What is Zinc Oxide?

What is Zinc Oxide?

Zinc Oxide (ZnO) is more than just a chemical compound—it's a versatile performance additive crucial to a wide range of industries. Produced by companies like Zochem LLC, the largest dedicated producer in North America, zinc oxide is manufactured using the French Process, a method that ensures a final product with a purity of 99.9% or higher.

This fine, nodular-shaped powder or pelletized substance is a critical component in many applications you encounter daily:

Tire & Rubber: It acts as a key activator for the vulcanization process, making rubber products more durable.

Plastics: It serves as a UV and heat stabilizer, protecting plastics from degradation and extending their lifespan.

Paint & Coatings: It provides UV protection, corrosion resistance, and acts as a biocidal agent to prevent mold and mildew growth.

Pharmaceuticals: USP-grade zinc oxide is used in a variety of medical and health-related products, adhering to strict regulatory standards.

Zochem's commitment to sustainability is evident in their focus on recycling scrap zinc to produce high-quality zinc oxide. This not only emphasizes the broad utility of the material but also ensures "certainty of quality, consistency, and supply" while minimizing environmental impact. By promoting a circular economy, Zochem contributes to sustainable practices in the industry. For more information, here are some recommended resources:

source : #ZochemLLC

#zincoxide

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 — 𝗣𝗣𝗦 (𝗣𝗼𝗹𝘆𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘆𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗹𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀)

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 — 𝗣𝗣𝗦 (𝗣𝗼𝗹𝘆𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘆𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗹𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀)

𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 | 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 | 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 | 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 | 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁: Teijin Carbon

#𝗣𝗣𝗦 is a semi-crystalline, high-performance 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 consisting of a 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗯𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝘇𝗲𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗹𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀.

This structure provides 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆, even in aggressive thermal and chemical environments. Its tightly packed aromatic chains and high crystallinity result in 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀, with minimal creep under load.

PPS is commonly used in 𝗽𝘂𝗺𝗽 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀, 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀, 𝗣𝗖𝗕 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗶𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀, where chemical resistance and thermal stability are critical, often up to 200 °C continuous use. Pictured below are 𝘁𝗶𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘀 made from PPS UD tape and injection molded materials.

Its primary weakness is 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀, especially in unfilled or unmodified grades, which limits its impact strength without fiber reinforcement or toughening agents.

𝗣𝗣𝗦 𝗨𝗗-𝗧𝗮𝗽𝗲𝘀 reinforced with carbon fibers can be procured from 𝗧𝗲𝗶𝗷𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲. Teijin Carbon has their 𝘁𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗴, 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 and is subsidiary of Teijin Limited. Teijin Limited is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, and is one of the world’s leading suppliers of 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀, including Tenax® carbon fiber, which is widely used in aerospace, automotive, and industrial composite applications.

The benefits of Tenax™ ThermoPlastic UniDirectional

High-performance mechanical properties

Low flammability, smoke and toxicity

Excellent resistance to chemicals and solvents

Room temperature storage and shipping

Compliant with health, safety and environment requirements

Recyclable

Out of autoclave consolidation (press forming, vacuum bagging)

Short cycle time

Thermoformable

Automated processes (automated tape laying, winding for tubular parts and pressure vessels)

Thermoplastic joining technologies

source : Alformet /Teijin

Modelling the direct reduction of iron is challenging

 #Modelling the direct reduction of #iron is challenging – it involves complex, multi-scale processes like phase transformations and gas transport in porous pellets. Conventional models often rely on fitting to experimental conversion data, which can leave critical mechanisms underexplored.

Ömer Kerim Büyükuslu and his colleagues developed a thermodynamically grounded pellet-scale model for H₂/CO atmospheres that captures key reaction mechanisms with fewer fitting parameters, while strictly enforcing thermodynamic limits. By adding spatially resolved microstructural data into model calibration, they reveal how reduction progresses inside the pellet.

This approach provides a tool for understanding and optimising hydrogen-based ironmaking – a key step towards greener #steel production.

#openaccess paper: https://lnkd.in/d4D89bvk

source : Max Planck Institute for Sustainable saterials

Coolbrook Achieves Breakthrough in Circular Materials: Large-Scale Pilot Successfully Cracks Plastic Waste Pyrolysis Oil

Coolbrook, a transformational technology and engineering company, has achieved a major breakthrough in circular plastics and materials by successfully cracking 100% plastic-waste-derived pyrolysis oil (py-oil) at its large-scale pilot facility using the RotoDynamic Reactor™ (RDR) technology.

As the first company globally, Coolbrook has demonstrated that 100% pyrolysis oil from plastic waste can be cracked directly in the RotoDynamic Reactor (RDR), while still delivering high yields of ethylene and propylene and maintaining stable operations. This achievement underscores the robustness and unique capabilities of Coolbrook’s electrified cracking technology in processing alternative, circular feedstocks.

#Pyrolysisoil derived from waste is an essential building block in closing the loop for plastics recycling. By proving that the RDR can handle this challenging feedstock effectively, #Coolbrook is paving the way for sustainable olefin production from end-of-life plastics.

