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Disruptive Technologies to Have Significant Impact on Chemical Industry

IHS Markit sees crude oil-to-chemicals and oxidative coupling of methane to olefins as key disruptions to conventional petrochemical production. ▲ Saudi Aramco and SABIC have agreed to create a fully integrated, strategic crude oil-to-chemicals (COTC) complex that is expected to process400,000 barrels per day of crude oil into approximately 9 million tonsof chemicals and base oils annually; it is expected to start operations in 2025.New analysis from Houston-based IHS Markit signals the convergence of two significant and revolutionary technological developments in the petrochemical industry: crude oil-to-chemicals (COTC) and oxidative coupling of methane (OCM). The consultant believes the technologies are poised to have a very significant impact on the chemical industry.Don Bari, v.p. of chemical technology at IHS Markit, notes that disruptive technology development and deployment has been dominant on a global basis in this industry within the last decade. It has been largely driven by the extreme pricing dynamics of the energy industry, translating directly to petrochemical feedstocks; where such new technology has enabled deployers of capital and technology to use low-cost and locally abundant feedstocks.Bari’s analysis follows a recent announcement by San Francisco-based Siluria Technologies that it has joined forces with Saudi Arabia’s Saudi Aramco Technologies to maximize chemical production. According to Bari, one of the most significantly disruptive technologies or categories of technologies being developed, based on their sheer volume, is crude oil-to-chemicals (COTC).In effect, these projects merge a refinery and petrochemical plant into one; as such, going beyond the state-of-the-art petrochemical integration by the implementation of new/reconfiguring unit operations into a refinery. The objective is to shift the product slate derived from a barrel of oil to a range of 40% to 80% chemical feedstocks and non-fuel products, up from the traditional range of 15% to 25%, in order to significantly increase the value of crude oil reserves.As stated by CTO of Saudi Aramco Ahmad Al Khowaiter, “Maximizing the output of high-value chemicals products from our future crude-oil processing projects is one of the key objectives of our downstream technology strategy.”The Siluria process, which produces olefins directly from natural gas through oxidative coupling of methane (OCM), is expected to further allow Saudi Aramco’s future COTC facilities to create more value by converting very low-value gas—largely methane—into higher-value olefins products, which improves carbon efficiency and increases the volume of the barrel of oil directed to valuable fundamental petrochemicals. Here are notable points made by Bari about Siluria Technologies’s OCM process.● Siluria’s oxidative coupling of methane converts methane to olefins in the presence of a catalyst in an oxygen-rich environment. The catalyst reaction “diverts” roughly half of the carbon to the undesirable co-products carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2), in this highly-exothermic (heat-generating) reaction. Siluria exploits the exotherm by injecting ethane or propane into a second reaction chamber, where the light alkane is thermally cracked to the olefin.● In addition, to enhance the overall carbon efficiency of the process, a catalytic methanation step is embodied in Siluria’s process. This reaction converts all generated CO and a portion of the CO2 oxidative coupling reaction co-product back to methane by using the hydrogen generated in both the OCM and the ethane/propane-cracking reaction in the post-OCM section of the reactor.● In fact, the Siluria process design philosophy is all about less total carbon (methane) consumed per unit of light olefins produced, because the process is “indifferent” to methane as a feedstock, or as energy (process utility). Therefore, one would expect that a design philosophy that equates British thermal units (BTU) of energy savings to a reactor-conversion-per-pass percent increase should drive the most optimum overall process design.● Siluria’s OCM process also delivers significant reduction in carbon emissions over traditional ethylene production processes. An IHS Markit evaluation shows that the Siluria OCM technology is expected to be a net-negative CO2 producer per ton of ethylene/olefins produced because of the heat generation for the OCM exotherm, and methane production (partly) from CO2 is considered in their methodology as an offset to CO2 emissions.IHS Markit estimates the Siluria OCM process generates negative 1 ton of carbon dioxide emissions equivalents per ton of ethylene produced as compared to the more conventional naphtha-cracking process for converting crude to olefins, which is estimated at greater than 1.4 tons of CO2 produced per ton of ethylene production. This is a significant improvement in carbon emission reduction, while at the same time capturing greater value from the molecules.How will the Siluria process add to the impact of COTC mega complexes? According to IHS Markit’s technical analysis of a Saudi Aramco type COTC approach, crude oil feedstock will be converted to chemicals at a higher intensity than conventional processes, increasing the yields of crude oil feedstocks converted to chemicals to 72%.With the recent cooperation announcement by Siluria and Saudi Aramco on the COTC process, IHS Markit speculates that if the methane off-gas and a portion of the ethane in a hydrocracked Arab light crude oil feedstock were to be fed to the Siluria OCM technology, then a net increase of 300,000 to 350,000 m.t. of ethylene and 200,000 to 250,000 m.t per-year of propylene, would be generated based on a 10 million m.t. per year (200,000 barrels per day) of crude feed. With methane valued at $1.25 per MMBTU in the Middle East, the Siluria OCM technology appears to be an attractive approach to enhance the value of a barrel of oil.Source: Plastics Technology

