A new company was formed to make and market nanofiber matrixes that can contain additives.
SNS Nano Fiber Technology LLC was established by additives producer Struktol Co. of America and polymer specialist the University of Akron. Based in Uniontown, Ohio, SNS Nano Fiber has started producing Nanosan, a nanostructured nonwoven that incorporates various particles, or additives, in the nanofiber matrix.
Additives are one type of material that can be entrapped or encapsulated within the matrix. Processors can vary the properties by varying the type of polymer nanofiber and the additive.
SNS Nano Fiber claims its product can be made at a substantially lower cost than conventional nanofibers, making it commercially viable. Potential applications exist in wire and cable, medical, military and personal care.
Tel. 330-899-1298, e-mail [email protected]
Soft PU can replace
PVC with phthalates
Huntsman Corp.'s polyurethanes division has debuted two grades of unplasticized soft thermoplastic polyurethanes.
Huntsman of The Woodlands, Texas, said the materials are ideal replacements for PVC where the presence of phthalates or other plasticizers are undesirable. Irogran A60E4902 is a polyester with Shore 55A hardness while A65P4910 is a polyether with Shore 65A hardness.
Huntsman claims the materials are not tacky, do not exude a surface film and maintain properties without migration. They have good drape and hand with a supple feel, Huntsman claimed.
Other benefits are high elastic recovery, high clarity and good tear and abrasion resistance, according to Huntsman.
The resins are suited to extrusion, injection molding and film production
Tel. 248-322-7496, e-mail steven_ [email protected]
Robotics automate
pipe coiling system
Pipe Coil Technology Ltd. uses robots to automate the coiling and packaging process for pipe.
It coils up to 650 feet per minute. Robotics perform all tasks include coil handling, labeling and sampling, to cut manufacturing costs and boost efficiency.
Designed for tube and pipe sizes as large as 32 millimeters in diameter, the system can be built around any automatic coiler.
The main market is utility and plumbing pipe that run high density polyethylene, cross-linked PE, polybutylene and composite pipe. But Pipe Coil Technology can tailor the equipment for other materials.
The company is based in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
Tel. 44-191-295-9910, e-mail [email protected]
Cooling technology
improves cycle times
Marland Mold Inc. of Pittsfield, Mass., has filed patent applications for its Marland cooling technology, which it claims is low cost, requires no maintenance, has no moving parts or valves, expands the processing window, and reduces cycle time by as much as 20 percent.
The research and development team tested the technology on a pilot tool for a closure. Officials think the process will produce similar cycle-time gains for larger parts. Officials are not releasing details until the patents are approved.
Marland already offers a cycle-time guarantee on its molds.
The company also is willing to consider licensing the cooling process to firms making products that are outside of Marland's core business.
There will be no licensing fee charged to Marland customers for molds with Marland cooling technology.
Tel. 413-443-4481, fax 413-443-1095.
Lubrizol adds sheets
for ESD applications
Lubrizol Advanced Materials Inc. has expanded its conductive polymers line with two additions.
The Cleveland-based firm has introduced Electro-Rite inherently conductive polymer-coated sheets for electrostatic dissipation protection on thermoformed trays. It is suited to uses where permanent protection and clarity are important.
Stat-Rite static control systems are inherently static-dissipative materials with permanent ESD protection and prevention properties. Aimed mainly at thermoforming, the systems are available in masterbatch concentrates as well as formulations for injection molding.
The systems boast humidity-independent protection and extremely low outgassing and ionic extractables.
Tel. 888-234-2436 or 440-943-4200, e-mail [email protected] .com.