This breakthrough builds on Coolbrook’s earlier pilot plant success at Brightlands in the Netherlands, where we demonstrated the ability to heat a range of gases, including air, steam, nitrogen, and methane to over 1000 °C using renewable electricity. Coolbrook has also successfully cracked naphtha at the pilot plant, achieving significantly increased yields compared to traditional furnaces and further proving the versatility of its technology. With the new py-oil cracking results, Coolbrook has demonstrated that its electrified turbomachinery-based process can be extended to the cracking of real-world #circularfeedstocks.

Dr. Tuomas Ouni, Head of Process Development, said, “Cracking 100% pyrolysis oil directly without the need for dilution with conventional #fossilfeedstock simplifies operations and enhances traceability of circular materials. Using Coolbrook’s RDR also delivers benefits in terms of ethylene and propylene yields compared to conventional furnaces, without any noticeable increase in coking. These results confirm the potential of Coolbrook’s RDR to play a central role in both decarbonisation and circularity in the #petrochemical industry.

The tests were conducted as part of the eLECTRO project, funded under the EU Horizon Europe programme, which aims to develop an electrified pathway for converting mixed plastic waste into light olefins. It combines advanced waste pre-treatment, electrified pyrolysis, and electrified cracking via Coolbrook’s RDR. The project aims to demonstrate sustainable, circular, and scalable solutions for the future of #plastics and petrochemicals.

source : Coolbrook

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : Minimizing Warpage

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

I read a recent post that was a bit misleading about minimizing warpage in the molding of unfilled polymers, like simple PP.

The post was advocating for uniform packing pressure to be the key of lower part warpage. And it was supported by pictures from simulation.

I just want to be a bit more specific and more technically correct here :

Lowest warpage in these materials will come when volumetric shrinkage is as uniform as possible, not always corresponding to the most uniform packing pressure.

In complex parts, or very variable thickness part distribution, you might have to produce occasionally somewhat non uniform packing pressure to achieve the most uniform shrinkage.

That is because shrinkage is a combination of pressure and flow-time.
When flow ceases quickly you need more pressure to achieve a certain shrinkage. When packing flow lasts longer, you will need less pressure to reach the same shrinkage.

So make sure, when looking at your Flow Analysis results, to concentrate on volumetric shrinkage results.

Also, do not forget that higher viscosity unfilled crystalline polymers (HDPE typical example) can still warp because of anisotropic shrinkage despite a uniform volumetric shrinkage.

Arkema and Catalyxx accelerate the transition to lower-carbon footprint acrylic monomers and acrylic resins

Arkema, a global leader in specialty materials, and Catalyxx, an innovator in bio-based chemicals, announce a strategic partnership. This collaboration aims to develop a new value chain for low-carbon, bio-based acrylic resins by leveraging breakthrough proprietary technology.

#Catalyxx is planning to build a first-of-its-kind industrial facility to produce #bioalcohols, including bio n-butanol, from bioethanol. These bio-alcohols, based on a patented technology validated at a demonstration plant in Seville, Spain, offer a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to fossil-based alternatives.

#Arkema is evaluating the use of these bio-alcohols as feedstocks for the commercial-scale production of #biobasedacrylicresins with lower carbon footprint. These resins will serve high-performance applications in coatings, adhesives for new energy solutions, e-mobility, living comfort, and sustainable infrastructure markets.

This project marks a key milestone in the transition toward more responsible materials and reinforces Arkema’s commitment to replacing fossil-based raw materials with #renewable alternatives—without compromising on performance.

source : Arkema

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : How to Spot a High-Quality HDPE Container

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

How to Spot a High-Quality HDPE Container

Not all HDPE containers are created equal. And when you're storing chemicals or running high-volume production, cutting corners on packaging isn't worth the risk.

Here’s what you should look for when choosing a quality plastic container:

🔹 Even wall thickness.

If the walls of the container are too thin in some areas, you’ll start seeing weak spots under pressure especially during transport or stacking. Our containers are moulded with uniform thickness for durability and balance.

🔹 Clean moulding with no flashing or rough edges.

Rough seams, flashing, or excess plastic around the handle or base are signs of low-quality manufacturing. These flaws can cause discomfort during handling, make stacking uneven, or even create structural weaknesses over time. You want smooth, precise lines every time.

🔹 A tight, reliable cap fit.

A loose or poorly threaded cap can mean leaks, contamination, or spills. We test every container for a secure screw fit that seals tightly and stays that way, even after multiple uses.

🔹 Proper HDPE material.

Cheap blends of recycled plastic with unknown additives can behave unpredictably in real-world conditions. We use high-grade HDPE to ensure every batch meets industry standards.

If you’ve had a container fail mid-job, you know how costly it can be. What do you look for when ordering packaging?

source : Dave Leyshon-UPack

https://u-pack.co.za/

Dave Leyshon