Aeyoung Park 2018-06-29

Recycler PetStar honored for its sustainable business by Mexico

▲ Mexican President Enrique Peña Nietohonors PetStar for its recycling efforts.Mexico City — Food grade PET recycler PetStar SAPI de CV has received Mexico's National Quality Award in Organizational Innovation from the country's President Enrique Peña Nieto.The award recognizes the company's sustainable business model as a benchmark in PET recycling.Owned by Coca-Cola México and six bottlers, the company's plant in Lerma, Mexico, is widely considered the largest facility of its type anywhere.Peña Nieto presented the award to PetStar Chairman Alejandro Molina and CEO Jaime Cámara Creixell during the 28th quality awards ceremony at Los Pinos, the official residence of Mexican presidents, in early June.Officials described the company's sustainable business model as "innovative and at the same time relevant, competitive, replicable, sustainable and inspiring.""With PetStar, the Mexican Coca-Cola industry and every related bottler have made clear not only their commitment to sustainability but also their determination to continue promoting shared value initiatives that benefit Mexico and the environment," said Molina, who is also the executive technical and supply chain director for Arca Continental SAB de CV, one of PetStar's owners.PetStar recycles 3.1 billion bottles annually, enough to fill the Azteca soccer stadium two and a half times, it says.Source: Plastics News

Aeyoung Park 2018-06-12

Unique Shoe-Lacing System Features PC Overmolded with Soft-Touch TPE

Rotary dial of patented Freelock wire closure system allows wearer to dial in comfort. ▲ A unique shoe-lacing system, which features a PC overmolded with TPE,allows wearers to adjust the level of tightness.Customized TPE compounds, particularly the ‘soft-touch feel’ variety, are proliferating in a myriad of various applications from tool handles and consumer electronics to automotive, appliances and shoes. A comfortable feel is a key attribute of such materials and in the case of shoes, this is particularly desirable in every aspect. (I’m saying this the week after the terrific experience of NPE2018, including all the walking it entailed.)A unique shoe-lacing system developed by Korea’s Shin Kyung Inc., features such a TPE. The Freelock wire closure system is said to eliminate the challenges of conventional shoe laces, which are time-consuming to adjust to the ideal level of tightness—critical for both comfort and safety—particularly for demanding activities such as running. The patented Freelock’s innovative mechanism for tightening, securing and loosening laces accomplishes this by means of multiple wires contracted or released as needed by a simple twist of a rotary dial.The two-component dial is comprised of a PC base overmolded with Thermoplast K from Kraiburg TPE (U.S. office in Buford, Ga.). Shin Kyung selected this TPE compound for its combination of excellent processing characteristics, tensile strength, and aesthetics. The material also met key specifications such as easy colorability in line with brand footwear shades; high flowability for short cycle times; and uncompromising long-term adhesion to the PC in order to withstand the frequent tuning and tension applied to the rotary dial across the shoe’s lifetime. Moreover, this Kraiburg TPE compound reportedly offers excellent surface quality along with that pleasant soft-touch feel while retaining its firm grip. In addition to footwear, the Freelock wire closure system is also said to be well suited to other applications requiring convenient, safe and adjustable tightening, such as gloves, bags or medical pouches.Source: Plastics Technology

