les breves innovation n° 102

GROUPE FRANÇAIS D'ÉTUDES ET D'APPLICATIONS DES POLYMÈRES
Août 2014
LES BREVES INNOVATION N° 102
Informations rassemblées et compilées par A. Momtaz
1. Nouveaux PRODUITS, nouveaux Matériaux
Nouveaux matériaux auto-réparant
Carbon dioxide 'sponge' could ease transition to cleaner energy
2. Techniques de synthèse: matières premières, procédés, outils
Improving polymer film fabrication
Procédés: Genomatica se déploie dans les intermédiaires Nylon
biosourcés
3. Techniques de MISE en ŒUVRE et ADDITIFS de formulation
Global Nanocomposites Market Forecast to Grow at 17.69% CAGR
4. Polymères biosourcés, biopolymères, biocarburant
Genomatica Confirms Nylon Intermediates
as Third Set of Biobased Processes Under Development
Bayer CO2 research shows petroleum used to make plastics can be cut
Des emballages comestibles pour transporter l'eau
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5. APPLICATIONS des Polymères
a. Systèmes intelligents
R.A.S
b. Polymères pour l’électronique
Progress with Printed Electronics
LG first to commercialize 4K OLED TV
c. Revêtement de surface
Heat-responsive polymers that do not breakdown in water may lead
to new antifouling coatings and enhanced oil recovery
Revêtements biosourcés : Ecoat installe sa production à Roussillon
d.
Energie
Organic photovoltaic cells of the future Organic photovoltaic cells of
the future
e.
Transport
R.A.S.
f.
Bâtiment
R.A.S.
g.
Textile
R.A.S.
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h. Médical, santé
Researchers who discovered bacteria-resistant polymers receive
award to find out why they work
Researchers make case for using more plastic in acupuncture
6. Techniques d'ANALYSE de calcul et de CARACTERISATION, études
TOXICOLOGIQUES
R.A.S.
7. RECYCLAGE, ENVIRONNEMENT, REGLEMENTATIONS
Europe recycled equivalent of 65 billion PET bottles in 2013
8. Enseignement et Recherche
R.A.S.
9. ECHOS de l'INDUSTRIE
Ineos takes its first step into UK shale exploration
Patagonia lance une combinaison de surf en caoutchouc biosourcé
GROUPE FRANÇAIS D'ÉTUDES ET D'APPLICATIONS DES POLYMÈRES
Août 2014
LES BREVES INNOVATION N° 102
Informations rassemblées et compilées par A. Momtaz
1. Nouveaux PRODUITS, nouveaux MATERIAUX
Nouveaux matériaux auto-réparant
Natoco, fabricant de peinture japonais, a conçu un film protecteur auto-réparant
pouvant être appliqué aux ordinateurs, smartphones et bien d'autres. Lorsque le film est
éraflé, les rayures disparaissent progressivement jusqu'à laisser le film intact.
L'entreprise réfléchit à une application sur les véhicules de ses produits.
Source: http://www.bulletins-electroniques.com/actualites/76502.htm
Carbon dioxide 'sponge' could ease transition to cleaner energy
Plastic that soaks up carbon dioxide could someday be used in plant smokestacks.
Credit: American Chemical Society
A sponge-like plastic that sops up the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) might ease
our transition away from polluting fossil fuels and toward new energy sources, such as
hydrogen. The material -- a relative of the plastics used in food containers -- could play a
role in President Obama's plan to cut CO2 emissions 30 percent by 2030, and could also
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Août 2014
be integrated into power plant smokestacks in the future.
The report on the material is one of nearly 12,000 presentations at the 248th National
Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest
scientific society, taking place here through Thursday.
"The key point is that this polymer is stable, it's cheap, and it adsorbs CO2 extremely
well. It's geared toward function in a real-world environment," says Andrew Cooper,
Ph.D. "In a future landscape where fuel-cell technology is used, this adsorbent could
work toward zero-emission technology."
CO2 adsorbents are most commonly used to remove the greenhouse gas pollutant from
smokestacks at power plants where fossil fuels like coal or gas are burned. However,
Cooper and his team intend the adsorbent, a microporous organic polymer, for a
different application -- one that could lead to reduced pollution.
The new material would be a part of an emerging technology called an integrated
gasification combined cycle (IGCC), which can convert fossil fuels into hydrogen gas.
Hydrogen holds great promise for use in fuel-cell cars and electricity generation because
it produces almost no pollution. IGCC is a bridging technology that is intended to jumpstart the hydrogen economy, or the transition to hydrogen fuel, while still using the
existing fossil-fuel infrastructure. But the IGCC process yields a mixture of hydrogen and
CO2 gas, which must be separated.
Cooper, who is at the University of Liverpool, says that the sponge works best under the
high pressures intrinsic to the IGCC process. Just like a kitchen sponge swells when it
takes on water, the adsorbent swells slightly when it soaks up CO2 in the tiny spaces
between its molecules. When the pressure drops, he explains, the adsorbent deflates and
releases the CO2-, which they can then collect for storage or convert into useful carbon
compounds.
