Researchers at Rutgers University, USA have made a new form of semimiconducting thin-film material containing graphene and polystyrene (PS). Although graphene known to be a zero bandgap semiconductor, yet for the first time such composites have been shown to be semiconducting. The composite, made using ordinary plastic processing techniques, could be attractive for low-cost printed electronics applications.  The authors concluded in their paper, "The reported scheme for fabricating semiconducting composite thin films from graphene and a commodity plastic could be useful for low-cost, macroscale thin film electronics" (Ref: G. Eda and M. Chhowalla; Nano Lett., 9 (2), pp 814-818, 2009)  

In the pursuit of a clean and an affordable power source, Prof. Adrian Kitai's group at McMaster University, Canada has developed a flexible solar cell technology which has the ability to bend the solar cells to fit the curved roof of a bus shelter.  In fact, a prototype for the bus shelter is located on the west side of University avenue between John Hodgins Engineering building and the Life Science Building in Toronto.

The flexibility comes from tiling a large number of small silicon elements into an array, and mounting them onto a flexible plastic sheet while connecting them via a proppietary method.  Each strip has 720 one centimeter square solar cells and generates upto 4.5 Watts of power.

More info available @ www.eng.mcmaster.ca/news/feature.html

At TECHTEXTIL 2009 in Frankfurt (June 16 - 18, 2009), Arkema is unveiling its 100% bio-sourced "green" technical polymers.  They are Rilsan PA 11, Pebax Rnew and Platamid Rnew.  The new Rilsan PA 11 is 100% biobased while keeping the unique set of properties such as soft touch, light weight, resistance to bacteria, wear, and abrasion. Pebax Rnew is the first engineering TPE made from renewable resources.  Likewise, Platmid Rnew is the first 100% biobased hotmelt adhesive. (Ref: www.fibre2fashion.com)

The self-assembling block copolymers could create an efficient way to fabricate ultra-high-density computer memory. 

University of Massachusetts at Amherst and University of Berkley (Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory), USA researchers found a way to coat  commercially available sapphire wafers to guiding the self-assembly of block copolymer microdomains into oriented arrays with quasi–long-range crystalline order over arbitrarily large wafer surfaces.  The approach discussed in their research paper is applicable to different substrates and block copolymers. This opens up a versatile route toward ultrahigh-density systems.

(Ref: S. Park, B Kim, S.W. Hong, U. Jeong, T. Xu, and T. P. Russell; Science, 323 (5917), pp. 1030 – 1033, 2009)

Unidym is a startup based in Menlo Park, California and has extensive knowledge in developing and marketing carbon nanotube (CNT) based materials for electronics industry. Lately they have been developing CNT-based transparent conductive films for the touch panel, display, and solar industries.  Primarily to replace the brittle and expensive indium tin oxide (ITO) coated films.  Another benefit as a high transparency anti-static film for the display industry is to reduce yield loss associated with electrostatic discharge and particles. (Ref: www.unidym.com)

Univ. of California & Stanford Univ researchers developed unique capacitors by spraying a network of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) between two pieces of plastic and sandwitching a gel eletrolyte within them. SWCNTs served as both electrodes and charge collectors. This work provides the foundation for the bright future of printable charge storage device. (Ref: Y. Cui, G. Gruner et al. Nano Letter, ASAP article, April 6, 2009)

Plastic Logic reveals 150 ppi SVGA flexible active-matrix display technology in Frankfurt (Plastic Electronic 2006, Frankfurt, Germany)

Vitra, the Swiss furniture manufacturer, showcasing Vegetal in “Salone Internazionale del Mobile”, Milan, Italy.  Vegetal chair is a seat shell that looks like branches of different thicknesses woven together.  It is made of BASF’s plastic Miramid^® using Gas Injection technology (GIT) process. Specifically, the grade used B3EG3 GIT.  These are specially optimized for GIT and meet the high surface quality requirements & colorations for indoors and outdoors.  Six different colors are expected to be available by mid-2009. (Ref: BASF news release, P-09-210, April 17, 2009)  


In a recent artcle, researchers from Braskem S.A., and University of Campinas reviewed how the concept of biopolymers and bioplastics emerged, where these industrial developments are taking place, and what trends are expected in the near future.

(Ref: A. U.B. Queiroz and F.P. Collares-Queiroz, J. Macromolecular Sci., Part C: Polymer Reviews, 49, pp.65-78, 2009)

Collagen is a versatile biomaterial and can reproduce the morphology of natural bone.  The problem is the poor structural consistency in the wet conditions. For the first time, a Spanish group of researchers led by Dr. Jose M. Lagaron used several cross-linking agents as potential alternatives in electrospun collagen nanofibers to avoid the poor water resistance on natural collagen (Ref:Sergio Torres-Giner et al., ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 1 (1), pp. 218 – 223, 2009).    

CO2 as a raw material for polymer production, Norner Innovation embarked on an ambitious project with the support of Norwegian Resaerch Council.  Previously Prof. Coates group at Cornell Univ. had shown developing CO2 based polymers. (Ref: www.norner.no)

It is costly & challanging to separate aromatic hydrocarbons from aliphatic hydrocarbon mixtures. Researchers from Shanghai (China) made a porous 3D polymer using a flexible 1D polymer made from metal units attached to salen ligands, known as metallsalen.  The uniqueness of the polymer is that it could recognize the guest molecule through host-guest interactions and thereby separating aromatics with high selectivity from aliphatic mixtures.

The future lies not only separating hydrocarbon mixtures in the refining process but also to recycle the polymers without adsorption and losses.(Ref: Y. Cui et al. Chemical Communications, pp. 2118 - 2120, 2009)

Researchers from Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus (Ohio), analysed effects of filler size on crystallization rate and it’s content, effects of clarifiers and others on the final properties of the injection molded PLA parts.  Mr. Corey Linden presented the work in SPE’s GEPEC 2009 conference in Florida.

(Ref: C. Linden GEPEC 2009 Proceedings, Feb. 25 – 27, Orlando, Florida) 

A group of scientists from Univ. of California (USA), Univ. of Laval (Canada), and South Korea reported fabrication of solar cells with 6% of power conversion effeciancy.  They have used alternating copolymer in bulk heterojunction composites with the fullrene derivative. This work of good engineering could provide the future direction of plastics solar cells. (Ref: K. Lee, M. Leclerc, A.J. Heeger et al; Nature Photonics, pp. 297-302, 2009)

Prof. Helmuth of Vienna University of Technology, Austria reported a novel layer-by-layer deposition/oxidation process for plastic transistors that could open up new vista for plastics electronics (Ref: H. Hoffmann, Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Published on-line Feb. 6, 2009).

An effective way to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is through the plants.  Braskem S.A. is using sugarcane as feedstock to produce ethanol.  Production of ethylene through the catalytic dehydration of ethanol is the core of the technology.    This bio-based polyethylene not only provides an alternative to commodity plastics based on fossil feedstocks but also reduces carbon footprint.

(Ref: A. Morschbacker, J. Macromolecular Sci., Part C: Polymer Reviews, 49, pp.79-84, 2009)