Aeyoung Park 2018-06-05

SPE names Plastics for Life winners

▲ The Grand Prize winner for SPE's Plastics for Life competition went to a blow moldedmotor oil dispenser made by Silgan Plastics for Chevron Havoline oil.Blow molded parts picked up three of the five awards in the Society of Plastics Engineers' annual Plastics for Life Global Parts Competition, held during Antec 2018 in Orlando.A panel of judges selected the winners from among parts that had already won in competitions at SPE conferences during the past year. The honored products were deemed to make our lives better in some way.A People's Choice Award was also presented to the part that gained the largest number of votes by Antec attendees.Antec ran May 7-10, co-located with NPE2018 at the Orange County Convention Center.The Grand Prize winner, honored for Sustaining Life, went to a motor oil dispenser with a flexible spout and hinged lid. The part originally won the "other" category for industrial parts at the SPE's Annual Blow Molders Conference.Silgan Plastics molds the container for Chevron Havoline oil. The reusable dispensing containers are used by automotive service shops, allowing them to reduce the use of plastic motor oil containers. Design features, such as the spout, handles and mouth, give ergonomic use and can reduce spillage.The People's Choice and Protecting Life awards both went to the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse for a clevis bracket called the first composite mount designed for a six-cylinder engine. The injection molded nylon part replaces metal components, resulting in a 45 percent weight savings. Other benefits include a reduction in cabin noise and corrosion resistance. The General Motors Co. bracket won an award at SPE's Automotive Innovation Awards Gala.An OmniPod dispensing system for Germ-X hand sanitizer won the category of Improving Life. Silgan Plastics molds the part on a six-cavity mold running on a Nissei ASB blow molding machine.The OmniPod system has just four components, much fewer than other systems, for a lower cost of assembly and less complexity.The brand is displayed on the outside front panel of the bottle.The product won in the pharmaceutical packaging category at the SPE's Annual Blow Molding Conference.The Quality of Life Award went to the Medium Blue Ice Pack from Rubbermaid, which works with the company's snap-together modular LunchBlox Containers to keep food cool.The item had been made in single-cavity molds with side needle blowing, but designers looked for a change after issues with consistency on the port/fill hole formation, the formation of the seat for the plug weld and low-volume output. Blow mold maker FGH Systems Inc. helped develop the part developed so a top and bottom calibration blow method could be used to improve part quality and production output.Rubbermaid molds the parts on a Uniloy-Milacron UMS 16.D shuttle blow molder, with a W. Muller extrusion head. The parts are completed deflashed in the machine, and robot places them onto a conveyor belt.The ice pack won at the blow molding conference in the food packaging category.Source: Plastics News

