Partially bio-based resin provides superior performance properties at lowest GWP among all PPA in the market Solvay has extended its diversified portfolio of high-performance polyphthalamide (PPA) compounds with Amodel Bios, a new family of partially bio-based long-chain PPA products particularly indicated for demanding electrical and electronic applications in e-mobility. Besides its renewable feedstock content from non-food competing sources, it is produced with 100% renewable electricity, minimizing its global warming potential (GWP) well below the level of other bio-based PPA.

Backed by a long history of pioneering PPA innovations, Solvay’s Amodel Bios PPA combines this exceptional sustainability with outstanding performance properties for components in e-motors, power electronics and other high-end electrical systems. Most notably, it offers the highest glass transition temperature (Tg 135°C) of all bio-based PPA in the market and a melting point (Tm) of 315°C. Designed for injection molding, it is an ideal candidate for non-blistering reflow soldered surface mount devices (SMD) and parts in the cooling circuit of power electronics, including fluid connectors.
In addition, the limited moisture absorption of the new polymer versus standard PPA results in a high level of dimensional stability at a low risk of stress corrosion, which is particularly important with regard to miniaturized electrical connectors. Amodel Bios PPA also provides superior impact strength even in halogen free flame-retarded grades complying with UL94 V0, and is well-suited for colorable applications. This is complemented by high elongation, weld-line strength and excellent surface aesthetics. “As we continue driving the innovation of PPA to meet the higher performance needs in e-mobility, the introduction of Amodel Bios PPA also demonstrates Solvay’s commitment to help customers achieve ambitious sustainability targets, which aligns with our One Planet message,” states Brian Baleno, Head of Marketing – Transportation at Solvay Specialty Polymers. Moreover, Solvay has gone one step further in ensuring the sustainability of the new PPA family with the support of Verisk Maplecroft to assess the sustainable sourcing characteristics of the material. The consultancy’s Commodity Risk Service complemented Solvay’s internal supply chain risk assessment process aimed at identifying and managing risks associated with a multitude of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues.

solvay.com

Leading specialty chemicals innovator Perstorp is pioneering in the PVC market with the introduction of a general-purpose plasticizer partly based on renewable raw material using a traceable mass balance concept. Emoltene 100 Pro is a dipropylheptyl phthalate (DPHP) designed to support sustainable sourcing of renewable and recycled raw materials and reduction of carbon dioxide emission throughout the value chain.
Facilitating uncomplicated adoption by users, Emoltene 100 Pro is ready to be dropped straight into existing flexible PVC formulations. Users can expect the same performance as Perstorp’s existing Emoltene 100 plasticizer, with the added benefit of a lower carbon footprint. Emoltene 100 Pro will be available in two grades, with different levels of renewable content based on mass balance: the first, containing 14 percent is available now, the second, with 71 percent is expected to become available in the near future.‘‘We are proud to add Emoltene 100 Pro to our Pro-Environment products portfolio. We launched the original Emoltene 100 plasticizer back in 2009 and it has ever since proven its performance in terms of durability and flexibility, especially for tough outdoor applications,” says Perstorp Business Manager Martin Hansson. “This track record drove us to keep working with the same DPHP molecule, but to give it a more sustainable design, in line with our customers’ demands as well as global sustainability trends in, for example, the automotive and construction industries. Being able to offer a well-known and proven plasticizer with improved environmental properties is an important milestone in future-proofing soft PVC applications.”
The renewable content of the first grade of Emoltene 100 Pro is biogas which replaces fossil natural gas as raw material. Emoltene 100 Pro, as well as all Perstorp Pro-Environment products, are certified according to the ISCC PLUS system (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification). Both the mass balance where Perstorp applies both physical and chemical traceability as well as the GHG calculations are certified. Being ISCC PLUS certified also means that our sustainable raw materials are ISCC compliant in all parts of the value chain back to the point of origin. All Pro-Environment customers are also given information about the GHG (greenhouse gas) value of the product.

