ARCHIVE - TOPIC OF THE MONTH
Overview: Topic of the Month - Archive
July 2016: Sustainability is essential for the future (IX): "Mineral plastic" with great potential
21/07/2016
A new class of plastics has been inspired by nature and is easily degradable. Conventional plastics are based on crude oil and cause problems for the environment as they are not degradable. The research group around Helmut Cölfen, professor of physical chemistry at the University of Konstanz, has now produced an entirely new "mineral plastic" whose structure copies biomaterials.June 2016: Sustainability is essential in the future (VIII) – Generating syngas from plastic wastes
20/06/2016
A newly developed gasification process utilises waste plastics, carbon-containing sorting residues and rubber parts as well as shredded materials in the automotive industry. It can also process chlorine-containing plastic streams with PVC fractions in an environmentally friendly and efficient manner. It produces a purified syngas without flue gas emissions. In the process, lime serves as a ...May 2016: Sustainability is essential in the future (VII) – Plenty of potential for recycling
31/05/2016
Technologically, plastics recycling is not a problem at all today. In-house recycling has now become established right across industry. For plastics processors who work with pure-grade raw materials, the waste-free factory has become commonplace. And for post-consumer wastes, there are increasingly mature reutilisation strategies, enabling the regranulate produced with them ...April 2016: Sustainability is essential in the future (VI) - From the scent of roses to nylon and plastics
29/04/2016
March 2016: Sustainability is essential in future (V) – Plastics made of carbon dioxide and plants
31/03/2016
Stanford scientists have discovered a novel way to make plastic from carbon dioxide (CO2) and inedible plant material, such as agricultural waste and grasses. Researchers say the new technology could provide a low-carbon alternative to plastic bottles and other items currently made from petroleum.February 2016: Sustainability is essential in future (IV) – Plastics made of kitchen waste
23/02/2016
800,000 tons: That’s how much waste in the form of chicory roots is generated during the production of chicory salad in Europe per year. Currently, after harvesting the chicory salad, the roots are disposed of in composting or biogas plants. Researchers of the University of Hohenheim used these roots to generate Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), a basic material in the future plastics industry.January 2016: Sustainability is essential in future (III) – Buried in a biologically degradable plastic coffin
05/02/2016
Part three of our series of articles about sustainability focusses on an application area in which successful trials appear to have been completed to replace wood – the dominant material up to now – by plastic or rather a polymer-based, fibre-reinforced composite which biodegrades completely without leaving any residue.
November/December 2015: Sustainability is essential in future (II) – More sustainable cosmetics for a clean environment
14/12/2015
Part two of our series of articles about sustainability takes a look at the use of microparticles in cosmetics and personal products. The particles used frequently involve plastics, which, however, represent a problem for the environment – as we are in the meantime aware. Scientists have started to search for an adequate replacement and have evidently succeeded in finding one.
October 2015: Sustainability is essential in future (I)
30/10/2015
The concept of sustainability requires responsible and economical use of limited resources and it also stimulates scientists and companies to apply their innovative skills in the substitution of fossil raw materials and feedstocks by renewable alternatives. A development reflects the trend: Scientists there are working on a new method for manufacturing polyurethane that is based on vegetable oil.
September 2015: The world of tomorrow will be catching some rays
30/09/2015
The global demand for electricity, raw materials for the chemical and plastics industry as well as aviation fuel could be met by solar energy.