Today’s News
MonTech goes green with 100 percent energy self-sufficiency
Following the initial global pushes for sustainability, MonTech GmbH began implementing its first factory upgrades to incorporate green technologies in 2007. Upgrades began small with solar panels and focusing on sourcing energy only from renewable sources with the goal of eliminating harmful emissions. Further expansions enabled the implementation of geo-thermal energy collection, and intelligent building and manufacturing control systems for energy optimization.
Biesterfeld and Dow expand strategic partnership for moldable optical silicones
Biesterfeld Spezialchemie and long-term partner Dow have extended their strategic partnership. With immediate effect, Biesterfeld will distribute the well-known moldable optical silicone product range SILASTIC™, serving the industrial, retail and consumer lighting industries. The distribution area includes the DACH region, as well as Northern and Eastern Europe.
Arburg cancels Technology Days 2021
Arburg is cancelling the Technology Days event it was planning to hold June 7-12. Consultations with official bodies and due consideration of the ramifications of the global coronavirus epidemic that are still clearly evident prompted the decision that was taken last Friday. The so-called ‘Federal Emergency Brake’ applied by the German government has a decisive influence on this situation.
Polyurethane elastomer market forecast at $22 billion by 2023
Major growth drivers for the polyurethane market are the increasing global population and increase in disposable income per household. The global increase in both these factors affects the automotive, construction and footwear industry, increasing their demand, which in turn directly increases the demand for polyurethanes in their applications.
Forum on Advanced Latex Technology solicits papers
TechnoBiz is organizing a KnowHow Webinars forum focusing on “Advanced Latex Technology,” November 9 at 7 p.m. in Thailand. This forum is focused on the latest technological developments in latex processing. TechnoBiz invites interested latex experts and specialists to present papers during this forum. There are altogether six presentation slots in this forum.
Michelin sweeps Car Talk’s Golden Wrench Awards
Michelin won all three tire categories in Car Talk’s 2021 Golden Wrench Awards: Best Tire Brand, Best All-Season Tire and Best High-Performance Tire.
Titan International reports first quarter financial results
Net sales for the first quarter of 2021 were $403.5 million, compared to net sales of $341.5 million for the first quarter of 2020, representing a $62.0 million, or 18.2 percent, increase. On a constant currency basis, net sales for the first quarter of 2021 would have been $409.3 million. Net income applicable to common shareholders for the first quarter of 2021 was $13.6 million, equal to income of $0.22 per basic and diluted share, compared to a loss of $25.5 million, equal to a loss of $0.42 per basic and diluted share, in the first quarter of 2020.
Featured Articles
Ultra high Mooney branched EPDM: Easy to process high filler loading compounds
many EPDM grades are still produced using conventional Ziegler-Natta catalysts, molecular catalysts for EPDM production have been adopted readily and have grown rapidly. Dow has introduced its Advanced Molecular Catalyst (AMC) technology as a new benchmark in the EPDM industry by enabling even higher process sustainability and catalyst efficiency
Mixing
Keltan 2470E EPDM Grade for Excellent Electrical Performance in Wire and Cable
Ethylene propylene diene polymers (EPDM) are the most widely used rubbers in the range of available synthetic rubbers for non-tire applications. Due to the unsaturated backbone, EPDM can be employed in various applications in which characteristics such as resistance to ozone, heat and moisture, flexibility at low temperatures, a wide range of tensile strength and hardness levels, and excellent electrical insulating properties are important
Extrusion
Dimensional Change Resulting From Swell And Drawdown Of Extruded Polymers
Understanding and predicting how extruded profile dimensions change along an extrusion line contribute significantly to the design of shaping dies and the effectiveness of dimensional control. Upon exiting the extrusion die, the dimensions of nonsymmetric profiles change non-uniformly along the line due to swell and drawdown.
Silicone
Biesterfeld and Dow expand strategic partnership for moldable optical silicones
Biesterfeld Spezialchemie and long-term partner Dow have extended their strategic partnership. With immediate effect, Biesterfeld will distribute the well-known moldable optical silicone product range SILASTIC™, serving the industrial, retail and consumer lighting industries. The distribution area includes the DACH region, as well as Northern and Eastern Europe.
Oil, Gas & Energy
Sealing solutions offered for air and sea
In aerospace, demand has increased for actuator designs that meet and exceed more rigorous performance standards, while providing unprecedented safety and reliability. Some of these requirements, such as the fire and flammability resistance defined in ISO 2685 and RTCA DO-160, go beyond the use of standard hydraulic seal designs. These high temperature, challenging requirements significantly impact commercial aircraft engine safety, and often force the use of heavy, bulky, easily damaged and costly external fire shielding. As a result, Greene Tweed developed the Fireproof Hydraulic Seal (FPH Seal), which has been specifically engineered to meet this need and establish a shielding alternative.
Testing & Instruments
Polymer quality control: Real-time near infrared testing cuts cost up to 90%
While traditional testing is critical in determining polymerization factors, from simple moisture content to complete chemical analysis, it is time consuming, labor intensive, and has substantial ongoing costs in terms of the purchase and disposal of consumables such as reagents and chemicals. Conventionally, it requires sample preparation, and can take five to 15 minutes for moisture testing, and 24 to 48 hours for more complex chemical testing. Fortunately, an approach using near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy can now provide immediate, real time laboratory quality readings via a non-contact, secondary measurement method that can deliver moisture, composition analysis and even full spectrum readings for a fraction of the running cost of conventional methods.
Molding
Quality versus quantity: How changes in EPDM polymer impact molding
EPDM is a widely used polymer for many molded goods, as it is inherently water, ozone, UV and weather resistant, and generally recommended for temperatures ranging from -50°C to 150°C. EPDM can be a low cost material option, as it allows for high total loading and has a low specific gravity, yielding low pound-volume cost. EPDM responds well at various process temperatures, and is used in many applications, such as seals, gaskets, weather resistant parts, NSF 61 water potable applications, FDA applications, roofing components, electrical resistant compounds, and more
Thermoplastic Elastomers & Urethanes
DuPont rebrands silicone masterbatches for thermoplastics as MULTIBASE products
DuPont Mobility & Materials announced that it has rebranded its full portfolio of silicone masterbatches for thermoplastics as MULTIBASE™ products. The new brand took effect this month and applies to all legacy Dow Corning silicone-based masterbatch products
Latex and Natural Rubber
Almond Production Residues As Natural Rubber Fillers
Carbon black is commonly used as a filler in rubber and plastic compounds. It is composed of over 90% carbon, with low oxygen and hydrogen content, mainly forming surface functional groups which may participate in polymer reinforcement. Raw almond shells are composed of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, representing less than 50% carbon, over 40% oxygen, and at times significant amounts of moisture. The relatively polar nature of almond shells, and their tendency to degrade at processing temperatures, presents a less than ideal alternative when considering fillers for hydrocarbon polymers.
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