The material, which is a brown, sand-like powder, is made by linking together many
small carbon-based molecules into a network. Cooper explains that the idea to use this
structure was inspired by polystyrene, a plastic used in styrofoam and other packaging
material. Polystyrene can adsorb small amounts of CO2 by the same swelling action.
One advantage of using polymers is that they tend to be very stable. The material can
even withstand being boiled in acid, proving it should tolerate the harsh conditions in
power plants where CO2 adsorbents are needed. Other CO2 scrubbers -- whether made
from plastics or metals or in liquid form -- do not always hold up so well, he says.
Another advantage of the new adsorbent is its ability to adsorb CO2 without also taking
on water vapor, which can clog up other materials and make them less effective. Its low
cost also makes the sponge polymer attractive. "Compared to many other adsorbents,
they're cheap," Cooper says, mostly because the carbon molecules used to make them
are inexpensive. "And in principle, they're highly reusable and have long lifetimes
because they're very robust."
Cooper also will describe ways to adapt his microporous polymer for use in smokestacks
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Août 2014
and other exhaust streams. He explains that it is relatively simple to embed the spongy
polymers in the kinds of membranes already being evaluated to remove CO-2 from
power plant exhaust, for instance. Combining two types of scrubbers could make much
better adsorbents by harnessing the strengths of each, he explains.
The research was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and
E.ON Energy.
Source : http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/08/140810124200.htm
2. Techniques de synthèse: matières premières, procédés, outils
Improving polymer film fabrication
It is undeniable that polymeric thin films are found in
a diverse of range applications across many fields.
Scientists and engineers are constantly developing
new methodologies to improve film fabrication
processes that, for instance, enable the incorporation
of multiple chemical functionalities or facile tuning of
physical properties (such as thickness, density and
stiffness).
A team of researchers led by Qiao and Caruso from The University of Melbourne
(Australia) has recently developed an efficient and versatile film fabrication method,
termed continuous assembly of polymers (CAP), to fabricate chiral stationary phases
with nanoengineered features. The main working principle behind the CAP approach
relies on controlled polymerization protocols to control the continuous growth of
macrocrosslinkers – (bio)macromolecules functionalized with pendent polymerizable
moieties – from initiator-functionalized surfaces to form surface-confined, cross-linked
films in a single-step. As a proof of concept, the researchers demonstrated that the CAP
approach can be utilized to build robust thin films composed of different types of
functional polysaccharides on mesoporous silica particles, endowing the particles with
chiral discrimination properties. They have also shown that chiral separation
performance is dependent on the film thickness. Given that the film composition and
thickness can be tailored efficiently via the CAP approach, chiral stationary phases with
improved chiral discrimination over a range of racemates may be realized in the future.
Source: http://www.materialsviews.com/improving-polymer-filmfabrication/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=improving-polymerfilm-fabrication
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Procédés: Genomatica se déploie dans les intermédiaires Nylon
biosourcés
Cet été, la société américaine Genomatica a annoncé officiellement son entrée dans le
domaine du Nylon. Après s’être concentrée sur le butanediol et le butadiène biosourcés,
elle s’attèle désormais au développement de procédés biotechnologiques pour la
production d’intermédiaires du polyamide 6 et 6,6 sur base végétale : l’hexaméthylène
diamine (HMD), le caprolactame (CPL) et l’acide adipique (ADA). Ces trois
intermédiaires représentent ensembles un marché de 18 milliards de dollars par an.
Des procédés vendus sous licence
Selon, son business model, Genomatica a pour vocation de développer des procédés
pour les commercialiser sous licence à des producteurs présents dans la chaîne de
valeur du nylon. Dans le domaine du butanediol biosourcé, BASF avait fait l’acquisition
en mai 2013 d’une licence du procédé de Genomatica dans l’optique de construire une
usine. Et c’est une stratégie qui n’est pas partagée par tous les acteurs des
intermédiaires chimiques biosourcés. Par exemple, dans l’acide succinique, Reverdia,
tout comme Myriant ou BioAmber développent des procédés en vue d’opérer leurs
propres unités industrielles.
Sur ce sujet des intermédiaires Nylon, Genomatica ne part pas de zéro. La société a déjà
bâti une large propriété intellectuelle, avec 8 brevets américains et des extensions en
cours au niveau mondial. Par ailleurs, elle a déjà franchi le stade des « preuves de
concept » et de la démonstration. Les sociétés concurrentes s’appellent Verdezyne qui
développe des procédés par voie fermentaire et Rennovia qui a choisi la voie de la
catalyse chimique.
Source: http://formule-verte.com/procedes-genomatica-se-deploie-dans-lesintermediaires-nylon-biosources/
3. Techniques de MISE en ŒUVRE et ADDITIFS de formulation
Global Nanocomposites Market Forecast to Grow at 17.69% CAGR
Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global Nanocomposites
Market 2014-2018" report to their offering.
Nanocomposites are a class of materials, which incorporate nano-sized particles in a
matrix of other materials such as polymers. Such nano-sized particles enhance the
properties of the matrix material, including characteristics such as mechanical strength,
electrical and thermal conductivity, and chemical resistance. Nanocomposites are used
in a range of industries such as Building and Construction, Automotive, Aviation, and
Healthcare.
