Latest Poly Stories

Collaboration among Case Western Reserve University, the University of Fribourg and the Army Research Laboratory uses light to trigger repairYour 6-year-old found a nail in the garage and drew pictures across the side of your new car.Gnash your teeth now, but researchers at Case Western Reserve University, U.S., say the fix-up may be cheap and easy to do yourself in the not-too-distant future.Together with partners in the USA and Switzerland, they have developed a polymer-based material that...

Conventional silicon-based rigid solar cells generally found on the market are not suitable for manufacturing moldable thin-film solar cells, in which a transparent, flexible and electrically conductive electrode collects the light and carries away the current. A woven polymer electrode developed by Empa has now produced first results which are very promising, indicating that the new material may be a substitute for indium tin oxide coatings.The scarcity of raw materials and increasing usage...

JUBAIL, Saudi Arabia, April 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Saudi Organometallic Chemicals Company (SOCC), a joint venture equally owned by SABIC affiliate, SPECIALTY CHEM (Saudi Specialty Chemical Company) and Albemarle Netherlands B.V. (a wholly owned subsidiary of Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB)), is pleased to announce that Samsung Engineering has been selected to provide engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services for the SOCC Aluminum Alkyls manufacturing facility in Jubail,...

MEMPHIS, Tenn., April 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Lucite International, Inc. announced today that it intends to commence production of Methacrylic Acid (MAA) at its Beaumont, Texas facility. Production will begin in the fourth quarter of 2012 following significant further investment on the site. Since Lucite ceased MAA production at its Belle, West Virginia facility in 2010, the company has continued to supply product to the Americas Market from its global asset base. However, the decision to...

A growing number of stadium roofing projects are using a lightweight Makrolon polycarbonate sheet material for its unique ability to combine greater aesthetic design freedom with the functionality of daylighting, energy efficiency and structural integrity. Three such installations will be showcased in detailed mock-ups at the Bayer MaterialScience booth at Stadia Expo 2011 in Los Angeles California. Los Angeles, CA & Sheffield, Massachusetts (Vocus/PRWEB) March 31, 2011 A growing...

PARIS, March 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today at the JEC Composites Show, Owens Corning (NYSE: OC), the leading global producer of glass fiber reinforcements for composite systems, introduced HydroStrand(TM), a chopped strand glass fiber for high-performance polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) composites. The glass fiber is available globally and is designed for use in automotive and industrial applications that come in direct contact with high-temperature fluids. HydroStrand(TM) reinforcements...

HOUSTON, March 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Kraton Performance Polymers, Inc. (NYSE: KRA), a leading global producer of styrenic block copolymers, today announced that Dr. Holger R. Jung has joined Kraton as Vice President, Sales and Marketing. In his new role Dr. Jung will have responsibility for all sales, marketing and market development activities globally for Kraton, reporting to Kevin M. Fogarty, Kraton's President and Chief Executive Officer. "We are extremely pleased that Holger has...

A Duke University team has seen for the first time how soft polymers, such as wire insulation, can break down under exposure to electrical current.Researchers have known for decades that polymers, such those insulating wires, may break down due to deformation of the polymers. But the process had never been seen.In a series of experiments, Duke University engineers have documented at the microscopic level how plastic deforms to breakdown as it is subjected to ever-increasing electric voltage....

COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Product improvement and new product development are a critical part of all manufacturers' growth opportunities. These elements are the way to stay ahead of global competition. But, the time required in the real world to model and test any product design change is significant. Assuming companies have the resources to devote the time and effort to R&D, it still takes months to prototype, test, refine and test again. (Logo:...

HOUSTON, Feb. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 22-24, 2011 Chemical Market Associates, Inc. (CMAI) will host its 26th Annual World Petrochemical Conference and Workshops in Houston, Texas. This annual event boasts over 30 industry experts as speakers, consisting of respected industry leaders from companies all over the world complemented by CMAI product experts from its global offices. In addition, panel discussions will be held both days to create an environment for an open exchange of...