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Maize based polymes offer packaging potential
Air separation membrane in sight Separating nitrogen from oxygen using a membrane, a holy grail in m e m b r a n e scie n c e , c o u l d n o w b e achievable t h a n k s to a m e t h o d for ' f i n e t u n i n g ' t h e size o f n a n o s c o p i c filter p o r e s develo p e d b y a r e s e a r c h g r o u p in A l b u q u e r q u e , USA. Lead r e s e a r c h e r Jeff Brinker, w h o is senior scientist at t h e US D e p a r t m e n t of Energy's Sandia National Laboratories a n d a p r o f e s s o r at t h e University of N e w Mexico, r e p o r t s t h a t n a n o p o r e size c a n b e adjusted very precisely using a simple b e a m of tdtraviolet light. Sandia a n d UNM have filed a joint p a t e n t application o n t h e m e t h o d . To b e effective, a n air filter w o u l d h a v e to b e able to resolve a size difference of just 0.2A (0.02nm). The Sandla/UNM t e a m have f o u n d it possible to s h r i n k p o r e s in u n i s o n from, say, 3.6A to 3.4A in a n ultraviolet beam. Brinker says that, in effect, t h e p r o c e s s creates a t u n e a b l e zeolite (a zeolite b e i n g a n ultra finep o r e d crystalline filter material). T h e degree o f shrinkage, h e n c e tuning, is p r o p o r t i o n a l to t h e a m o u n t of light exposure. Key to t h e p o r e size c h a n g e s are p h o t o a c i d molecules t h a t self-assemble into a
p e r i o d i c n a n o s t r u c t u r e . Light shone on these molecules breaks t h e m apart to f o r m an acid t h a t causes silica to solidify locally.The e n s u i n g material densification s h r i n k s t h e pores. T h e t e a m are n o w seeking to establish over what range n a n o p o r e sizes c a n b e manipulated. A c c o r d i n g to t h e r e s e a r c h e r s : "The ability to optically def'me a n d continuously control b o t h structure and function on the macro a n d m e s o scales is of interest for s e n s o r arrays, nanoreactors, p h o t o n i c a n d fluidic devices, a n d l o w d i e l e c t r i c c o n s t a n t films. T h e p r o c e s s c a n also b e u s e d to p r o d u c e optical diffraction gratings m a d e of laser damage resistant silica." Work is b e i n g f u n d e d b y DoE's Office of Basic Energy Sciences, the Defense A d v a n c e d Research Projects Agency and Sandia's Laboratory Directed Research a n d D e v e l o p m e n t (LDRD) program. For f u r t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n contact: Jeff Brinker, Sandia National Laboratories, A l b u q u e r q u e , N e w Mexico, USA. Tel: +1-505-272-7627; [email protected].
Opsys Umited: thee further licences electroluminescent compounds Opsys Ltd, t h e Oxford UKb a s e d displays t e c h n o l o g y company, has t a k e n o u t a furt h e r t h r e e Licences from Isis Innovation covering recent d e v e l o p m e n t s m a d e in t w o different areas of organic electroluminescent materials research: light emitting dend r i m e r s a n d c o m p l e x e s of lant h a n i d e metal ions. Following the completion of these Licences, O p s y s h a s sublie e n s e d selected materials to H.W. Sands Corp, a US speciality chemicals s u p p l i e r to t h e displays industry. This b r i n g s t h e n u m b e r of p a t e n t s n o w l i c e n s e d to O p s y s to five. T h e rate at w h i c h licences are b e i n g concluded results from t h e significant level of r e s e a r c h b e i n g f u n d e d directly b y Opsys into organic eleetrolumineseent compounds in several r e s e a r c h groups, b o t h in t h e D e p a r t m e n t of C h e m i s t r y a n d t h e D e p a r t m e n t of Materials at t h e University o f Oxford a n d also at t h e S c h o o l o f Physics a n d A s t r o n o m y at t h e University of St Andrews, UK. Opsys Ltd is a University of Oxford spin-out company, f o u n d e d in O c t o b e r 1997 to develop and commercialize n o v e l display t e c h n o l o g y