The analysts forecast the Global Nanocomposites market to grow at a CAGR of 17.69
percent over the period 2013-2018.
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Août 2014
This report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the Global
Nanocomposites market for the period 2013-2018. To calculate the market size, the
report considers the revenue generated through the sales of nanocomposites. In terms
of type, the market is segmented into the following: Clay-based Nanocomposites, Carbon
Nanotubes-based Nanocomposites, and Others.
Lire la suite: http://www.azonano.com/news.aspx?newsID=30870
4. Polymères biosourcés, biopolymères, biocarburants
Genomatica Confirms Nylon Intermediates
as Third Set of Biobased Processes Under Development
Builds on extensive intellectual property and early results
Genomatica
announced
that
major
nylon
intermediates
–
including
hexamethylenediamine, caprolactam and adipic acid (HMD, CPL and ADA) – are the
focus of its third publicly-disclosed development program. Genomatica is developing
complete process technologies for the biobased production of these intermediates,
which it will then license to major firms in the nylon value chain. These three chemicals,
with a total market of over $18 billion per year, are used primarily in the production of
nylon 6 and nylon 6,6, also referred to as the polyamides PA 6 and PA 6,6.
Genomatica has been building a comprehensive set of nylon program assets over the last
few years. The nylon program builds on a large body of intellectual property (IP), which
includes but is not limited to eight issued U.S. patents and numerous pending
applications worldwide, as well as trade secrets that include engineered strains, with
some of the IP developed internally and some from a recent IP acquisition. A number of
the concepts described by Genomatica’s patent filings have been validated in
experimental proofs of concept, demonstrating feasibility. These include the successful
demonstration of certain metabolic pathways; production of certain nylon intermediates
in various microorganisms; and efficient methods to produce and recover certain nylon
intermediates from the fermentation.
Genomatica’s nylon intermediates program follows commercialization and licensing of
its GENO BDO™ process, and strong progress with its butadiene program, which has
gained over $100 million in industry support, with Versalis and Braskem as anchor
partners.
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Août 2014
Genomatica’s nylon intermediates program aims to deliver biobased processes
for the production of hexamethylenediamine, caprolactam and adipic acid (HMD, CPL
and ADA).
Nylon intermediates program targets important advantages
Genomatica is focused on developing biobased processes that deliver the exact same
chemicals as those made with petroleum-based feedstocks, along with better overall
economics and greater sustainability. For nylon intermediates, Genomatica’s processes
are intended to provide on-purpose alternatives to current processes while avoiding the
price volatility or limited supply sources of current raw materials such as benzene or
adiponitrile. Genomatica’s technology also has the potential to avoid unwanted
byproducts and waste streams characteristic of many current processes.
Genomatica’s integrated biotechnology platform, which combines process engineering,
predictive computer models, and experimental biotechnology, has been key to
Genomatica’s confidence in the feasibility of delivering commercially-advantaged
processes in this field.
Development of commercial processes for nylon intermediates is expected to take
several years, and follow a sequence of technical, partnership, scale-up and
commercialization milestones.
Program sponsors gain opportunity for advantageous positions
As with its butadiene program, Genomatica is inviting leaders in the nylon value chain to
join as development partners for its nylon intermediates program.
Development partners have the opportunity to engage throughout the program,
influence priorities and gain early access to the resulting process technology.
Genomatica believes that such access can provide important time-to-market and
competitive advantage to program sponsors.
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Août 2014
Supporting quotes
“Genomatica’s team, broad IP portfolio and integrated biotechnology platform enable us
to develop processes for multiple high-volume chemicals,” said Christophe Schilling,
Ph.D., CEO of Genomatica. “Nylon intermediates are of high interest to us, and a natural
target for our R&D and process engineering strengths. We’re excited to formally unveil
our nylon program.”
About Genomatica
Genomatica is a widely-recognized technology leader for the chemical industry. It
develops manufacturing processes that enable its licensee partners to produce the
world’s most widely-used chemicals a ‘better way,’ from alternative feedstocks, with
better economics and greater sustainability than petroleum-based processes.
Genomatica has the distinction of driving the first genuine commercialization of a
biobased process for a high-volume intermediate chemical. Its GENO BDO™ process for
producing butanediol (BDO) has been licensed by BASF and by Novamont; BASF has
announced its first commercial production; and multiple large chemical firms have
publicly validated quality and/or described commercialization plans, including Invista
(for its well-known Lycra®), DSM, Lanxess, Toray, and Far Eastern New Century.
Genomatica’s biotechnology platform and over 500 patents and applications enable it to
develop processes for additional major chemicals. The next is for butadiene, with
Versalis and Braskem as partners, and over $100 million in industry support.
Genomatica has also announced a program to develop processes for the production of
nylon intermediates.
Genomatica has earned tremendous recognition for its innovation and
commercialization track record, including the Kirkpatrick Award, for ‘the most
noteworthy chemical engineering technology commercialized in the world,’ and the
2014 Bioeconomy Leadership Award.
Source: http://www.genomatica.com/news/press-releases/genomatica-announcesnylon-intermediates-program/
Bayer CO2 research shows petroleum used to make plastics can be cut
Bayer MaterialScience’s research into carbon dioxide has shown that the proportion of
petroleum used in the production of plastics can be reduced.
