December 18 2024  Microplastics and Your Health

Microplastics are defined as plastic particles less than 5 mm in size, while nanoplastics are those smaller than 1 micron. Sources of microplastics include the breakdown of larger plastics, textiles, paints, and tires. These particles can be found in the oceans, the air, the food supply, and even within our bodies.

The duration that microplastics remain in the body is still unknown, and we are only beginning to understand their health effects. Studies have shown that microplastics can cross the blood-brain barrier in mice and accumulate in organs such as the liver, kidneys, spleen, lungs, heart, and intestines. Exposure to microplastics in mice has also led to behavioral changes linked to brain impairment. In humans, a study found that the risk of heart attack, stroke, or death was five times higher in individuals with nano- and microplastics in their bodies following surgery for carotid artery stenosis.

Should we be worried about the microplastics in our bodies?  Priyanka Runwal, "Should We Be Worried About the Microplastics in Our Bodies?" C&EN (Chemical and Engineering News), Volume 102, Issue 37, November 25, 2024 (https://cen.acs.org/environment/pollution/Should-worried-microplastics-bodies/102/i37)

November 4 2024  Sherwin-Williams to Join the Dow Jones  Industrial Average

The Sherwin-Williams Co. will replace Dow Inc. in the Dow Jones Industrial Average prior to the open of trading on Friday, November 8.

NVIDIA and Sherwin-Williams Set to Join Dow Jones Industrial Average; Vistra to Join Dow Jones Utility Average

October 10 2024  Honeywell to Spin Off Its Advanced Materials Business

Honeywell has revealed its intention to spin off its Advanced Materials Business to shareholders (1). This new entity, which brings in around $3.8 billion in revenue, is anticipated to be established by late 2025 or early 2026. The Advanced Materials division encompasses specialty chemicals and materials, including brands like Acumist, A-C, and AClyn additives for coatings, Fluka and Hydranal reagents, and Aclar and HydroBlock barrier films (2).

(1) Honeywell Announces Plan to Spin Off Advanced Materials Business to Shareowners, Honeywell website. (https://www.honeywell.com/us/en/press/2024/10/honeywell-announces-plan-to-spin-off-advanced-materials-business-to-shareowners)

(2) Advanced Materials | Honeywell  Honeywell Advanced Materials website.  (https://advancedmaterials.honeywell.com/us/en)
 

October 9 2024 Thermochromic Inks for Thermoplastic Weld Verification

Chromatic Technologies, Inc. specializes in creating innovative, color-changing inks. A well-known use of their thermochromic ink is on Coors Light beer cans, where the mountains turn blue at temperatures of 46°F and below, indicating the beer is ready to drink.

Thermochromic technology is also applied to verify structural integrity, such as in the welding of thermoplastic roof systems. Sika’s Pro Weld Indicator employs Chromatic Technologies’ thermochromic ink to ensure that a hot air weld has reached the correct temperature and duration for a proper weld. Incorrect welding can lead to roof leaks. The thermochromic ink changes from blue to colorless when the roof membrane weld has been exposed to the appropriate temperature for the right amount of time. For a detailed video demonstrating the installation and the associated color change, see the link below.

(1) Sika Pro-Weld - Sika Roofing ,  Sika Website.  (https://usa.sika.com/sarnafil/en/products-systems/roofing-innovations/pro-weld.html 

September 25, 2024  Recent U.S. Government Funding of Biobased Chemical Start Ups

The United States has lagged Europe in government funding for biobased chemical firms, but has been increasing its support for those firms recently. The Department of Defense (DoD) has been particularly active in this area. In July, they announced $9 million in awards to five biobased chemical firms, with two of these companies focusing on the coatings industry:

1. Arctos Technologies Solutions received $1.5 million to build a facility for producing protein-based products used in films and adhesives.
2. Lycos Inc. was awarded $1.8 million to construct a biorefinery for producing chemicals for sealants, adhesives, coatings, and elastomers.

Additionally, over the last two months, the DoD has provided $23 million to support 13 start-ups in building pilot plants for biobased products, including coatings, fuels, explosives, and food.

The funding is part of an effort to increase biomanufacturing efforts in the U.S. to reduce dependence on non renewable resources.

(1) US funding advances biomanufacturing | C&EN Global Enterprise (acs.org) Matt Blois, "US Funding Advances Biomanufacturing," C&EN (Chemical and Engineering News), Volume 102, Issue 27, September 2, 2024.

(2) DOD Releases Five Awards for Distributed Bioindustrial Manufacturing Program > U.S. Department of Defense > Release  "DOD Releases Five Awards for Distributed Bioindustrial Manufacturing Program," U.S. Department of Defense Website, July 30. 2024.

August 27, 2024  Dry colorants by Vibrantz Technologies

Liquid colorants are used to impart color to architectural coatings.  Colorants are typically added to a paint base at the point of purchase in certain ratios to yield the customer’s desired color.  Waterborne colorants require biocides for preservation and to prevent mold formation during storage in dispenser cannisters.  Also, additives such as surfactants and dispersants can detract from paint dry film properties.  Vibrantz’s Pearl technology, introduced last year, is being used to produce solid and water-free colorants, which are free of biocides and additives detrimental to paint performance.  Will all colorants go this way?

PEARLS | High-performing, sustainable tinting technology for coatings. (youtube.com)

June 4, 2024.  A New Approach to Biodegradable Polymers.

Researchers at the University of California San Diego have discovered that bacteria can be incorporated into a polyurethane to help degrade it when its useful life is over.  The team first identified a strain of bacteria, Bacillus subtilus, which can use polyurethanes as a carbon source.  Microbes from that strain were then engineered to survive the heat that will be encountered during processing.  The bacteria are incorporated into the polyurethane via melting processing of the dormant bacteria spores with the polyurethane.  The team found that the spores actually toughen the polymer, and germinate under compost conditions to degrade the polyurethane host.

(1)  Bacteria-seeded plastic is tough and degradable (acs.org) Prachi Patel, Bacteria-seeded Plastic is Tough and Degradable, C&EN (Chemical and Engineering News), Volume 102, Issue 15, May 20, 2024.

May 3, 2024.  Structural Color.

I had the opportunity to meet up with John Book, Vice President of Business Development for Cypris Materials, Inc., at the American Coatings Show in Indianapolis this week.  We had a good discussion, and John provided me with a drawdown of several colors developed with Cypris technology.  The drawdown is at the bottom of this page and is titled "Cypris Materials Drawdown (May 3, 2024)." The colors, of course, are generated through the interaction of light with structures formed by self-assembling brush block copolymers. The colors in the picture were achieved by blending just two different block copolymers in varying ratios….no pigments, no dyes and no need for a unique block copolymer for each color.

April 18, 2024.  Structural Color.

Sparxell has raised $3.2 million to fund development of its structural colored pigments based on cellulose. Sparxell uses a patented technology to control the interactions between crystals during controlled drying of crystalline cellulose suspensions.  By controlling the interactions different colors can be acheived.  The dried films obtained can be ground into pigments. 

(1)  Business Roundup (acs.org)  C&EN Business Roundup, Volume 102, Issue 11, April 8 2024.

(2)  Technology based on the latest material science innovation (sparxell.com)  Technology Page of Sparxell Website.