b a s e d o n n e w classes o f light emitting materials and designs. Organic electroluminescent technology, also k n o w n as OLEDs ( o r g a n i c light emitting diodes), offers significant advantages over t h e LCDs c o m m o n l y f o u n d in p o r t a b l e p r o d u c t s s u c h as mobile phones, personal organizers a n d l a p t o p computers. OLEDs c o m p r i s e a single fight emitting layer, w h i c h combines uniform brightness and colour purity with a low o p e r a t i n g voltage a n d h i g h efficiency. Opsys' goal is to d e v e l o p c o l o u r OLED displays w h i c h will b e significantly lighter, thinner, a n d c h e a p e r to p r o d u c e t h a n existing technologies, a n d w h i c h will b e ideal n o t only for p o r t a b l e p r o d u c t s s u c h as l a p t o p comp u t e r s but, in t h e longer term, for larger screens s u c h as televisions a n d d e s k t o p monitors. T h e m a r k e t for flat s c r e e n display t e c h n o l o g i e s is e x p e c t e d to g r o w rapidly from its curr e n t e s t i m a t e d level of $13 billion to $70 billion b y 2005. For f u r t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n contact: Isis I n n o v a t i o n Ltd, Ewert Oxford OX2 7DD, UK,Tel: +44 1865 2 8 0 8 3 0 Fax: +44 1865 280831 Email: i n n o v a t i o n @isis.ox.ac.uk
Maize based polymers offer packag,ng potential US resin p r o d u c e r s Cargill a n d D o w Polymers claim to b e able to p r o d u c e polymers, o n a c o m m e r c i a l scale, that are derived from maize. T h e joint v e n t u r e has p r o d u c e d a family of polyactide (PLA) resins that c a n b e m a d e from plant material, a r e n e w a b l e r e s o u r c e . PLAs c a n also b e u s e d as a prec u r s o r for fibers. Early a p p l i c a t i o n s i n c l u d e p a c k a g i n g film a n d textile
la
fibers. In b o t h cases existing production equipment can be employed. Several c o m p a n i e s s u c h as Autobar Group, BIMO Italia, Cascades, C o n s t a n t i a , Tetrapak a n d T r e s p a p h a n have a n n o u n c e d p l a n s to d e v e l o p PLA-based p r o d u c t s . Cargill D o w says PLA film is a good b a r r i e r to food aromas a n d flavours, a n d c a n f o r m a l o w t e m p e r a t u r e h e a t seal. It c a n b e e x t r u d e d a n d has i n h e r e n t polarity - useful in p r i n t i n g
a n d metallising. It is also compatible w i t h w a s t e managem e n t processes. Under the company's proprietary 'NatureWorks' process, carbon that plants remove f r o m t h e air d u r i n g p h o t o s y n t h e s i s is s t o r e d in p l a n t s t a r c h e s . T h e s e are t h e n brok e n d o w n i n t o n a t u r a l sugars, r e l e a s i n g t h e c a r b o n a n d o t h e r e l e m e n t s for u s e in t h e PLA p o l y m e r . S u g a r f r o m
m a i z e is a n a b u n d a n t a n d cheap feedstock though o t h e r p l a n t s o u r c e s , s u c h as wheat, sugar beat and even a g r i c u l t u r a l w a s t e , are n o w b e i n g i n v e s t i g a t e d as well. Says Pat G r u b e r , v i c e presid e n t o f t e c h n o l o g y at CargillDow: "PLA combines 20th century technical advances with use of historic natural materials, setting a standard for the new millennium."
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p e r i o d i c n a n o s t r u c t u r e . Light shone on these molecules breaks t h e m apart to f o r m an acid t h a t causes silica to solidify locally.The e n s u i n g material densification s h r i n k s t h e pores. T h e t e a m are n o w seeking to establish over what range n a n o p o r e sizes c a n b e manipulated. A c c o r d i n g to t h e r e s e a r c h e r s : "The ability to optically def'me a n d continuously control b o t h structure and function on the macro a n d m e s o scales is of interest for s e n s o r arrays, nanoreactors, p h o t o n i c a n d fluidic devices, a n d l o w d i e l e c t r i c c o n s t a n t films. T h e p r o c e s s c a n also b e u s e d to p r o d u c e optical diffraction gratings m a d e of laser damage resistant silica." Work is b e i n g f u n d e d b y DoE's Office of Basic Energy Sciences, the Defense A d v a n c e d Research Projects Agency and Sandia's Laboratory Directed Research a n d D e v e l o p m e n t (LDRD) program. For f u r t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n contact: Jeff Brinker, Sandia National Laboratories, A l b u q u e r q u e , N e w Mexico, USA. Tel: +1-505-272-7627; [email protected].