It culminates from a Dream Polymers project in which Bayer MaterialsScience is
continuing its activities to find new uses for CO2.
The German chemical giant’s technology using greenhouse gas to produce a key
component for high quality foam (polyurethane) is already moving towards commercial
use. The proportion of the petroleum in this chemical is 80%. Christoph Gürtler, project
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manager at Bayer MaterialScience, said: “We have now succeeded in reducing the
petroleum content for making other plastics to just 60%.”
Carbon dioxide is used twice in the new process. First, the greenhouse gas is
incorporated directly into a new kind of precursor (polyoxymethylene polycarbonate
polyol), replacing 20% of the petroleum. Secondly, it is also used indirectly, producing a
chemical that is also incorporated into the precursor for a further 20% saving in
petroleum. "As a result, the proportion of alternative raw materials is already 40%," said
Gürtler.
In addition to this, the number of plastics that can be produced using carbon dioxide is
increasing. "It is now also possible to manufacture thermoplastic polyurethanes, films
and casting elastomers in this way," added Gürtler. Such plastics are used in all kinds of
applications, including automotive interiors, cable sheathing and sporting goods such as
ski boots.
Bayer MaterialScience researchers have already proved in laboratory tests that the
manufacturing process works in principle. "Initial application tests have been positive”,
said Gürtler, but “there is some way to go before the process is commercially viable”.
Dream Polymers is being supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and
Research. External institutions in Germany such as the CAT Catalytic Center, the Leibniz
Institute for Catalysis and the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology are also
involved.
Source: http://www.prw.com/subscriber/newsmail2.html?id=5524
Des emballages comestibles pour transporter l'eau
Un groupe de designers propose des sphères biodégradables à base d'algues pour
remplacer les bouteilles d’eau.
La sphérification est une technique bien connue en cuisine moléculaire pour enfermer
des liquides dans des sphères gélatineuses. Trois designers londoniens ont imaginé
créer des sphères de ce type avec une enveloppe pour contenir de l'eau.
La double membrane protectrice est formée d’alginate de sodium, obtenue par la
déminéralisation d’algues brunes, et gélifiée en présence de CaCl2. L'eau est d'abord
transformée en glace avant d'être encapsulée, afin de faciliter l'opération.
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Août 2014
Cet emballage appelé Ooho peut être de différentes tailles. Son intérêt est qu'il est
biodégradable (et même comestible) et peu coûteux (2 cents).
Les sphères peuvent être personnalisées en insérant, sans adhésif, un logo comestible
entre les deux couches de la membrane.
Source: Sirris (29-08-2014), http://www.pierrepaslier.com
5. APPLICATIONS des Polymères
a. Systèmes intelligents
R.A.S.
b. Polymères pour l’électronique
Progress with Printed Electronics
Progress with Printed Electronics Printed Electronics is an
old embryonic technology. It is an umbrella term used to
describe electronics that can be flexible, printed and/or
based on organic materials. It consists of a wide range of
enabling technologies, each at different points of maturity,
growth and development.
The snap shot view in 2014 is shown in the following chart, based on research
conducted by IDTechEx.
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Août 2014
Source: IDTechEx report Printed, Organic and Flexible Electronics 2014-2024
In this article we focus on the current status of the main printed electronics technologies
for components in consumer goods and healthcare applications, providing for each one
market drivers, case studies and key suppliers, cost structures and challenges. These
and many of the products and companies mentioned will be showcased at the
forthcoming IDTechEx event Printed Electronics USA 2014 on November 19-20 in Santa
Clara, USA.
The components are given in three main sections - displays, power and other
components such as logic, sensors, and conductive inks.
Displays: AC Electroluminescence
AC Electroluminescent Displays are simple, screen printed light emitting displays that
require an AC power source. They are built of low cost, light emitting segments that can
be relatively thin and conformable.
Examples of cases studies include moving images on labels for Copoya rum (USA) and
Ballantine's Whisky promotional bottles (Europe), as well as Bombay Sapphire boxes
(pictured) and other promotional off-package signage (posters etc) by a large number of
brands. EL displays are also widely used on wearables such as promotional/novelty Tshirts.
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Août 2014
Source: Little Pockets
Advantages of the technology include the fact that lead time is short - 4 weeks is typicaland lifetime is good enough for packaging applications. In volume, costs can be under
$10 for relatively large (A4 size) promotional posters, including power supply and
display driver to less than a few dollars. On the down side voltage supply is high (e.g.
120-240V) and tends to emit a hum. It is also difficult to see the active parts of the
display in high levels of light.
Displays: Electrochromic
Electrochromic (EC) displays are very simple, screen printed structures, characterized
by low power consumption. They are low cost reflective displays that have been used in
promotional material such as M&S gift cards and the CANVAS magazine cover. Beyond
those, it's mostly been prototypes so far, such as displays for smart cards, gift cards etc.
