polymerguru

Toyota has taken various steps to reduce the weight of the vehicle by using carbon fiber, natural fiber and bioplastics in recent years.Toyota has introduced roof lining molded from a mixture of carbon and natural fibers. Injection molded air cleaner case by using Kenaf with PP. Like wise there are so many parts such as door trim,seat cushion,spare tire cover,tool box,scuff plates,trunk liner,headliners,sun visors,pillar covers,floor finish plate.Toyota also makes insulator parts (tunnel,floor carpett hood,apron,dash inner) from natural cotton fiber wastes.  There are many research are taking place on various bio sourced materials in recent days.Nano-cellulose fiber based projects draw attention from the automakers now. To know more about natural fiber bio-based monomer and polymer,pls mark your calender to attend this  worthy Bioplastics conference at InterContinental on Biscayne Bay,Miami,Jan 28-30 2015. I strongly believe this conference brings out latest developme

A new solar panel system for Defense Forces provides ballistic protection and is lighter and more portable than systems currently available. The PowerArmor™ unit from IDG Europe has low-reflectance solar panels protected by an anti-ballistic surface made in an exceptionally strong unidirectional fiber-reinforced composite. The composite is based on an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber (UHMWPE) produced by DSM Dyneema and branded as Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber™. It replaces the aluminum normally used for portable solar panels, which provides no ballistic protection. IDG says this is the first time that solar panels have been given such a high level of ballistic protection. Panels made in Dyneema® also weigh around 20% less than aluminum panels of the same thickness. DSM Dyneema and IDG Europe cooperated closely in IDG’s development of the dual-purpose system, intended to power electrical and electronic equipment used by armed forces in the field. The combination

Myriant Corporation recently announced it has formed a three-way joint development agreement with UPC and Sojitz to promote bio-succinic acid based plasticizers . UPC Group, the global leading producer of plasticizers, will utilize Myriant's bio-succinic acid in the manufacture of bio-based, phthalate-free plasticizers. Simultaneously, the companies announced that Sojitz Corporation, Myriant's sales and marketing partner, will closely work with UPC in sales of UPC's branded bio-based plasticizers. UPC aims to be a total service provider to the chemical industry including investing in new product development and innovative applications. Bio-based, phthalate-free plasticizers will meet the needs of those customers seeking high-performing, high-quality renewable chemicals to produce environmentally friendly products including plastics and plastic wraps. "Increasingly, chemical manufacturers are turning to Myriant's bio-succinic acid as a key feedstock for producing h

Global Bioenergies (Alternext Paris: ALGBE) announces having succeeded in the production of bio-sourced butadiene by direct fermentation. It is the first time ever an entirely biological production process -i.e. without any chemical step- is reported for butadiene, one of the most important petrochemical building blocks.  Butadiene is a key platform molecule of the petrochemical industry with a world-wide market of over 10 million metric tons per year. As of today, butadiene is exclusively obtained from fossil resources, principally through extraction from naphtha cracking. Given the decrease in naphtha cracking capacities, there is a need for alternative routes to butadiene. In this context Global Bioenergies has signed in 2011 a collaboration agreement with Synthos (Warsaw Stock Exchange: SNS), a leader in the production of butadiene-derived rubber products, to develop a direct fermentation route allowing a cost-effective transformation of renewable resources into butadiene. Since s

Royal DSM, the global Life Sciences and Materials Sciences company, says a combination of two of its most innovative thermoplastics technologies has resulted in high performance pressure vessels that are ideally suited for use as lightweight fuel tanks for automobiles running on compressed natural gas (CNG) or hydrogen. With a solution for both the inner liner and the outer tape reinforcement, DSM is able to reduce the weight of the tank by up to 70%.  Hydrogen and natural gas are claiming their place in the field of cost-effective and low carbon-footprint fuels for use in automobiles. Countries with major natural gas reserves are looking at the advantages of using CNG as an alternative fuel which reduces the CO2 emission by 15% compared to current solutions in petrol or diesel.  A traditional steel tank of 40L weighs around 60 kg, while a composite ‘Type IV’ tank with Akulon® Fuel Lock liner can weigh down to 20 kg. Every 10 kg removed from a vehicle translates roughly into a reducti

At the TIME Conference Center in New York, Parx Plastics wins the World Technology Award for Materials. The Parx technology was identified as an innovation with the likely long-term significance.    Once a year The World Technology Network brings together many of the world’s most innovative individuals and organizations in science, technology, and related fields to present, discuss and celebrate innovations and accomplishments. In this year’s edition Parx Plastics was awarded for its inventions creating a  biocompatible antibacterial plastic . The technology developed by Parx Plastics is unique in its kind as it is fully biocompatible, ecofriendly, non-toxic and without substances leaching from the plastic. These characteristics make this solution the only antibacterial technology that without limitations can be used in food packaging materials to improve the shelf life of food, and can be used for medical applications such as implants where it will reduce the chances on infections.

The Solar Impulse 2 airplane, revealed on April 9 and successfully test flown in June of this year, is designed using Dassault Systèmes’ 3DExperience platform. Solar Impulse uses Dassault Systèmes’ 3DExperience platform, including its Catia and Enovia applications, to design, build, and validate this second solar airplane. Solar Impulse 1 was a test bed for the incredibly complex new technologies required to fly day and night using solar energy alone. Solar Impulse 2 will carry the mission forward and fly around the world in 2015. The team faced new challenges and trade-offs in designing such an innovative plane, including a new design for the fuselage and wings, and using new materials to achieve strict weight objectives. Designing a cockpit providing safety, comfort, and command accessibility for a pilot on an around-the-world flight required sophisticated design and management tools. Dassault Systèmes applications, in use by the team since 2006, helped ensure smooth execution of th