A California study shows that the most commonly produced plastics that are littered in the environment are also the ones that absorb the most chemicals, a finding that poses a greater risk for marine animals and those that eat them. The absorption ability of these plastics continued for longer periods of time than previously thought. [...]
Combination of Polymer Films, Salt Keep Food Driest
October 26, 2012 By 2 Comments
Researchers in Germany have experimented with thin films, made from polymers, used in food packaging and mixed them with different types of salts to discover which composites absorb the highest amount of water. The scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials in Bremen, Germany, used films from the following polymers: polypropylene [...]
Companies Moving Away From Petroleum-Based Plastics
June 8, 2012 By 1 Comment
The use of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) will probably increase, thanks to a push from large manufacturers that have joined together to develop and use the plant-based resin in products ranging from bottles, apparel, footware, automotive fabrics, and carpets. The manufacturers — Coca-Cola, Ford Motor Company, H.J. Heinz Company, NIKE, Inc., and Procter & Gamble — [...]
Canada Introduces Polymer Money
July 18, 2011 By 1 Comment
Canada has joined a number of other countries in making its banknotes out of a polymer instead of paper. Bank of Canada announced new banknotes last month. The banknotes will be gradually put into circulation by the end of 2013. The bank has made the move to make the banknotes more difficult to counterfeit. As [...]
Bricks From Recycled Plastic
July 12, 2011 By 2 Comments
The big bad wolf blew down houses made from straw and sticks. But was his huffing and puffing thwarted by the third little pig because the house was made from plastic bricks? Miniwiz Sustainable Energy Ltd. has made it as a finalist in this year’s Asian Innovation Awards, given out by The Wall Street Journal, [...]
DAK Americas Expands Polymer Business
June 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Senior Editor Alex Tullo of Chemical & Engineering News reports that the North Carolina-based DAK Americas, a subsidiary of the Mexican conglomerate ALFA, will buy the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) business of Wellman, Inc., for $185 million. Tullo reports: The business has a PET resin capacity of 950 million lb per year at its plant in [...]
All About Bioplastics: The 2011 BioPlastek Forum
June 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment
In The Chemical Notebook blog, Senior Editor Alex Tullo at Chemical & Engineering News, highlights the inaugural BioPlastek Forum, which will be held in New York City between June 27 and June 29. As Tullo points out, the event will be crammed with all things bioplastic with some pretty big-name headliners. The Coca-Cola and H.J. Heinz companies [...]
Pepsi Goes for Plastic From Plants
March 18, 2011 By 2 Comments
PepsiCo revealed on Tuesday that it’s going to use a plastic made entirely of plant material for its bottles starting next year. The company claims the new plastic beats the technology of competitor The Coca-Cola Company, and reduces the carbon footprint of the bottles. According to an Associated Press report: The bottle is made from [...]