In volume costs would be <5 US cents per active sq cm. Holding it back is the limited
choice of colors. BASF and others are working on a broader color range which will
enable more applications. Displays: Electrophoretic Electrophoretic displays (EPDs)
have been extensively used in e-readers such as the Amazon Kindle, but this is a market
that is currently in decline as consumers opt for color LCD versions. Consumer goods
and healthcare applications have seen e-paper displays as one-offs in magazines
(Esquire in 2008), POS posters, in products such as key fobs, memory sticks, locks etc.
These have been fairly niche applications so far, but technology developers are looking
to push further adoption in these markets due to the slow-down in the e-reader space. In
addition, there is work on color versions, with striking red recently demonstrated along
with grayscale.
Displays: OLED OLED
Displays are light emitting. They can be flexible and printed but are currently mostly
made by vacuum processes. Printing is possible and extensively researched but not in
commercial products yet. The materials are light emitting materials characterized by
low power consumption and excellent color range but are still very expensive.
Other than their use in smart phones and televisions (OLEDs are already a $15.7 billion
market in 2014 for cell phone displays, OLED TVs were launched in 2013), in the CPG
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space there have been very limited demonstrations such as those by Toppan Forms (an
OLED display powered wirelessly) and DNP.
The most important players include Samsung, LG Display, Sony, Panasonic, AUO and in
the materials space Merck, UDC, Samsung, Idemitsu, DuPont, Dow and 3M.
Drawbacks for further adoption beyond consumer electronics include:



Costs are still high, approx. $30 for a cell phone display including backplane.
Lifetime for flexible versions is very poor unless a large amount of money is spent on
good flexible barriers (which cost more than glass)
Focus is to make high volume, high margin products like consumer electronics for now
to recoup high R&D spend rather than low margin products.
Power: Printed batteries
Thin film batteries - usually MnOZn chemistry when printed (but rigid, lithium ion solid
state versions are also available) are very important components since all devices need
a power source which needs to be safe and as "green" as possible. Biobliss skin patches
and audio paper/recording gift cards from Toppan Forms have been successful
applications. In particular, in a skin patch the battery puts a voltage potential over the
skin so that the pores open up and cosmetic goes in about 10 times more quickly - used
for fast anti-wrinkle treatments.
Examples of developers of printed thin batteries include Blue Spark (primary), Enfucell
(primary), Imprint (secondary). On the thin film Li ion front, Cymbet and Solicore are
the main developers. Many others are now joining with flexible or curved batteries such
as STMicroelectronics and LG (not always printed).
Costs are a few tens of cents each in low volume. Lifetime and power output are not as
good as a coincell - if a coin cell can be used, it probably will be preferred over the form
factor benefits of a thin film cell until volume sales are achieved. Driving applications are
the need for thin, flexible batteries such as in wearable electronics.
Power: Photovoltaics, OPV & DSSC
In the photovoltaics space, Organic PV and dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) can
perform optimally in indoor applications (i.e. lower levels of light intensity) where other
PV technologies can struggle. Companies are pursuing these to power electronic shelf
edge labels to signage, as they work well at low light levels and the solar cell can be
designed around the bezel and even colored to look better than conventional PV cells.
Reducing costs and optimizing lifetime and efficiency remain the biggest challenges for
these technologies so far.
Power: Wireless power transfer
Wireless Power e.g. via NFC would remove the power source cost component which
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Août 2014
would enable smart packaging features at lower costs. Demonstrations such as the
interactive Cheerios packaging from Fulton Innovations that's powered wirelessly via
induction have already been showcased.
Other components: Logic
Printed or organic low cost, low transistor count devices would satisfy the needs for
logic required for many mainstream applications. There has been efforts to print RFID
tags but although these have been demonstrated, they are not commercial yet.
PragmatIC is working on many product prototypes and smart packaging concepts with
different companies. They have shown winking gift cards, interactive bottle labels with
LED lights, have worked with De La Rue and Tiger Print (Hallmark) etc. Separately,
×Thin Film Electronics Thin Film Electronics is exhibiting at Business and Technology
Insight Forum Tokyo, Japan 3 - 4 Sep 2014 Thin Film Electronics are working with a
range of companies to create the world's first printed time temperature indicator labels,
incorporating printed memory, logic, temperature sensors, battery and display.
Announced partners/customers include TempTime and PakSense.
The end game is to put together an ecosystem that would focus on building complete
devices rather than supplying components. After all, a transistor is not a product and
companies have recognized the need to provide complete solutions.
Other components: Conductive inks
The application here is printed ink for simple conductors, resistors, capacitors and
heating elements. Innovations include:



Touchcode from T-ink - printed conductors on a card that can be "read" by a multi touch
screen and launch a program. Very low cost per device.
Tamper evidence.
Smart shelves - to monitor stock units e.g. for minibars to retail shelves as CPG
companies seek data on stock levels and when people pick up or use their products.
In terms of developers, there are many ink suppliers but the key to commercial success
are the product designers. These include T-ink, MWV, Soligie, GSI Technologies and
Ynvisible.
Costs are variable depending on the device made, and many devices today are hybrid
devices, with several very different technologies integrated, where ink is not the
dominant cost.
