In step-growth polymerizations, the degree of polymerization is strictly dependent on conversion and is very sensitive to impurities and molar imbalance, especially when conversion is high. Monomer imbalance may prevent the formation of long polymer chains (leading to molecular weight stagnation) and promote the occurrence of undesired secondary reactions (leading to chain branching, gelation and/or chain […]

Responding to the growing global awareness of modern plastics’ environmental impact and the depletion of fossil-based raw materials, Palsgaard A/S, a Danish company that pioneered plant-based polymer additives, has developed a full range of plant-based alternative ingredients for sustainable materials production. As plastics are utilized in an ever-growing range of sophisticated industrial applications, polymer manufacturers are […]

Jaguar Land Rover on Tuesday announced it had launched a four-year research project aimed at increasing electric vehicle usage and producing lighter vehicles through composites. “The research will allow Jaguar Land Rover to develop lightweight vehicle and powertrain structures by replacing aluminium and steel with composites capable of handling the increased torque generated by high-performance […]

PolymPart: Toray Industries has created a polymer that retains the outstanding thermal resistance, rigidity, and strength of polyamide 6 (PA6) while delivering a bending fatigue limit that is 15-fold that of conventional polymers. Prospective applications for such exceptional durability include automobiles, appliances, and sporting goods. Toray looks to initiate full-fledged sample work in fiscal year […]

Ultra-long polymers are used widely in high-performance applications including energy-efficient lubricants, working fluids for energy production and performance plastics. Yet they also are often degraded by extreme flows and mechanical processes that break chemical bonds along the “spine” of the polymer chain. Motor oil in your car is a good example, explains Matthew Helgeson, an […]

A wearable sensor printed on microbial nanocellulose, a natural polymer, has been created in Brazil by researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) in São Carlos in collaboration with colleagues at São Paulo State University (UNESP) in Araraquara, the University of Araraquara (UNIARA), the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), and the Brazilian National Nanotechnology Laboratory […]

PolymPart: The bismuth trioxide compound is lightweight, effective at shielding against ionizing radiation such as gamma rays, and can be manufactured quickly. Those qualities make it a promising material for use in applications such as space exploration, medical imaging, and radiation therapy. “Traditional radiation shielding materials, like lead, are often expensive, heavy, and toxic to […]

In a bid to reduce engine weight and lower manufacturing and assembly costs, the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT has designed a camshaft module made from fiber-reinforced thermoset polymers. Currently available as a technology demonstrator, the lightweight camshaft module between ICT and the MAHLE Group, along with associated partners Daimler, SBHPP/Vyncolit and Georges Pernoud. […]

Ionic liquids have emerged as a novel class of chemical compound for the development of advanced materials with outstanding potential applications. Although ionic liquids were discovered as early as 1914, it was only in the last two decades that they have received their due attention, as it was recognized that the physicochemical properties could be […]

PolymPart: Polymer prices in Asia are coming under further pressure because of a lack of resin demand as the region grapples with the coronavirus pandemic. Polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) prices have steadily declined since the coronavirus outbreak worsened in January, and the search for a bottom continues. Spot prices of linear low-density PE (LLDPE) […]