Opsys Umited: thee further licences electroluminescent compounds Opsys Ltd, t h e Oxford UKb a s e d displays t e c h n o l o g y company, has t a k e n o u t a furt h e r t h r e e Licences from Isis Innovation covering recent d e v e l o p m e n t s m a d e in t w o different areas of organic electroluminescent materials research: light emitting dend r i m e r s a n d c o m p l e x e s of lant h a n i d e metal ions. Following the completion of these Licences, O p s y s h a s sublie e n s e d selected materials to H.W. Sands Corp, a US speciality chemicals s u p p l i e r to t h e displays industry. This b r i n g s t h e n u m b e r of p a t e n t s n o w l i c e n s e d to O p s y s to five. T h e rate at w h i c h licences are b e i n g concluded results from t h e significant level of r e s e a r c h b e i n g f u n d e d directly b y Opsys into organic eleetrolumineseent compounds in several r e s e a r c h groups, b o t h in t h e D e p a r t m e n t of C h e m i s t r y a n d t h e D e p a r t m e n t of Materials at t h e University o f Oxford a n d also at t h e S c h o o l o f Physics a n d A s t r o n o m y at t h e University of St Andrews, UK. Opsys Ltd is a University of Oxford spin-out company, f o u n d e d in O c t o b e r 1997 to develop and commercialize n o v e l display t e c h n o l o g y
b a s e d o n n e w classes o f light emitting materials and designs. Organic electroluminescent technology, also k n o w n as OLEDs ( o r g a n i c light emitting diodes), offers significant advantages over t h e LCDs c o m m o n l y f o u n d in p o r t a b l e p r o d u c t s s u c h as mobile phones, personal organizers a n d l a p t o p computers. OLEDs c o m p r i s e a single fight emitting layer, w h i c h combines uniform brightness and colour purity with a low o p e r a t i n g voltage a n d h i g h efficiency. Opsys' goal is to d e v e l o p c o l o u r OLED displays w h i c h will b e significantly lighter, thinner, a n d c h e a p e r to p r o d u c e t h a n existing technologies, a n d w h i c h will b e ideal n o t only for p o r t a b l e p r o d u c t s s u c h as l a p t o p comp u t e r s but, in t h e longer term, for larger screens s u c h as televisions a n d d e s k t o p monitors. T h e m a r k e t for flat s c r e e n display t e c h n o l o g i e s is e x p e c t e d to g r o w rapidly from its curr e n t e s t i m a t e d level of $13 billion to $70 billion b y 2005. For f u r t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n contact: Isis I n n o v a t i o n Ltd, Ewert Oxford OX2 7DD, UK,Tel: +44 1865 2 8 0 8 3 0 Fax: +44 1865 280831 Email: i n n o v a t i o n @isis.ox.ac.uk
Maize based polymers offer packag,ng potential US resin p r o d u c e r s Cargill a n d D o w Polymers claim to b e able to p r o d u c e polymers, o n a c o m m e r c i a l scale, that are derived from maize. T h e joint v e n t u r e has p r o d u c e d a family of polyactide (PLA) resins that c a n b e m a d e from plant material, a r e n e w a b l e r e s o u r c e . PLAs c a n also b e u s e d as a prec u r s o r for fibers. Early a p p l i c a t i o n s i n c l u d e p a c k a g i n g film a n d textile
la
fibers. In b o t h cases existing production equipment can be employed. Several c o m p a n i e s s u c h as Autobar Group, BIMO Italia, Cascades, C o n s t a n t i a , Tetrapak a n d T r e s p a p h a n have a n n o u n c e d p l a n s to d e v e l o p PLA-based p r o d u c t s . Cargill D o w says PLA film is a good b a r r i e r to food aromas a n d flavours, a n d c a n f o r m a l o w t e m p e r a t u r e h e a t seal. It c a n b e e x t r u d e d a n d has i n h e r e n t polarity - useful in p r i n t i n g
a n d metallising. It is also compatible w i t h w a s t e managem e n t processes. Under the company's proprietary 'NatureWorks' process, carbon that plants remove f r o m t h e air d u r i n g p h o t o s y n t h e s i s is s t o r e d in p l a n t s t a r c h e s . T h e s e are t h e n brok e n d o w n i n t o n a t u r a l sugars, r e l e a s i n g t h e c a r b o n a n d o t h e r e l e m e n t s for u s e in t h e PLA p o l y m e r . S u g a r f r o m
m a i z e is a n a b u n d a n t a n d cheap feedstock though o t h e r p l a n t s o u r c e s , s u c h as wheat, sugar beat and even a g r i c u l t u r a l w a s t e , are n o w b e i n g i n v e s t i g a t e d as well. Says Pat G r u b e r , v i c e presid e n t o f t e c h n o l o g y at CargillDow: "PLA combines 20th century technical advances with use of historic natural materials, setting a standard for the new millennium."
Materials
Today