Other components: Sensors
The biggest success has been glucose test strips, a multi-billion dollar market that uses
printed conductor electrodes on each strip. Beyond that there are many other types of
sensors coming to market. Demonstrators/prototypes are available such as motion
sensors that detect someone's presence from ×ISORG ISORG is exhibiting at Printed
Electronics USA 2014 Santa Clara, CA, USA 19 - 20 Nov 2014 ISORG, temperature
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sensing from PST Sensors, PARC etc.
See the Big Picture
All this and more will be featured at the IDTechEx Printed Electronics USA External Link
event in Santa Clara on Nov 19-20. This is the largest event in the world on the topic,
featuring over 2,500 attendees, 200 exhibitors, the world's largest collection of printed
electronics products and much more. Critically, it looks at the commercialization of
printed electronics with presentations from end users about their needs and
experiences with the technology.
Top image of Amazon Kindle source: Amazon
Source: http://www.printedelectronicsworld.com/articles/progress-with-printedelectronics-00006796.asp
LG first to commercialize 4K OLED TV
LG Electronics (LG) has announced the start of sales of the world's first OLED TV with
4K (3840 x 2160) resolution. Available in 77- and 65-inch screen sizes (models
77EG9700 and 65EC9700), LG 4K OLED TVs boast the very best display technology
currently available ― a curved panel composed of organic light-emitting diodes in Ultra
HD quality. LG 4K OLED TV, highlights the superiority of OLED over conventional
display technology, providing a viewing experience that is nothing short of amazing.
Simply put, it is the future of television.
Read more at: http://www.printedelectronicsworld.com/articles/lg-first-tocommercialize-4k-oled-tv-00006833.asp?sessionid=1
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c. Revêtement de surface
Heat-responsive polymers that do not breakdown in water may lead
to new antifouling coatings and enhanced oil recovery
Their high tolerance to salt, pH and temperature cause zwitterionic polymers to become viscous when
subjected to high shear forces in brine, making them useful for marine antifouling applications. Credit:
Alexcrab/iStock/Thinkstock
Thanks to the positively and negatively charged units in their monomers, zwitterionic
polymers have a high affinity for water—a property known as hydrophilicity. This
property helps prevent fouling, namely the build-up of contaminants. Current
zwitterionic polymers are not effective in water as they use monomers such as
commercially available acrylamide and methacrylates that tend to decompose and lose
their electrostatic characteristics when wet.
To solve this issue, a team led by Vivek Vasantha from the A*STAR Institute of Chemical
and Engineering Sciences in Singapore has now developed zwitterionic polymers based
on water-stable monomers that incorporate nitrogen-containing derivatives known as
imidazoles. The team introduced the zwitterions to readily accessible, hydrophobic
polystyrene to boost its hydrophilicity in water by forming a hydration layer through
electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding.
To synthesize the monomers, Vasantha's team reacted styrene precursors with
positively charged imidazoles before attaching the negatively charged sulfonate
functional groups. The monomers produced polymers with intact zwitterionic
properties, meaning that they retained their positive and negative charges.
These new imidazole-based polymers exhibited some novel solubility characteristics:
unlike their conventional water-soluble counterparts, they swelled in water and
dissolved only in highly concentrated brine. These differences stem from dipole–dipole
interactions and the more hydrophobic nature of the new polymers compared to
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acrylamide and methacrylate.
With high tolerances to salt, pH and temperature, these polymers became increasingly
viscous when subjected to higher shear forces in brine. This characteristic—similar to
'silly putty', which is malleable in one's hands but is unchanged when hit with a
hammer—makes the polymers attractive for enhanced oil recovery and marine
antifouling coatings.
Another advantage of the new polymers is their reversible phase change: between 5 °C
and 95 °C, the polymers formed gels that become clear fluids when heated above the socalled critical temperature in brine and that revert to their stable cloudy state on
cooling.
"This phase transition results from the disruption of the equilibrium between salt, water
and zwitterionic species," says Vasantha. The polymer chains expand on heating and
collapse below the critical temperature. The researchers can control the critical
temperature by simply varying either the brine or polymer concentration. For example,
the transition occurred at 20 °C at a low polymer concentration but at 40 °C at a higher
polymer concentration.
"We are currently designing new zwitterionic polymers and copolymers with salt- and
heat-responsive behavior for a wide range of applications, such as enhanced oil
recovery, low-temperature protein separation and antifouling," says Vasantha.
Source: http://phys.org/news/2014-07-heat-responsive-polymers-breakdownantifouling-coatings.html
Revêtements biosourcés : Ecoat installe sa production à Roussillon
L'équipe d'Ecoat développe et commercialise des résines pour peintures à base de
matières renouvelables.
L’équipe d’Ecoat développe et commercialise des résines pour peintures à base de
matières renouvelables.
La start-up Ecoat, spécialisée dans les composants pour peintures plus respectueux de
l’environnement, va installer sa première unité de production industrielle sur la
plateforme chimique de Roussillon en Isère. Jusqu’à présent, la société assurait ses
productions avec l’aide de deux sous-traitants.
