Ajax Equipment has supplied two large stainless steel vertical screw blenders to a major chemical producer in South Korea for producing polymer powder. Each blender is capable of handling batches of up to 8T of polymer powder and additives.

Nova has completely revised and introduced an extended third version of its nova’s technology and trend report ‘Carbon Dioxide (CO2) as Chemical Feedstock for Polymers – Technologies, Polymers, Developers and Producers’. The report states that CO2 is used as chemical feedstock for polymers and nearly 1 million tons production capacity has already been installed.

The year 2020 was a promising year for bio-based polymers: Sold out PLA in 2019 has led to the installation of increased capacities, PE and PP made from bio-based naphtha are breaking ground and future expansion for bio-based polyamides as well as for PBAT, PHAs and casein polymers is on the horizon. A lower production is only observed for bio-based PET.

The manufacturer of high-tech polymer materials, Covestro, is planning a new production facility for polyurethane dispersions (PUDs) at their Integrated Site in Shanghai, China (CISS). The company wants to address the rising demand for environmentally compatible coatings and adhesives in the Asia-Pacific region. A further line for polyester resins, from which PUDs are produced, is also to be built there.

Under a 50:50 joint venture with Plastic Energy, Sabic will start construction of the first commercial unit to produce its flagship certified circular polymers. The new facility is expected to significantly upscale Sabic’s production of certified circular polymers and will become operational in the second half of 2022.

The integrated, international oil, gas and chemicals company, OMV, and Kommunalkredit Austria have announced a joint investment in the construction of Austria’s largest electrolysis plant on the premises of Schwechat Refinery.

Future Market Insights recently launched a report on Polysulfide Market. The study concludes that growth in the coming years is expected to be driven by rising polysulfide consumption in downstream markets.

Styrenics Circular Solutions, the joint industry initiative focusing on the acceleration of styrenics recycling, has once again proved that polystyrene is mechanically recyclable to food contact standards. The second super-cleaning technology was successfully tested for food contact mechanical recycling of polystyrene.

Solvay’s hydrogen platform will offer the polymer membranes technology which is expected to be a vital contributor to the electrolyzer and fuel cells markets. Through this platform, the company also plans to contribute multiple other applications and components to the hydrogen market.

The Japanese group Toray Industries has created a new polymer that retains the outstanding thermal resistance, rigidity, and strength of polyamide 6 (PA6) while delivering a bending fatigue limit that is 15-fold that of conventional polymers.