Over the last few years, Perstorp has significantly expanded its portfolio of ‘Pro-Environment’ products, made from renewable and/or recycled raw materials, to cover polyols, de-icers, plasticizers, acids, aldehydes and alcohols.
perstorp.com

Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals towards sustainable solutions, today announced the release of its Sustainability Report for its fiscal year 2020.Prepared again in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards, and building on a strong track record, the report outlines the company’s progress on its priority sustainability topics, such as human health and environmental safety, resource efficiency, sustainable sourcing and product stewardship, as well as diversity & inclusion, and talent management.

Also, for the first time ever, Archroma conducted a survey with its stakeholders to confirm the relevance of the sustainability topics covered in the report. These include biodiversity, occupational and product safety, and fair labor practices, as well as maybe less expected topics such as compliance, economic performance, and culture.The report covers these topics and more. In particular, as the world continues to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic, Archroma continues to contribute to fighting the virus in many different ways, with its solid foundation as a leader in sustainable, R&D-enabled chemistry and expertise needed in times like these.At the same time, pushing on the sustainability agenda remains as critical as ever. All activities described in the report therefore support the three pillars of “The Archroma Way to a Sustainable World: Safe, efficient, enhanced. It’s our nature.”This approach is the company’s guiding light in challenging the status quo to making its operations and its value chains sustainable.“The pandemic has opened the eyes of people around the world who count on us to develop safe, high quality and durable products that help preserve our planet. In this context, we, as industry leaders, must continue to push our agenda to make our industry, and the industries we serve, safe and sustainable”, Heike van de Kerkhof, CEO of Archroma, comments.

www.archroma.com/

Challenging applications in swimming pools and explosion-proof lightsLED light sources have proven to be energy-saving and long-lasting which makes them economical light sources and are widely used in buildings, vehicles and street lighting. Light guides, reflectors, diffusers and lenses must be designed to ensure optimum use of LED light.Covestro has spent years developing a customized portfolio of transparent, translucent, reflective, as well as thermally conductive and flame-retardant grades of polycarbonate plastic to meet these needs. In that way, the company is supporting more sustainable lighting technologies, to which the International Day of Light on May 16, 2021, is dedicated.

LED lighting in swimming pools

Operating LED lamps under water puts special demands on the materials involved. In cooperation with Brazilian swimming pool equipment supplier Ecopyre Lighting, Covestro developed an integrated solution using the thermally conductive polycarbonate Makrolon® TC. It features high dimensional stability during manufacture and operation of the lights, thereby preventing water ingress (ingress protection or IP). The letters “TC” in the type designation stand for “thermally conductive” and indicate that the plastic also has good thermal conductivity. This makes it ideal – like the other types in the TC portfolio – for efficient thermal management in which the heat generated by the LEDs is well dissipated. In addition, the plastic complies with the chemical resistance required for use in swimming pool water.

Lenses for explosion-proof LED lamps

The highly transparent product Makrolon is even suitable for lenses in explosion-proof lamps, as demonstrated by a recent case study with safety technology supplier R. Stahl. The lights comply with Categories 2 and 3 (for Zones 1 and 21, or 2 and 22) of the EU ATEX directives1 for industrial environments where highly explosive dust and gas atmospheres may occur during normal operation. These include oil platforms, refineries, and also certain chemical plants. R. Stahl AG, a German trendsetter for safety technology in potentially explosive atmospheres, was looking for an optical material solution for LED safety lighting that could be used worldwide. The decision was made in favor of the transparent plastic Makrolon, which enables light-focusing optics and is applicable at elevated temperatures of 60 to 85 degrees Celsius. Polycarbonate is a thermoplastic that allows efficient development and production of optical parts for LED-powered lights. The various Makrolon types can be used for injection molding and extrusion. Stronger and lighter than glass, polycarbonate also facilitates savings in energy and CO2 emissions.

covestro.com

The Plastics Industry Association’s NEMO projects tackle the logistical or technical challenges of plastics recycling.Trade associations have a high profile in Washington, D.C., where they court politicians and try to influence public policy in ways that benefit their members. The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) certainly does that in very visible ways; however, its New End Market Opportunities (NEMO) initiatives are more below the radar but equally important to the long-term success of all companies in the plastics supply chain.