Olivier Choulet, p-dg, explique que cette plateforme a été retenu après l’audit de 12 sites
industriels en France et en Europe. Mais Roussillon, par sa gestion mutualisée à travers
le GIE Osiris, présente des atouts indéniables. Le dirigeant évoque 3 à 4 millions d’euros
d’économies réalisées sur l’investissement grâce à la possibilité de réutiliser un
bâtiment et des équipements déjà existants. Par la suite, la structure mutualisée lui
offrira des coûts d’exploitation réduits avec un accès à l’énergie, aux utilités et à des
services (maintenance, sécurité…) plus compétitifs.
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Des résines alkydes biosourcées de nouvelle génération
L’unité devrait démarrer ses travaux d’ici à la fin de cette année. A l’horizon 2018, Ecoat
compte produire 30 000 t/an de produits principalement des résines et des émulsions
pour les marchés des peintures, des colles, des encres, du papier ou encore du textile.
Ecoat mettra en œuvre des procédés de chimie verte, plus respectueux de
l’environnement. Une part importante de la production sera également constituée de
gammes de résines issues d’huiles végétales affichant jusqu’à 99% de contenu
biosourcé. Ces produits, dont la résine alkyde Secoia, ont été développés par l’équipe de
12 chercheurs la société dans le cadre de projets de recherche partenariale, financés par
l’ANR et l’Ademe ou la BPI en collaboration avec les universités de Nice, de Lyon et de
l’ITECH.
Depuis sa création en 2011, Ecoat a levé 1,5 M€ de fonds. En 2014, ses ventes devraient
atteindre 2 M€.
Source: http://formule-verte.com/revetements-biosources-ecoat-installe-saproduction-a-roussillon/
d. Energie
Organic photovoltaic cells of the future Organic photovoltaic cells of
the future
Organic photovoltaic cells -- a type of solar cell that uses polymeric
materials to capture sunlight -- show tremendous promise as
energy conversion devices, thanks to key attributes such as
flexibility and low-cost production.
But one giant hurdle holding back organic photovoltaic technologies have been the
complexity of their power conversion processes, which involve separate charge
formation and transport processes.
To maneuver around this problem, a team of researchers in Japan has developed a
method to determine the absolute value of the charge formation efficiency. The secret of
their method, as they report in Applied Physics Letters, is the combination of two types
of spectroscopy.
The two types the team uses are photo-induced spectroscopy to determine the change in
absorption after femtosecond photo-pulse excitation, and electrochemical spectroscopy
to examine the absorption change due to charge injection. "By qualitative analysis of the
spectral change, we can deduce how many charges are produced by one photon -- its
charge formation efficiency," said Professor Yutaka Moritomo, Institute of Materials
Science at the University of Tsukuba.
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Just how significant is this? It's a huge step forward, said Moritomo, and the team also
discovered that the charge formation efficiency remains high (0.55) even at low
temperatures (80 K).
"This was extremely surprising," Moritomo said, since the positive and negative charges
are strongly bound in an organic photovoltaic device as an exciton -- a bound state of an
electron and hole, which are attracted to each other by the electrostatic Coulomb force.
"Its charge formation was believed to be too difficult without a thermal activation
process," explained Moritomo. "But our work shows that the charge formation process
of an organic photovoltaic device is purely quantum mechanical, and any theoretical
model should explain the high charge formation efficiency at low temperatures."
The team's work will enable the high-throughput screening of organic materials for new
organic photovoltaic devices. "Organic materials have several requirements -- including
high charge formation efficiency and high charge transport efficiency -- so our method
can be used to quickly screen the materials by charge formation efficiency," Moritomo
said.
Next for the team? "Now that we have a method to determine the key physical
parameter, charge formation efficiency, we're exploring the interrelation between it and
the nanoscale structure of the organic photovoltaic device to clarify the mechanism of
the charge formation," noted Moritomo.
Source: http://www.energyharvestingjournal.com/articles/organic-photovoltaic-cellsof-the-future-00006825.asp?sessionid=1
e. Transport
R.A.S.
f. Bâtiment
R.A.S.
g. Textile
R.A.S.
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h. Médical, santé
Researchers who discovered bacteria-resistant polymers receive
award to find out why they work
In 2012, two researchers at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom
discovered a group of new materials capable of repelling bacteria. Precisely why
bacteria steer clear of this material, however, is not known. Now, the scientists have
each won a prestigious research award worth a combined £2 million ($3.4 million) to
solve the mystery. There is a lot at stake: bacteria-resistant polymers could lead to a
significant reduction in hospital infections acquired through implanted medical devices.
Lire la suite: http://www.plasticstoday.com/articles/researchers-who-discoveredbacteria-resistant-polymers-receive-award-find-out-why-they-work140731?cid=nl.plas07
Researchers make case for using more plastic in acupuncture
Plastics have enabled countless advances in modern medical
technology and made the practice of medicine safer and more cost
efficient. Now, researchers in Australia have published a paper
recommending that the ancient practice of acupuncture could also
benefit from more widespread use of plastics.
Specifically, they make the case that replacing the copper coil handles in disposable
acupuncture needles with plastic ones would prevent needles from buckling and be
more environmentally friendly. The research is published online in the peer-reviewed
Acupuncture in Medicine (AIM).
