PolyOne will launch a new type of flame-resistant nano product

US manufacturers are looking for ways to make the commercialization of nanotechnology, nanotechnology boom will continue to heat up.

“Using nanotechnology is as challenging as researching a new periodic table of elements,” said Roger Avakian, technical director at PolyOne Corp., headquartered in Avon Lake, Ohio.

This technique can be used to adjust the material (including liquid, metal and plastic) at the molecular level performance. Cleveland, Ohio, held a summit in nanotechnology applications, themes October 19th of consumer goods, introduced the speakers who have developed a variety of advanced plastics.

Almost 15 years ago, consumer products giant Procter & Gamble, the first use of nanotechnology, the nano-sized titanium dioxide particles are incorporated, for its Olay brand skin care products. Today, Procter & Gamble, which is headquartered in Cincinnati, set up a task force to conduct research in this area and explore its application in plastic packaging, clear coatings, and UV protection. Vice President Keith Grime said in an interview at the Nano Application Summit held in Cleveland, Ohio from October 17th to 19th.

“We believe that with nanotechnology, we can create previously unattainable visual effects for product packaging,” Grime said. “By increasing blocking and moisture resistance, we can extend the life of our products.”

Avak-ian said that by mid-2006, polymer compounder PolyOne will launch a new type of flame-resistant nanoproduct. Since 2003, the company has begun producing nanoclay compounds in Dyersburg, Tennessee, and will increase production capacity at Avon Lake next year. Their nano-compounds based on polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, and thermoplastic olefins have been used in consumer products, automotive parts, and home appliances. Avakian said that recently, the company has adopted an on-site polymerization of nanoclay and nylon 6, which has reduced the amount of nanoclay by half and has better performance.

Other material suppliers, such as Arkema Inc. of Philadelphia, PA, Cabot Corp. of Boston, Mass., and 3M, a consumer and industrial manufacturer in St. Paul, Minnesota, are developing R&D for nanoplastics.

3M applies nanotechnology to multilayer optical films made of polyester, acrylic, and polyethylene 2,6-naphthalate. These films have hundreds of thousands of nano-coatings and are being used in laptop displays, automotive windows, and other fields. Frank Armatis, materials laboratory manager, said: "With this technology, 3M can create mirrors without the use of metal objects on the luminaires, and it also eliminates the need for colorants when coloring mobile phone casings."

Sheng Hong, a research scientist at Arkema, said that Arkema is making progress on two new types of nano-acrylic copolymers. There are six grades that can be used to toughen a range of plastics, such as fluoropolymers and nylon 12, epoxy and epoxy films. Copolymers have also been used in alloys combining polyphenylene ether with nylon 6, fluoropolymers, and epoxies.

Nirmalya Maity, head of application development at Cabot, North America's largest supplier of carbon black additives, said that the company's researchers are using nanotechnology to produce aerogels in polycarbonate and polyester lighting blankets. This plate can cause refracted light in the skylight, and unlike glass, light can be bent. In addition, it has advantages over glass in terms of weight.

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, USA, have developed "polymer chameleons", fluorescent dyes that can be injected into plastics such as polyethylene, nylon, and acrylic. According to Christoph Weder, professor of molecular biology at the university, dyes have built-in deformation and temperature sensors that only ignite at a certain pressure and temperature. These materials are widely used, including meat packaging, fishing lines and toys. Weder said that, for example, plastic toy cars change color after they collide with each other, and then return to their original colors.

Source: China Polymer Network