries into existing scale of manufacturing lines,” Lee says.

The research was funded, in part, by ExxonMobil through the MIT Energy Initiative. 

source: MIT News

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : A new line of shoes made with recycled blades

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

A new line of shoes made with recycled blades

The blades come from a wind turbine dismantled during the repowering of a wind farm in Tahivilla in Cádiz (Spain), which will go from 98 to 13 turbines.

Acciona Energía and El Ganso have announced the launch of a new line of sneakers made with recycled blades from a wind farm currently undergoing repowering: Tahivilla in Cádiz (Spain). 

The new sneakers stand out for their sustainable nature, as they give a second life to materials from dismantled wind turbine blades, as well as for their design, intended for work environments and daily use. In addition, they incorporate a waterproof and stain-resistant fabric developed by Spanish company Sepiia.

Following the success of the first launch of shoes made using recycled wind turbine blades in 2023, Acciona and El Ganso contribute to the circular economy again with this new limited edition, now available for purchase through El Ganso’s official website and at its stores.

Second life:

The shoes were manufactured using a blade dismantled from the Tahivilla wind farm, which Acciona Energía is currently repowering. The company is replacing 98 old turbines with 13 modern, more powerful and efficient Nordex turbines, which will optimise the wind farm’s performance and increase its renewable energy output by 72%.

With this initiative, Acciona Energía repurposes dismantled wind turbine blades at the end of their useful life into a new product, while advancing the development of blade recycling solutions, one of the main challenges for the wind energy sector as thousands of turbines approach the end of their operational life.

While around 90% of a wind turbine can be recycled through well-established processes, blades–made from complex materials such as resins, fibreglass and/or carbon fibre–require specific solutions. The main challenge lies in developing sustainable and scalable recycling methods at an industrial level.

In recent years, Acciona Energía has carried out several pilot projects to reuse materials from recycled blades: from its first sneaker collaboration with El Ganso, to the construction of structural beams for photovoltaic plants, and the launch of a surfboard collection in Australia.

Additionally, the company is developing an industrial-scale wind blade recycling plant in Lumbier (Navarra), to process 6,000 tonnes per year and convert them into new raw materials for sectors such as automotive and construction.

source: Acciona

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share :MANUFACTURING OF Polyethylene Furanoate (PEF)

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Manufacturing of PEF:

PEF is produced from the two monomers: (mono)ethylene glycol (MEG) and 2,5- furandicarboxylic acid. Both monomers are possible to produce from biomass, meaning that PEF can be 100% biobased. Bio-MEG is commercially available and is the same monomer used also for bio-PET.

PEF synthesis is a stepwise polymerization and can be produced via two routes: polycondensation of MEG with FDCA or transesterification using dimethyl-2,5- furandicarboxylate (DMF) (Guigo, Forestier and Sbirrazzuoli, 2019). The first PEF synthesis was patented already in 1946 (Drewitt and Lincoln, 1947), who used melt polymerization. The transesterification pathway has been studied by e.g., (Khrouf et al., 1998) and is more efficient.

Polymerization to PEF

The polymerization reactions to produce PEF are analogous to PET-polymerization, but with FDCA instead of TPA (Louw, 2024). The reaction temperatures for FDCA and MEG is lower, and the reaction times are somewhat shorter compared to TPA and MEG, which could imply a lower production cost. Polymerization of PEF is performed in two steps, i.e. esterification (into bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-2,5- furandicarboxylate (BHEF)) and polycondensation. Polycondensation is typically conducted in two phases; melt phase polymerization (MPP) followed by solid-state polymerization (SSP) to increase the molecular weight of the polymer. During polycondensation, MEG and water is continuously released and removed using vacuum.

A summary of syntheses based on FDCA and thermal properties of a variety of furanoate-based polyesters, including PEF were reported by (Papageorgiou et al., 2016). The paper covers different melt polycondensation methods as well as solution methods, and apart from PEF, other polyesters, such as poly(propylene 2,5- furandicarboxylate) (PPF), poly(butylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (PBF) and poly(hexylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (PHF) are described and considered as viable candidates for the next generation of novel bio-based coatings, toners, binders, glues, bottles and wrapping materials. In a study by Stanley et al. comparison of using FDCA versus the derivative dimethyl 2,5-furan dicarboxylate (DMFD) for producing PEF showed that FDCA was more effective in generating PEF of high molecular weight. As an alternative to polycondensation, ring-opening polymerisation (ROP) has also been proposed to avoid potential degradation and discoloration reactions and long reaction times (Rosenboom et al., 2018). The ROP process starts from cyclic PEF oligomers and by initiation in the presence of a high boiling and inert liquid plasticiser, the self-plasticising effect of the forming polymer can be exploited to form PEF with high molecular weight.

ROP has shown to deliver bottle-grade PEF in relatively short reaction times and a preliminary comparison of the energy requirements shows that ROP resulted in similar values as polycondensation .

source:Chalmers Industriteknik

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : A new method to evaluate carbon fibre microstructure

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

China’s Institute of Coal Chemistry establishes a new method to evaluate carbon fibre microstructure.

The team led by Zhang Shouchun, a researcher at the Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, has made progress in the field of carbon fibre microstructure research, and published a paper titled “Assessing the radial microstructural heterogeneity of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon fibres using nanoindentation” in the Journal of Materials Research and Technology.

The paper proposed a new method based on nanoindentation technology to characterise the radial structural heterogeneity of carbon fibres and the orientation of graphite crystallites, providing a new technical approach for the study of carbon fibre microstructure with simple sample preparation, reliability and high efficiency.