NEMO projects tackle the logistical or technical challenges of plastics recycling. PLASTICS sets the agenda and brings together companies inside and outside of the plastics industry, universities and even other trade organizations interested in solving roadblocks to recycling. Companies do not have to be members of PLASTICS to participate. The association invests money in NEMO projects, but the volunteer companies also share costs through significant in-kind contributions.“We take in early adopters when the path is not very clear for them,” said Patrick Krieger, senior director of materials and sustainability at PLASTICS. “They are essentially having to blaze a new trail and find new partners. Other companies see them creating a new process and join.“This is the open-idea ethos of the program,” he said. “We share these things and the industry itself will continue to grow.”NEMO projects do not create end products to sell, Krieger said: “We are trying to develop information in the form of reports, case studies and demonstration projects,” so companies can make good business decisions. The NEMO program is run by a 12-person advisory committee from PLASTICS member companies that selects projects, monitors progress and determines the direction of each project. The committee, which is a subcommittee of PLASTICS’ recycling committee, has a list of 22 proposed projects. In July the committee is expected to select two new NEMO projects for 2022.The first NEMO project was launched in 2017 to understand different feed streams of PE film, improve the economics of recycling it and explore new uses. That project is still going on and another NEMO project to research using recycled film in asphalt was spun off from the original film project.Krieger said the committee will decide this summer if the next phase of the film project will focus on variations in processing the film or on specific products.The use of recycled PE film in asphalt has captured some national attention. LyondellBasell paved a portion of the parking lot at its technical center in Cincinnati, using a solid additive consisting of about 71,000 recycled retail bags developed by the NEMO project. The project is trying to determine if recycled film offers the same benefits as traditional polymer-modified asphalt but at a lower cost. (Read more at plasticsmachinerymanufacturing.com/21217838.)Krieger said the LyondellBasell pavement is scheduled for a six-month project review in May, but early indications are that it has performed well. One LyondellBasell employee reported in April that the pavement has shown no wear after five months of use, including snow being plowed multiple times. Two other companies — Target and Chevron Phillips Chemical — have said they want to test the process.In addition to the film and asphalt NEMO projects, a secondary sorting demonstration project in the Pacific Northwest has already been completed. The project used a portable secondary sorting system to create six additional streams of recyclables. The American Chemistry Council, one of the partners in that project, is currently duplicating it in the Northeast.“That project was more about infrastructure,” Kreiger said. “It will inform and influence our discussions and policy decisions going forward on how we can better support the infrastructure of plastics recycling.” A NEMO project to demonstrate end-of-life vehicle bumper recycling has drawn a lot of inquiries from processors and recyclers, according to Krieger. The next phase of that project may look at recycling other plastics from cars.“Companies would love to recycle bumpers because they are so big and take up a lot of dumpster space,” Krieger said. “By demonstrating there is commercial value to this, other companies will see if it works for them.”NEMO projects do not generate quick profits. They are akin to basic research, which trade associations rarely spend time doing. “The only way I judge success of a NEMO project is how much plastic is diverted from landfills,” Krieger said. I would add that every little step in improving recycling practices and technology is a big win for the entire industry. The level of collaboration on NEMO projects between companies and organizations is impressive and is the cornerstone for success. The R&D work machinery manufacturers do to improve their own technology is important, but NEMO projects expand awareness and inform the industry where new opportunities exist.

plasticsindustry.org.