Aeyoung Park 2018-05-30

US Army turn plastic waste into 3D filament

Thermo Fisher helping US Army turn plastic waste into 3D parts▲ Anthony Molner (left) of the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army Research Laboratory researcher Nicole Zander are collaborating on how recycled PET can be used for 3D printing spare parts.A small footprint twin-screw extruder from Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is helping the U.S. Army to reduce its plastic waste and, ultimately, shorten the lead time and lower the cost for replacement parts needed by troops in remote areas.Waltham, Mass.-based Thermo Fisher sold its Process 11 parallel twin-screw extruder to the Army in 2017 for an undisclosed amount. The machine will be used to produce 3D filament from post-consumer PET, which will then be used to 3D print spare parts as needed.The strategy stems from a collaboration between the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and the U.S. Marine Corps that resulted in the discovery of using recyclable plastics from discarded water bottles, milk jugs and yogurt containers, for example, for 3D printing parts that soldiers may need on the battlefield or in more isolated areas.The study of the potential applications is being led by ARL researcher Nicole Zander and Capt. Anthony Molnar of the U.S. Marine Corps. So far, research has resulted in the production of a 3D filament made of 100 percent recycled PET from bottles or containers without any chemical modifications or additives."The idea is if they have a gear or a sprocket or something that's broken, it's very difficult for them to go out and source that. It's also dangerous for them to source it, so they won't be able to be self-sufficient," Steve Post, business development manager at Thermo Fisher, said in a March 26 phone interview."Our role was to come up with a machine that was scalable [and] could process these materials," he added. "With polyester, you're driving off the moisture, so that's why you need something that's fully scalable."The 11 mm co-rotating twin-screw extruder is a fully scalable unit with a maximum output of 2-5 pounds per hour. It has a 40:1 L/D ratio. As Thermo Fisher's smallest twin-screw extruder — the company offers diameters up to 24 mm — it takes up just under 5 square feet of lab space."It has the full functionality of most larger size compounding extruders," he said.While the Army is not new to additive manufacturing — ARL has been 3D printing parts for about 18 years — its research in determining recycled PET as a viable feedstock is a big step toward improving sustainability by reducing plastics waste.PET water bottles and packaging are among the most common types of waste found on the battlefield, the Army said."Most waste is disposed of in open burn pits, which is not optimal for human health and the environment," Zander said in a March 28 email. "Reuse/reclamation/recycling of these materials will provide a huge benefit to the military."▲ Nicole Zander of the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, in collaboration with the U.S. Marine Corps, is in the process of securing funding to build a mobile recycling facility where soldiers can repurpose plastics into feedstocks for 3D printing.U.S. Army Research Laboratory Nicole Zander of the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, in collaboration with the U.S. Marine Corps, is in the process of securing funding to build a mobile recycling facility where soldiers can repurpose plastics into feedstocks for 3D printing.Post said the Army's work is also well-aligned with Thermo Scientific's mission of "enabling our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer.""They've taken a situation where it's difficult for them to get rid of garbage when they're in places like Afghanistan, so they have to either incinerate it, which sends up a warning flag for where they are and it's not good for the environment," Post said. "So, they're trying to … get rid of that part of the process and make something good from it, which is turning it around and making 3D filament."Mechanical testing, such as uniaxial tensile and three-point bending experiments, with the recycled PET was done in the laboratory. Zander said the recycled PET was compared with commercial filaments and was found to have similar strength.Researchers also tested and compared 3D printed radio brackets made from the recycled PET with brackets made from commercial ABS, and found that the recycled PET brackets failed at a similar load."3D printing of spare parts could reduce our military's logistics tail, while increasing operational readiness," Zander said. "This becomes increasingly important with respect to long lead time and obsolete components."Zander and Molnar's team is currently working on securing funding to build a mobile recycling facility that will enable soldiers to repurpose plastics into feedstocks for 3D printing. The facility will consist of a plastics processing lab housed in a 20-foot ISO container, Zander said. The team hopes to have the first container built for testing by the end of 2018.Additionally, Zander is studying ways to blend other plastics with the recycled PET or adding fillers, such as reinforcing or toughening agents, to further improve the mechanical properties so it can be used in more applications.Although researchers determined that recycled plastics have shown to be a suitable material for 3D printing, "many challenges remain," Zander said."The process to make filament is still somewhat complicated and not automated, and will require a certain amount of training," she said. "In addition, there is a much larger supply of recycled plastics than [what] can be used for 3D printing due to the relatively slow processing and 3D printing time scales. We are considering efforts to improve and scale up this process."Thermo Fisher will be at Booth S28161 during NPE2018, May 7-11 in Orlando, Fla.Source: Plastics News

