The interest in “green” or “sustainable” products like biodegradable polymers and other polymers continues to drive innovation in the food packaging industry. Researchers have developed an inexpensive biomaterial that can sustainably replace plastic barrier coatings in packaging and many other applications. The compostable biomaterial offers the potential to greatly reduce pollution.
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Topics: Plastics
The electronics industry remains a major user of high-performance thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers. Almost every type of engineering thermoplastic (ETP) is used in one type of electronics component or another, although standard nylons (polyamides) and thermoplastic polyesters (generally polybutylene terephthalate) are the two dominant polymer families, by far. This is especially true among connectors, which account for the vast majority of total business in electronics components.
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A Chinese tire manufacturer has developed the country’s first 3-D printed tire, with assistance from Beijing University of Chemical Technology (BUCT).
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A new cellulose-based polymer has entered the bioplastics global market. The material, dubbed Treva by its manufacturer Eastman Chemical Company, is composed of Eastman’s BPA- and phthalate-free material.
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Irradiate any part of this new type of resin formulation with UV light, and it solidifies within seconds or minutes. Regardless of its previous shape, the hardening effect spreads outwards until the material is completely solid. The process, called frontal polymerization, can be started anywhere on the novel material, which was developed at the Institute of Applied Synthetic Chemistry at TU Wien, in Vienna, Austria.
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A recent study supports polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe as having the environmental and economical attributes needed for long-lasting water and sewer systems. The report touts PVC pipe as less costly than other types of flexible piping for water, yet maintains performance and reliable service levels. The result: a product type that protects water quality and minimizes water main breaks, water loss, and infiltration and pavement repairs.
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Researchers have developed a multiblock polymer that, when added in small amounts to a mix of the two otherwise incompatible polyolefins, creates a mechanically tough blend.
The researchers added a miniscule amount of their tetrablock (four-block) polymer to alternating segments of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP)—two incompatible plastics—creating a blend that reportedly has superior strength to the two-block polymers.
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It sounds like something gadget-inventor “Q” from the James Bond movies might have devised: a prototype material for an ultrathin, skin-like semiconductor that degrades when it comes into contact with a weak acid like vinegar.
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In America, more than 200 million pounds of non-biodegradable, petroleum-based, plastic flowerpots into the landfill every year, according to Kearney Hub.
Biodegradable resins won't eliminate the problem of plastic waste, but they can play an important tactic in reducing pollution and waste in some instances. Composting disposable items can help reduce the amount of methane gas emitted from landfills while saving land that might otherwise be used for trash disposal. On a global level, between 22 percent and 44 percent of plastic consumed ends up landfills, reports the United Nations Environmental Programme.
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