“Quality control has always been important to us. But we were not really aware at the beginning that we could also ensure a considerable process optimisation by means of the OP5. At first, the measuring device delivered results that seemed irreal to us. This was solely due to the fact that even several daily laboratory measurements could not adequately reflect the dynamic changes in production. These variations only became visible through the short measuring interval of the automated OP5 online measurement. The continuous quality control with the use of the OP5 allows us to optimise the production process at any time and at the same time to finally classify our batch material. The advantages such as the fully automated measurement, the considerable time savings through the reduction of transition times and the high reproducibility through the OCS equipment, in comparison to the manual ISO1133 measurement, contribute to an effective process optimisation and reduction.“ David Cerra González, Quality Coordinator at Transformadora de Etileno A.I.E. (TDE), Spain Plastics are produced in countless variants today. The most common is polyethylene. Modern processes mean that there are also different variations of this material today. Low-density polyethylene, or LDPE, produced using a high-pressure process, is one of them. Transformadora de Etileno A.I.E. (TDE) has three plants for the production of low density polyethylene (LDPE) in Spain. The annual capacity of LDPE is approximately 160,000 t/year. TDE focuses on continuous quality control and assurance in the ongoing production process in order to detect and optimise dynamic production fluctuations at an early stage and in a relatively short sequence. For this reason, two OP5 measuring systems are already in use in two of three production lines. Various deviations in production have an impact on viscosity and can therefore be monitored by online viscosity measurement using OP5. The continuous measurement of the Melt Index (MI) of polymer samples also allows a final classification of the batch material.
Save time and reduce costs. Due to the continuous measurement, real-time results can be visualised in 5 to 10 minutes via the touch panel with a data trend in 24/7 operation. This leads to considerable time savings compared to a manual ISO 1133 measurement. The permanent data logging makes it possible to intervene significantly in the production process and save costs. High reproducibility through OP-MFR measurement. The OP5 MFR measurement is a method carried out by means of exact control of the melt flow in combination with a high-precision and self developed melt pressure measurement. This method achieves a typical reproducibility of +/- 1 % in comparison to the manual ISO 1133 measurement with +/- 5-10 % deviation. Are you interested in a detailed performance description in a 1-to-1 conversation with our experts? Then please feel free to contact us.

www.ocsgmbh.com

Guill announces the introduction of a new version of its popular 800 series, known as 800 Series Hybrid. In some extrusion applications that utilize crossheads and inlines, layers of the exact same material are applied multiple times, using a single die. This method is used to reduce the propensity for errors caused by gels breaking through a thin wall, weld lines, inconsistent wall thickness, plus material and process variations. Additional errors include difficult-to-process materials and demanding applications where there is zero fault tolerance.

Seeking to design the next generation multi-layer die to overcome these challenges, the engineers at Guill looked for a way to incorporate this technology into an updated version of the 800 Series. This led to the creation of the 800 Series Hybrid. The inherent benefits of the 800 Series are retained, including compact design, low residence time and a common deflector bore that eliminates tolerance stack up. The challenge was to create a hybrid design that incorporates the benefits of layer overlapping, while reducing unnecessary complexity and making the technology more cost-affordable for customers. This was achieved by overlapping layers in each semi-deflector, using a single cone. The highly efficient design of the 800 Series Hybrid reduces cost and size, as opposed to other methods of overlapping layers. Essential benefits of the 800 Series Hybrid include eliminating weld lines in materials through patented overlapping technology, producing a more consistent finished product; reduced sensitivity to changes in viscosity; reduced sensitivity to changes in line speed; myriad material and multi-layer application possibilities; works in all tubing and jacketing applications with a wide range of materials; low residence time; compact design and a low tolerance stack-up error factor, all resulting in improved concentricity. The 800 Series Hybrid extrusion tool greatly reduces stagnation, because overlapping layers are more inherently balanced than single layers and also because each semi-deflector is “tuned to flush.” Conventional deflectors must simultaneously achieve a balance between flushing, balancing and eliminating the weld line. There is less difference between the slowest moving material and the fastest moving material in the deflector channels, thus making the viscosity more consistent in the deflector.

www.guill.com

• Create truly unique yarn designs: with up to 6 colors from a large predefined color range and infinite combinations of twisting & air entanglement
• Endlessly recyclable yarn solution – available in both standard PA6 and 75% recycled content EqoCycle PA6 yarn
• Efficient and flexible – all colors in stock to shorten lead-time; customized lot sizes