Aeyoung Park 2018-04-09

Four Things You Need to Know About How Colors Impact Consumer Choices

Four Things You Need to Know About How Colors Impact Consumer Choices Color has long been a critical component in marketing a vehicle to consumers. Interior and exterior color schemes play a vital role in the showroom-floor appeal that turns a casually browsing customer into someone who develops a connection with a vehicle and ultimately purchases it.But it goes deeper than that. For decades, manufacturers of automotive components, and of the vehicles themselves, assumed that color appeal was the product of personal preference. One could make some basic generalizations — for instance, manufacturers long believed that women tended to prefer brighter colors and pastels, whereas men preferred colors that were darker, more muted or metallic in hue. But for the most part, it was believed to be an individual preference.However, recent developments in the understanding of sensory perception have begun to give rise to a revised theory. Researchers have found that colors have underlying meanings in the human subconscious, and the ways in which manufacturers use color can profoundly impact whether a vehicle sells and who purchases it. Here are four things you need to know about the impact of color on consumers’ buying decisions and how you can use it to your advantage.Colors Send an Emotional MessageAdvancements in materials technology have given suppliers an unprecedented palette from which to create automotive components, and as a result, they can create interior-exterior color combinations that were impossible in previous vehicle generations. Suppliers can now fashion bright orange seats to match the bright orange exterior of a sports car, and instrument panels and headliners can be created in virtually every color of the rainbow.This gives manufacturers great power to influence the look of a vehicle but also presents a new set of challenges. In order to use color responsibly, component manufacturers need to understand how consumers perceive color and the emotions that colors create.Branding research has identified a number of perceived descriptors that consumers tend to connect with various colors. Here is a sampling.Bright red: Optimistic, dynamic, energizing, exciting, sexy, intense, stimulating, aggressive, powerful, energetic, dangerousBurgundy: Vigor, elegance, richness, refinement, leadership, maturity, expensiveBlue: Truth, healing, tranquility, stability, peace, harmony, wisdom, trust, calm, confidence, protection, security, loyaltyGreen: Nature, envy, healing, fertility, good luck, hope, stability, success, generosityBrown: Stability, masculinity, reliability, comfort, endurance, simplicity, friendshipNavy: Dignity, credibility, strength, authority, conservative, trustworthiness, traditional, quiet, confident, sereneInternational Markets Require Careful Color ChoicesTo operate in a global marketplace, manufacturers need to recognize cultural differences in color perception. A color that has a positive interpretation in one country can be received very differently in another. For instance:Brown is the color of mourning in India. In Colombia, it is considered an undesirable color and can discourage sales.In predominantly Catholic Ireland, orange is the color of Protestantism.In some tropical countries, green is associated with danger.In some cultures, certain colors are celebrated.In China, red is associated with good luck, while in India it’s associated with purity.Blue signifies immortality in China. To Hindus, it is the color of Krishna.In some Asian cultures, bright yellow is a sacred imperial color.Different Demographics Require Targeted Color StrategiesOnce a manufacturer understands the meanings of different colors, those meanings can be used to create a connection with the target market for the vehicle. This connection helps to foster an understanding of each segment. Vehicles that attract women in their 20s require a different approach to color usage than vehicles that attract men in their 50s.Younger women are frequently drawn to colors that strongly signify femininity, such as pastels and floral hues. They’re also strongly drawn to color as a mode of personal expression. It’s perhaps most notably illustrated in the modern incarnation of the Volkswagen Beetle, which contains a special clip near the steering wheel, used for holding a small flower vase, often used to display a flower that mimics the color scheme of the car.Middle-aged men, by contrast, are frequently drawn to color combinations that convey strength, stoicism and, particularly in the luxury vehicle market, wealth. When these men purchase expensive cars, they want the appearance of the vehicle to reflect the price paid.That means rich colors that are evocative of expensive materials such as hardwood, leather and precious metals. In the high-end sports car market, the darker hues of the luxury market are often replaced by traditionally aggressive sports car hues such as red and black, but the message of wealth remains consistent.You Need a Color Usage PlanColor usage is a process with a lot of variables, and those variables can change as trends and tastes evolve — in addition to differences in cultural significance when marketing abroad.With that in mind, manufacturers in the automotive space should formulate a plan for utilizing color in automotive components.Understand the market. Gain a clear understanding of the demographics targeted by each model, and how those potential consumers connect with color. Observe and analyze color trends that are emerging in other industries, such as fashion and consumer goods, as these trends can point to current customer preferences.Devise a color plan that takes into account all aspects of the vehicle. Different car models, and different consumers, connect with different types of color usage — not just with the colors themselves. In a sports car, the interior color scheme may have more elements that match the exterior of the car, which is often an aggressive or eye-catching color such as red, orange or bright blue. In a luxury sedan, consumers are often seeking a statelier interior with soothing colors, regardless of the exterior color.For more information on using color to effectively capture and hold consumers’ interest, contact PolyOne or visit invisiocolor.com.Source: PolyOne