Challenges in characterising radial heterogeneity of carbon fibre

Carbon fibre is a typical structural heterogeneous material. The microstructural analysis and precise control of the radial heterogeneity of carbon fibre are of great significance for breaking through the technical bottleneck of the next generation of high-strength and high-modulus carbon fibre.

With the advancements in micro-area characterisation technology, the radial heterogeneous structural characteristics of carbon fibre have gradually been revealed, such as selected electron diffraction (SEAD), microbeam X-ray diffraction (microbeam-XRD), etc. However, the sample preparation of such high-resolution analysis technology is extremely difficult. The sample needs to ensure strict dimensional accuracy and surface flatness, and its complex pretreatment process significantly increases the difficulty of the experiment.

In addition, there are few reports on the radial distribution of micromechanical properties of carbon fibre. It is very necessary to find a simple characterisation technology in a different way.

Filling the gap in detection methods:

Nanoindentation detection technology is like a “geologist” in the microscopic world. It taps the surface of the material with a nanoprobe and deciphers the hardness and toughness codes hidden between atoms from the tiny dents and ripples.

Nanoindentation technology is a key means of modern micromechanical characterisation and has been widely used in the field of carbon fibre and its composite materials, such as the study of the interface properties of carbon fibre composite materials, the determination of carbon fibre elastic constants, etc. It has the core advantage of nanoscale displacement control accuracy. The research team used nanoindentation technology to systematically evaluate the radial distribution of micromechanical properties (elastic modulus and hardness) of several commercial PAN-based carbon fibres in the axial and transverse directions.

The results show that T300 and T700S grade carbon fibres with lower strength grades exhibit severe radial micromechanical property heterogeneity. In contrast, T800H, T800S and T1000G grade carbon fibres exhibit excellent radial micromechanical uniformity. The ratio R can reflect the orientation of graphite crystallites to a certain extent. The larger R is, the better the orientation of graphite crystallites. It is inferred that the orientation degree of different regions within a single fibre is from high to low: transition layer, cortex, and core layer.

Nanoindentation advances carbon fibre microstructure analysis

Nanoindentation technology has shown significant advantages in evaluating the radial heterogeneity of carbon fibre, including simple sample preparation, reliable results and high detection efficiency.

This study innovatively proposed a new method for characterising the microstructure of carbon fibre based on nanoindentation technology, which fills the gap in the study of radial distribution of micromechanical properties of carbon fibre.

source: english.sxicc.cas.cn /jeccomposites.com

Over 3 GW of photovoltaic module shipments with frames using Covestro PU composites

Covestro is pleased to announce today that shipments of photovoltaic (PV) modules using frames made with its polyurethane (PU) composites technology have surpassed 3 gigawatts—a major milestone for this cost-effective, low-carbon alternative to aluminum, pioneered in China by the materials manufacturer. This volume is equivalent to about 5 million standard solar panels, covering more than 1,100 soccer fields—underscoring growing market acceptance.

Made with Covestro’s Baydur® PU composites, the frames offer high strength, corrosion resistance, and insulation properties - thereby enhancing solar module performance and longevity. As the second-most costly PV module component after the solar cells themselves, aluminum frames typically account for 10–15 percent of total module costs. PU composites provide a stable, cost-effective alternative amid aluminum price volatility. The PU composite also enables up to 85 percent lower cradle-to-gate carbon emissions compared to aluminum in frames1, due to its less energy-intensive production process.

“Through more than a decade of innovation and continuous refinement, we have pioneered new ways for the PV industry to reduce costs and improve efficiency, while driving sustainable development,” said Akhil Singhania, Global Head of PU Specialties in Covestro’s Tailored Urethanes Business Entity. “Achieving this milestone of over 3 GW of photovoltaic module shipments with frames using our material in just over two years validates the transformation of an innovative concept into a crucial component that enhances competitiveness of the solar modules.

Strong demand

As the world’s largest producer of PV modules, China has been at the forefront of adopting composite frames. In 2023, when the PV industry faced mounting cost pressure, manufacturers seeking cost-effective components began adopting composite frames—leading to a breakthrough in their application. With outstanding properties and certifications from both TÜV Rheinland and TÜV SÜD, Baydur® rapidly gained industry-wide recognition.

The Baydur® composite technology reached a pivotal milestone in 2024 as major Chinese solar manufacturers integrated this technology into their mass production lines. This advancement comes at a crucial time in the renewable energy landscape. According to the International Energy Agency’s Renewables 2024 report, the global renewables capacity is set to expand by 5,520 GW by 2030, with solar PV installations accounting for 80 percent of the growth. The timing of PU composite frames’ market entry therefore positions this sustainable solution to meet the industry’s unprecedented expansion.

Materials enabling the energy transition:

Beyond PU composite frames, Covestro also supplies Desmodur® ultra N 31890 BA—a new, fast-curing aliphatic hardener developed in China for PV backsheet coatings. It dries nearly three times faster than standard hardeners, boosting production efficiency while supporting energy savings and carbon emissions reduction. It also offers superior UV and hydrolysis resistance for long-term backsheet durability.

Additionally, Covestro’s polycarbonate solutions combine lightweight with excellent mechanical performance to protect PV modules, energy storage systems, charging stations and other new energy equipment, ensuring reliable outdoor performance. The materials also support advanced designs that integrate lighting, haptic feedback, displays and electronic circuits—ideal for next-generation solar energy, storage and charging systems. Available in low-carbon versions and backed by stable global supply, they help customers advance sustainable innovation and strengthen their international competitiveness.

Covestro is announcing this 3 GW milestone ahead of SNEC PV Power & ES Expo, the world’s largest solar energy trade fair. Covestro will showcase its latest PU composite frames and other high-performance materials supporting the clean energy transition at Booth B260, Hall 8.2, National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), June 11-13.

source: Covestro