B.I.G. Yarns brings inspirational design freedom to high-end loop-pile contract and automotive carpets with the unveiling of ColorMind. The innovative yarn technology is B.I.G. Yarns’ first venture into a two steps yarn collection, offering a unique solution for creating multi-color PA6 yarns for any carpet design. Available from mid-June 2021 in both standard and EqoCycle 75% recycled content yarn, designers are invited to work closely with B.I.G. Yarns experts to realize the designs they have always wanted. Combinations of variable levels of twisting and air entanglement, using up to 6 colors at once, elevate design possibilities beyond current limitations. The ColorMind color bank features predefined colors, always in stock, meaning short lead times. Manufacturers can also benefit from customized lot sizes and bobbin length, creating even more flexibility and design freedom.To preview a taster of the potential directions opened up for loop-pile carpets, B.I.G. Yarns has used the technology to achieve its own “Optica” dot effect and “Illusion” wave effect as inspiration for customers’ design explorations.“ColorMind offers never-seen yarn diversity to support a new level of design sophistication in high-end carpet segments. We’re very proud and excited to enter into two steps yarns with a solution offering something truly special, the result of intensive dedication from our design and development teams,” comments Emmanuel Colchen, General Manager, B.I.G. Yarns. “ColorMind combines our strengths in delivering high-performance, more sustainable yarns to fit the evolving demands of these segments, underpinned by our expertise in color sequencing and color mixing. We’re looking forward to exciting collaborations and innovative, eye-catching designs for future loop-pile carpets.”
ColorMind PA6 yarns are based on a unique Solution Dyed Nylon yarn and are suitable for Class 33 certification (heavy commercial use). The EqoCycle yarn version is mainly based on post-industrial waste and supports contract and automotive carpet manufacturers with a drop-in circular solution to reduce the ecological footprint of their end carpets.

www.colormindyarns.com.

HST Maschinenbau GmbH, which has been part of the Krones Group since 2014, can draw upon decades of experience in developing and manufacturing high-pressure homogenizers and piston pumps. These products complement Krones’ process technology portfolio with a key process step for producing milk, milk-based drinks, dairy products, juices, and other foods at all the needed throughput ranges.And now, the HLI series has been added to complement the proven HL range. These new 55 to 90-kW systems can process up to 13,000 liters per hour at 200 bar. At launch time, three models are available: HLI55, HLI75, and HLI90, all in the same configurations as the HL series and including an option that fulfils the European Union’s ATEX (Equipment for potentially explosive atmospheres) Directives. Additional models for the lower output range to 45 kW are currently in development. The systems in the new series each consist of a three-piston high-pressure pump with a homogenizer valve at the outlet.

Lower energy and media consumptionThe “I” in HLI stands for “integrated” and underscores the design changes implemented in the new series. A compactly dimensioned drive design eliminates the need for additional units or coolants, which makes for a substantial reduction in operating costs for media and electrical power during production. For example, it cuts consumption of cooling water for the pistons by more than 30 percent compared with conventional piston lubrication. Excellent product quality, lower homogenizing pressureThe homogenizer valve has a crucial impact on product quality – and, by way of the homogenizing pressure, on the energy input required. The homogenizer valve on the HLI series can be perfectly matched to the required physical stability of UHT dairy products, vegan beverages, desserts, and fruit drinks. As a result, shelf lives of up to twelve months can be achieved without compromising the product’s flavor. Optimized flow conditions make it possible to obtain the same product quality at a lower homogenizing pressure. Of course, all areas that come into contact with the product are made in accordance with the latest hygiene requirements.The HLI series can be configured for either aseptic or non-aseptic processing. The aseptic models of HST homogenizers use proven technology that entails a series of sterile barriers and can be equipped with high-grade temperature and flow metering capabilities on request. Particularly suited for the production of UHT diary products and desserts as well as milk-based drinks, vegan beverages, and fruit juices: the new HLI series high-pressure homogenizers from HST.krones.com