Plastics & Resins News

By assembling nanocrystals and nanorods with short organic molecules, called ligands, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have created designer nanocomposites. The ligands are replaced with metal chalcogenide clusters that link to the nano building block to create a stable nanostructure. More than 20 different material combinations, including nanocrystal spheres and rods, have been fabricated. Researchers anticipate that the ease with which these composites can be tailored opens vast opportunities to fine tune composition and morphology. Demand for nanoscale materials in photovoltaics, electronic data storage, and battery electrode applications is envisaged.

GlobalSpec is seeking proposals from industry experts interested in participating in its October 6, 2010 or May 4, 2011 Plastics & Plastics Fabrication online conference and trade show events. Open to GlobalSpec's 5 million registered users, this event will examine trends, technologies, and applications in the field of Plastics & Plastics Fabrication. Speaking opportunities provide an opportunity for you and your company to participate in a high-quality, engaging production that will help increase brand awareness and influence key decision-makers. Learn more or submit your proposal today. Deadline for the October 2010 event is June 1, 2010.

Developed for the plastic pellet industry, perfect for dry applications requiring one, two, or all three functions. The top two screens encompass drying and cooling stages, using positive or negative airflow to draw moisture/heat from particulates. The classifier then contains a single or double particle classifying deck for sizing/dedusting. See the DC Classifier...

Bayer MaterialScience LLC, one of the leading producers of polymers and high performance plastics in North America, has addressed a major market need with the introduction of its new, patent-pending Makrolon® FR7087 polycarbonate resin, believed to be the first clear thermoplastic material to meet UL 94 5VA at 3 mm thickness.

Soaring in the air like a roller-coaster, Dublin's new Aviva Stadium is built tough with SABIC Innovative Plastics' Lexan® Exell D polycarbonate. The 50,000 seat stadium uses cold line bended sheet in walls and sheet louvers for air flow. Animation depicts the project from demolition of the old to completion of the new structure.

Biological principles were applied in the development of a multifunctional polymer that can decontaminate biological and chemical toxins. Enzymes in the polyurethane fiber mesh produce iodine and bromine, both necessary to kill bacteria and detoxify organophosphate nerve agents. The mesh could be developed into coatings, sprays, or wound dressings.

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Gone are the days of costly, labor-intensive, and complex creation of fiber-reinforced composites. The newest trick on the block: lasers that bond without matting or resins. Fraunhofer Institute, Germany, unveils a new joining technology for glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastics employing lasers with infrared light and compression to form a highly stable bond.

The maiden flight of the Solvay Solar Impulse in Switzerland lasted 87 minutes. The 12,000 solar panels span wings as wide as a 747, but the plane weighs only 1.7 tons because of light-weight, high-performance plastics and composite materials used. With polymer lithium batteries, the plane can fly day or night.

Don't let choosing the wrong material be the weak link in your design. As the world's leading supplier of high-performance plastics, Solvay can help you sort through the complexities of material selection. Our products include PEEK, Torlon® PAI, high-temperature nylons and medical plastics. Discover more plastics with more performance today.

High-impact next-gen metal replacement outperforms all impact-modified POMs available today. Up to 75% More Impact Resistance and 300% More Weldline Strength. Delivers outstanding wear, long-term fatigue and creep resistance down to -40 C. Exhibits easy colorization, excellent toughness, rigidity, and resilience along with moisture, solvent, alkali. and stress-cracking resistance.

Using polystyrene and PDMS, two polymers that don't mix, MIT researchers make computer chips that self-assemble on a micro-scale. In attempts to separate, the polymers spontaneously arrange in circuit patterns. The process could create structures as small as 35 nm high and 10 nm wide with considerable time savings.

While plastic makes a great solar panel because of its transparency, it doesn't conduct electricity well. A Princeton University team determined why and how to overcome this obstacle. By using acid in a process similar to inkjet printing, the rigid structure of molded polymer was returned it to its free-form (and conductive) state.

Taiwan's Far Eastern Group sponsored construction of the nine-storey Pavilion of New Fashion for Taipei's upcoming floral exhibition. The arc-shaped building is made with 1.5 million recycled PET bottles and can withstand high winds and earthquakes. When the expo is over, the walls can be taken down to reassemble elsewhere.

The "Clever Little Bag" is the new reduced-packaging shoebox from Puma and Swiss designer Yves Behar. The switch will consume 65% less paper, save 1 million liters each of water and fuel, and reduce carbon emissions by 10 tons annually. Savings are achieved simply by using recycled PET bags instead of cardboard.

Tri Town Precision Plastics, a Deep River, Conn., manufacturer that offers custom injection molding, has joined a fast-growing cluster of forward-thinking, mid-sized Connecticut manufacturers who are relying on the sun for clean, renewable energy — and the economic advantage it provides.

STACI offers a wide range of molding capabilities to meet its customers' needs, even the most demanding of applications and requirements. STACI has experience in a large variety of molded plastics products ranging from high volume consumer applications to lower volume medical applications and most applications in between.

The UK plastics sector proposes to double the rate of plastic package recycling by 2020 from the 24% posted in 2007. The many barriers that must be overcome to meet this challenge are the focus of the Plastics 2020 Challenge Recycling Debate. A video presentation offers the perspective of one industry representative, who urges commitment from suppliers to redesign packaging from recyclable materials. Successful plastics recycling rests on involvement by consumers, local authorities, and all supply chain links.

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The Great Pacific Gyre, the flotilla of ocean trash, seems an insurmountable problem. But Whim Architects of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, envisions not only a solution, but a haven: an engineered island the size of Hawaii made from the waste. The massive project would include food farms, water and waste recycling, and renewable energy systems. Inhabitants would live in homes built entirely from recycled plastic.

Barefoot Revolt?

Puma will replace the shoebox with reduced packaging composed of recycled PET. Does this send a message to those who oppose plastic bags that polymer-based conservation is feasible?