polymerguru

  The Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) announced a brand new partnership between Red Bull Advanced Technologies (RBAT) and ORECA to collaborate on the chassis concept that will underpin all the prototypes in the future hydrogen class at the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans. Both firms have a keen interest in the ACO’s hydrogen program which includes the creation of a distinct hydrogen class in 2024, and so teamed up for the first time in their history in a joint bid. ORECA will draw on its expertise of its Design Office and its production skills as well as its endurance racing knowledge and experience, while RBAT will bring its expertise in racing car design, very much focused on aerodynamics, vehicle dynamics, simulation and energy recovery optimization. The initial task for the partners will be to undertake and provide a detailed feasibility study for the vehicle concept. RBAT and ORECA thus join Plastic Omnium, the exclusive supplier of the hydrogen prototype fuel tanks ultimately for the c

  The entry of the Grupo Industrial Calvera into the HYSLAND project, promoted by a consortium made up of 30 partners from 11 countries, will reinforce what is undoubtedly one of the largest green hydrogen initiatives in Spain and Europe. With a global budget of more than 50 million euros and a European Commission’s contribution of 10 million euros through the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU), HYSLAND aims to create a true green hydrogen ecosystem in the Balearic Islands during the next five years, involving numerous economic sectors to become the reference project in this field in southern Europe. HYSLAND, which is coordinated by Enagás and also includes other prominent players such as Acciona, comprises a broad set of actions and infrastructures that will revolve around the production, distribution and use of more than 300 tons of renewable hydrogen per year, generated from photovoltaic solar technology. This will be used for the supply of bus fleets, rental vehicle

  In a new study, Texas A&M University researchers have uncovered an efficient way to use leftover sludge to make biodegradable plastics. The researchers report that the bacterium Zobellella denitrificans ZD1, found in mangroves, can consume sludge and wastewater to produce polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), a type of biopolymer that can be used in lieu of petroleum-based plastics. New Way to Cut Down Upstream Costs for Bioplastics In addition to reducing the burden on landfills and the environment, the researchers said Zobellella denitrificans ZD1 offers a way to cut down upstream costs for bioplastics manufacturing, a step toward making them more competitively priced against regular plastics. “ The price of raw materials to cultivate biopolymer-producing bacteria accounts for 25-45% of the total production cost of manufacturing bioplastics. Certainly, this cost can be greatly reduced if we can tap into an alternate resource that is cheaper and readily obtainable ,” said Kung-Hui (Bella)

  New technology developed at VTT enables the use of pectin-containing agricultural waste, such as citrus peel and sugar beet pulp, as raw material for bio-based PEF-plastics for replacing fossil-based PET. The carbon footprint of plastic bottles can be lowered by 50% when replacing their raw material of PET with PEF polymers, which also provides a better shelf life for food. Significant Advantage Over Traditional Means VTT’s technology has significant advantages for making bio-based PEF plastics. The technology uses a stable intermediate to produce FDCA (2,5-furandicarboxylic acid), one of the monomers of PEF, which enables a highly efficient process. In addition, utilizing pectin-containing waste streams opens new possibilities for the circular economy of plastics. VTT’s unique scale-up infrastructure from laboratory to pilot scale ensures that this new technology will be brought to a technology readiness level that will allow polymer manufacturers’ easy transition to full scale. Rep

  A few years ago, forward-thinking employees at Bacardi Ltd. realized they had a problem. Consumers were increasingly fed up with petroleum-based plastics, which contribute to ocean pollution and climate change. Yet that’s exactly what the company was using in the 80 million bottles of spirits it sold each year. Would it be possible, they wondered, to produce bottles with something less harmful to the environment — and to their own brand? Now they have an answer. In 2023, Bacardi will start using bottles made with a remarkable new bioplastic called Nodax PHA. Unlike traditional bottles, the new ones will biodegrade in compost piles, special landfills and even the ocean. It’s an impressive feat of innovation. Unfortunately, it isn’t quite the “silver bullet” the company claims. In fact, the new project shows just how hard it’s going to be to solve the world’s plastic crisis. Bacardi started thinking seriously about the issue in the mid-2010s, as global public opinion began to fixate on

  Researchers at Swansea University are working on a project that changes waste plastics into highly valuable compounds for the energy industries. Scientists are extracting carbon atoms found in waste plastics and turning them into a nanotube format that can be used for the transmission of electricity. They are producing plastic electric cables without the copper wire inside them, which can be used in residential and industrial construction. Senior Lecturer, Dr. Alvin Orbaek White is leading the research group at the Energy Safety Research  Institute  in Swansea University. Dr. White has already developed an electrical wire made from  carbon nanotubes from waste  plastics that are suitable for electricity and data transmission. The vision is to advance global energy sustainability by producing long range electricity  transmission materials  from waste plastics. Dr Orbaek White said, “ Converting plastics into useful materials such as carbon nanotubes can be done  with a large variety o

  BASF  launches  Ultradur® RX , a modified polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), specifically for radar sensor applications in vehicles. With good resistance against media such as splash water, oils or salt, Ultradur® offers protection for sensor housings. In addition, the new material shields the sensitive electronics in the housings against disturbing electromagnetic waves from other vehicles. Absorption and Reflection of Interference Radiation With increasing electromagnetic interference issues in road traffic, it is crucial that for optimal sensor functioning this noise is absorbed and therefore reduced. That makes Ultradur® the perfect choice as it suppresses disturbing radar radiation, better assigns the received signals, which at the same time means an improvement in safety. As a functionalized plastic, Ultradur® RX is an excellent alternative to metal housings, thus contributing to weight savings and higher vehicle efficiency. Since the absorption properties depend on geometric co