polymerguru

  Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists have modified a single microbe to simultaneously digest five of the most abundant components of lignocellulosic biomass, a big step forward in the development of a cost-effective biochemical conversion process to turn plants into   renewable chemicals . Engineering Bacteria to Produce Renewable Chemicals The team engineered the Pseudomonas putida bacterium to consume glucose, xylose, arabinose, coumaric acid and acetic acid in a single bioreactor, eliminating the need for multiple tanks and microbes for each of those components. The one-pot process also breaks down lignin — traditionally a waste product of biomass conversion — so that every part of the plant can be used to create valuable products. “ We were pleasantly surprised at how quickly and well the microbe consumed these components, as they are structurally different and utilized via very different pathways. You had all of this carbon converging in the central metabolism and b...

Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, announced the next steps in the Government’s plan to achieve zero plastic waste by 2030. The Six Items Proposed for Ban A key part of the plan is a ban on harmful  single-use plastic  items where there is evidence that they are found in the environment, are often not recycled, and have readily available alternatives. Based on those criteria, the six items the Government proposes to ban are: Plastic Checkout Bags Straws Stir Sticks Six-Pack Rings Cutlery Food Ware Made from Hard-to-Recycle Plastics The Government of Canada is proposing to establish recycled content requirements in products and packaging. This will drive investment in recycling infrastructure and spur innovation in technology and product design to extend the life of plastic materials. The Government wants to hear from Canadians and stakeholders on this approach to protect the environment from plastic pollution and reduce wast...

  SI Group  has announced the launch of  ELAZTOBOND™ B8-3410  modified phenol-formaldehyde thermoplastic resin for use in rubber bonding. ELAZTOBOND™ B8-3410 resin is based on  bio-renewable  materials and is resorcinol-free, making it a more sustainable and safer solution than traditional bonding resins used in the  rubber  industry. In addition to its improved safety profile, ELAZTOBOND™ B8-3410 has shown to offer comparable or better performance than resorcinol containing resins in aged and unaged testing. Safer Material for Rubber Bonding Applications ELAZTOBOND™ B8-3410 has been developed as a safer replacement for resorcinol and resorcinol-formaldehyde polymers in rubber bonding applications.  “A bonding resin with zero free-resorcinol enables tire manufacturers to use safer materials in their factories while still achieving maximum performance,”  stated Gordon McNeilage, business director at SI Group. ELAZTOBOND™ B8-3410 is partic...

  Evonik  has developed a new osteoconductive polyether ether ketone (PEEK),  VESTAKEEP® iC4800 , for the medical technology market that improves the fusion between the bone and the implant. With the introduction of the new biomaterial, Evonik is launching a new product line of next-generation,  PEEK-based implant materials  that it will market under the brand name VESTAKEEP® Fusion. Evonik will unveil the product at the virtual Eurospine conference October 6–9. Easy Osteointegration for Accelerated Bone Fusion The osteoconductive properties of the new  PEEK  material were achieved by using a special functional additive - biphasic calcium phosphate - and allow bone cells to adhere to implants more quickly, thus positively influencing fusion, so called osteointegration, at the boundary between the bone and the implant. This, in turn, will accelerate bone fusion and convalescence. As the first biomaterial in Evonik’s new Fusion product line, VESTAKEEP® i...

  Sukano h as developed Antiviral Masterbatches for PET and PA fibers that have a strong antiviral effect on the plastic parts, while also potentially helping to reduce waste and improve the sustainability credentials of the final articles produced. Antiviral Effect Maintained Even After Washing Sukano’s Antiviral Masterbatches work by directly integrating an antiviral additive into the polymer, using proprietary technologies. The power of this technology is that the antiviral effect not only remains stable during the usage of the product, but that it is maintained after washing. This is because the additive is consistently present on the surface of the product, without being released into the environment. Sukano conducted tests at an external laboratory specialized in microbiological testing and in accordance with ISO 18184:2019 (fabrics) and ISO 21702:2019 (plastics inject molded parts and films) to independently confirm the effectiveness of its antiviral effect on the plastic pa...

  VTT and its partners will explore in their two-year MoPo project how recycling of   polystyrene   could be substantially increased by reshaping its collection and handling. The goal is to convert waste into pure polystyrene or styrene monomers used in other plastics and chemicals. Technically and Economically Feasible Solution In the new MoPo project the target is to offer a technically and economically feasible solution to the recycling of polystyrene waste in Europe. VTT will explore the state of polystyrene production, consumption and recycling in Finland and in selected European countries. A logistics model for collecting polystyrene waste and methods for its mechanical and chemical recycling will be developed. Polystyrene is typically used in its hard form and as a foam known as  Expandable Polystyrene (EPS)  when insulating or damping properties are needed. Both types can be mechanically recycled, which means they can be molded into new polystyrene produ...

  Scientists from South Ural State University in collaboration with colleagues from Belarus, India and China have created a composite material for nanoelectronics. The material can be used as a dielectric (insulating substance) in polymer capacitors. These devices store energy and may be used in the electronics of the future: They last longer, weigh less, have high strength and charge speed. Unique Material for Nanoelectronics The material created by scientists can improve the capacitors properties. Senior Researcher at the Nanotechnology Research and Education Center Aleksey Trukhanov says, “ the composite was created on the basis of encapsulated nanostructures consisting of dielectric nanosized magnesium oxide (MgO) with a ferroelectric nanosized shell of barium titanate (BaTiO3). The addition of just three weight percent of these components in the polymer matrix increases the discharge current density by 187% thus demonstrating outstanding energy storage performance .” Such rese...