Lire la suite: http://www.plasticstoday.com/articles/researchers-make-case-usingmore-plastic-acupuncture-140819?cid=nl.plas07
6. Techniques d'ANALYSE de calcul et de CARACTERISATION, études
TOXICOLOGIQUES
R.A.S.
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7. RECYCLAGE, ENVIRONNEMENT, REGLEMENTATIONS
Europe recycled equivalent of 65 billion PET bottles in 2013
PET is the most recycled plastic material in Europe, according to a Brussels-based trade
association.
New figures from Petcore Europe, a non-profit trade body located in the Belgian capital,
said the equivalent of around 65 billion bottles – 1.64 million tonnes – was recycled in
the region last year, up 7% on 2012.
According to Petcore Europe chairman Roberto Bertaggia PET demand was rising and
its ability to be recycled was a factor in its success as a packaging material of choice.
“From a sustainability perspective, our industry is thrilled that last year the equivalent
of around 56% of PET containers in circulation were collected for reclamation and
recycling,” he added.
However Bertaggia warned that there was still a “huge disparity” in collection rates
amongst member states.
“All stakeholders need to work together to align the collection processes to deliver the
increased recycling objectives recently announced by the European Commission,” he
added.
Casper van den Dungen, PET chairman at Plastics Recyclers Europe and a board member
of Petcore Europe, said improved and standardised collection and sorting processes
would help push recycling rates even further.
Source: http://www.prw.com/subscriber/newsmail2.html?id=5541
8. Enseignement et Recherche
R.A.S.
9. ECHOS de l'INDUSTRIE
Ineos takes its first step into UK shale exploration
Ineos has moved into UK shale exploration with the purchase of BG Group’s 51% share
of the shale section of a joint Petroleum Exploration and Development Licence (PEDL).
The remaining 49% is owned by exploration company Dart Energy. No figures were
disclosed.
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The PEDL 133 licence covers 329 square kilometres of the Midland Valley of Scotland,
which includes Ineos’ Grangemouth refining and petrochemical complex and the area
around it.
Gary Haywood, chief executive of Ineos Upstream, said; “We are very pleased to have
agreed the purchase of 51% of the shale section of the PEDL 133 licence. Over the last
year Ineos Upstream has been drawing together a team of experts in the sector,
including a number of leading shale exploration and development specialists from the
US. This expertise gives us the perfect platform to move into onshore exploration.
“This is a logical next step for Ineos and we are very excited about it. We are one of very
few businesses that can use shale gas as both a fuel and a petrochemical feedstock,” he
added.
“With our large UK asset base, our existing capabilities in operating oil and gas facilities
and our exemplary safety and environmental record, Ineos is well placed to become a
major player in the UK onshore gas production sector.”
Source: http://www.prw.com/subscriber/headlines2.html?id=5480
Patagonia lance une combinaison de surf en caoutchouc biosourcé
Fabriquer les meilleures combinaisons de surf possibles en
ayant un moindre impact sur l’environnement, c’est le credo
de l’entreprise californienne Patagonia créée en 1973 par
Yvon Chouinard et spécialisée dans les vêtements outdoor.
Combinaison de surf à base de
guayule de Patagonia.
Ainsi, après plusieurs années de recherche et dans le cadre
d’une alliance avec la société américaine Yulex qui
s’intéresse à la production de caoutchoucs d’origine
végétale, Patagonia a codéveloppé une alternative naturelle
au néoprène traditionnel.
Pour cela les sociétés ont travaillé sur le guayule, un petit arbuste originaire des déserts
du sud-ouest des Etats-Unis. Ce végétal leur a permis de mettre au point un nouveau
matériau constitué à 60% de biocaoutchouc et à 40% de néoprène. De premiers modèles
de combinaisons avaient été lancés sur le marché au printemps 2013. Cet
automne/hiver 2014, Patagonia étoffe sa gamme Yulex en introduisant les tout
nouveaux modèles R2 et R3 Front-Zip. Ces combinaisons intègrent la technologie
Nexkin, un enduit coupe-vent ultrarésistant conçu pour atteindre des niveaux de
performance inégalés. « La nouvelle combinaison Patagonia Yulex/Nexkin est la seule
combinaison véritablement écoresponsable du marché » estime la société.
Un biocaoutchouc proposé à toute l’industrie du surf
Patagonia souligne par ailleurs, qu’outre la commercialisation de produits finis, elle
propose aussi son biocaoutchouc breveté à destination de toute l’industrie du surf. «
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Plus les volumes augmentent, plus les prix baissent. Et quand davantage de surfeurs
peuvent choisir des combinaisons plus respectueuses de l’environnement, tout le monde
est gagnant. Quand une meilleure voie se présente, il ne tient qu’à nous de la suivre »
explique Patagonia dont la raison d’être est de fabriquer les meilleurs produits en
causant le moindre impact environnemental et d’utiliser le monde des affaires pour
inspirer et mettre en place des solutions à la crise environnementale. Pour preuve de sa
bonne foi, depuis 1985, Patagonia reverse chaque année 1 % de son chiffre d’affaires à
des associations environnementales.
Source: http://formule-verte.com/patagonia-lance-une-combinaison-de-surf-encaoutchouc-biosource/