Aeyoung Park 2018-03-19

BASF pushes lightweighting solutions to suppliers, automakers

BASF pushes lightweighting solutions to suppliers, automakers▲ A display of the technology at Koller Group, which just opened its first site in the Americas to make lightweight flooring systems. BASF Corp. was showing off flooring material for vehicles that it called a lightweight, low-cost solution for automakers.BASF supplied the chemistry for the piece, which is manufactured by German supplier Koller Beteiligungs GmbH."It's a lightweight, low-cost solution for automotive applications for any type of load floor or hatchback or sunshade type applications," said Jeffrey Hagar, market segment manager for BASF.Hagar said the part is corrugated honeycomb composite sandwiched between non-woven fiberglass."We then spray the polyurethane on both sides of it, and it gets compressed into a tool to come out with this geometry and this semistructural part," he said.Traditionally, the part has been made out of blow molded polypropylene. Hagar said the new part is about a 50 percent weight savings."In addition to the significant weight savings, there are advantages to adhering carpet to polyurethane. You have to do some additional processing to attach to polypropylene. You are getting a much better bond between the carpet and the substrate," Hagar said.The part was one of several that BASF showed off at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.The company also discussed a collaboration with IAC Group for a lightweight instrument panel foam with a cross-sectional thickness of as low as 4 millimeters.The piece has significant weight savings and cost reductions and it has bio-based content in it, Hagar said."We have a green, sustainable solution, whereas instead of having more petrochemicals going into the marketplace, we're actually replacing this with castor oil, which is renewable and sustainable," he said.The new instrumental panel saves about 40 percent compared to the traditional instrumentpanel and is just as strong as the traditional material, Hagar said.The company also showed off a strut mount off of a Cadillac CT6 where plastics replaced the traditional steel and aluminum solutions. It is made by ContiTech Vibration Control.BASF also showed off a clevis bracket for SUV and truck models with General Motors Co. The piece supports the engine and is made by Hutchinson Antivibration Systems.Source: Plastics News

Aeyoung Park 2018-02-02

The Chinese National Carbon Fiber Industry Testing Center to be set up in Shandong Province

The Chinese National Carbon Fiber Industry Testing Center to be set up in Shandong ProvinceThe General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China (AQSIQ) has agreed to set up Chinese National Carbon Fiber Industry Testing Center in Weihai City of Shandong Province, China.Thanks to its outstanding mechanical and lightweight properties, carbon fiber is gaining wider application in many sectors. As about 80% of the carbon fibers consumed are imported outside of China, it is listed as one of the top ten strategic new materials in the Chinese national key development plan.Weihai City is the main production base of carbon fibers and composites in China, with more than 200 producers across the supply chain. The National Carbon Fiber Industry Testing Center to be set up in the Harbor Port Carbon Fibre Industrial Park will benefit from the competitive advantages of the city.Academic-industrial partnerships are expected to be strengthened following the establishment of the Center, facilitating the development of carbon fibers in China. Source: China Plastic & Rubber Journal International

Aeyoung Park 2018-01-24