Tendencies of R&D in the industry of the plastic
Carolina Saltworks Pardo, manager of the Department of Competitive and Strategic Intelligence
The current economic situation, forces to the industry of the plastic to adapted to some more competitive surroundings and can offer products with characteristics and specifications increasingly diferenciadoras. This adaptation achieves with an increase of the level of R&D to compete with products of greater value added. To achieve enter in new sectors, optimise the processes and even substitute traditional materials, the industrial of the plastic have to keep up to date with regard to the new tendencies of R&D that develop in the world. The Observatory of the plastic, allows to have controlled the last novelties of the industry, which resumimos to continuation, attending to the Chain of Value of the Industry of the plastic.
In the field of materials, the big tendencies that come developing in the last years, are marked mainly by two appearances: the environingingmental sustainability and the improvement or new creation of properties in traditional materials. Like this, we find an increase in the investigations and in the utilisation of biodegradable materials, materials of origin 'bio' (from biological sources) and the utilisation of natural loads like reinforcement of traditional materials (fibres and WPC).
In appearances of modification of properties fits to stand out the utilisation of nanocomposites from the addition of nanomaterials to polymeric matrices.
Thermoplastic Xiran of Polyscope in the solar ceiling of the Citroen SD3 Cabrio.
The combination of these two appearances, carries us to the development and use of nanobiocomposites and/or bioplásticos nanoestructurados.
With independence of the two big tendencies mentioned, also fits to stand out the lines of investigation around the intelligent materials (smart materials), hybrid polymers (organic/inorganic) and the developments on thermoplastic compounds in base to commingling fibre-polymer.
In the field of the compounding of plastic raw materials, stand out the efforts of the companies by the obtaining of machinery with greater capacity of production through diameters of husillo greater, (175-420 mm) and increase of torque. Also we find advances in machinery that allow greater capacities of load in polymers, especially in carbonate of calcium or masterbatches. In another rank of activity, also stands out the machinery of laboratory of diameter increasingly small (18-12 mm).
In what to compounds refers , has detected a considerable tendency in the introduction of fibres of long glass like reinforcement for PP in structural applications, since they achieve big provision with economic materials.
From the point of view of the additives, the actions are related with the problem to resolve, between others, find with two clear tendencies: ignifugación and elimination of smells. The retardantes of flame no halogenados based in phosphorus or in nitrogen follow winning market although the additives bromados keep on being the first option in poliolefinas, estirénicos and technical plastics. The manufacturers of fireproof bromados are tending to compounds that generate less compound toxic in combustion. Regarding the elimination of smells, two strategies: The first, adsorption of volatile by means of additives based in substances very porous and, the second, the employment of additives liberadores of liquids that act like agents of extraction equipment equipment.
Pipes of plastic. Photo Arkema.
- To level of new processes of injection, there have not been a lot of novelties in this last period related with the no conventional processes. The economic surroundings has pushed to the main mark manufacturers of machinery to range with the interests of his potential customers that pass by:
- Develop of equipment that allows the integration of the processes, that is to say, obtain the final product with the lower possible steps. This translates in moulds more complex, development of the possibilities of injection multicomponente, incorporation of robots manipuladores, etc.
- Development and improvement of electrical or hybrid machines for saving in the energetic consumption derivative of the process.
- Improves of the machines of injection to increase the rapidity of movements to optimise the performances of production derived of a reduction of the times of cycle.
In the field of the extrusion stand out tendencies around reduction of costs, improvement of the functionality of products and improvement of properties of materials through:
- Flexible multilayered products; coextrusión of films and plates, products laminados or obtained by means of coating with different substrata (paper, foil of aluminium, plastics adhered by means of adhesive, etc.). The individuality of each layer provides to the final product a specific functionality that only can achieve with this type of products. On the other hand, the obtaining of structures with a number layers every time greater looks for the improvement of determinate properties. Regarding the reduction of costs in multilayered products, the tendencies direct mainly in the incorporation of material recycled or loads in internal layers, etc.
- Espumación in different conventional and biodegradable polymers, achieving by means of this technician the reduction of costs of material, weights, costs of transport, etc.
- reactive Extrusion for improvement of thermal sensors properties, chemical, physical-mechanical, etc. with the end to substitute materials no-plastic by plastic materials in different applications, increase of the life of the product, new functionalities of the product by improvement of said properties, etc.
Besides, would fit to mention also the optimisation of parameters of extrusion of materials no conventional like Wood plastics Composites (WPC) especially in extrusion of profiles, or biodegradable materials.
The investigation in plastic developed from renewable sources. Image of Corbion Purac.
Inside the sector of composites fits to stand out the utilisation of microwaves for processes of cured, achieving like this obtain values of Tg equivalent to the obtained by means of a cured traditional, with a reduction of considerable time and the utilisation of membranes of silicone for the processes of infusion, achieving a cleaner process, increase of the estanqueidad, possibility of reuse of the membrane and lower loss of resin.
In the different sectors of application of the plastic materials, fits to stand out by his presence, and following with the lines of sustainability and improvement of properties the following tendencies:
- Redución of material: In this tendency have like roads of development the replacement of rigid plastic by flexible, the replacement of other materials (glass, hojalata) by the plastic, the decrease of thicknesses, etc.
- Sustainability: The three roads of main investigation to develop this tendency are: incorporation of recycled, biodegradable materials, and ecodiseño (reduction of thicknesses, reduction of inks, improvement of forms, etc.)
- Adecuación and ergonomics for the consumer: In this tendency find the new formats, intelligent containers, opens easy, monodosis, etc.
- Sustainability: aligeramiento of vehicles for saving of power/costs/broadcasts. Utilisation of plastic materials like substitutes of other materials in diverse parts of the vehicle.
- Improvement of properties/provision: although his utilisation still is residual, had to largely to his cost, already exist numerous commercial products car-limpiables, hydrophobic, anti-vapour or protective based in superficial treatments that are manufactured with nanocompuestos plastic.
In other sectors fits to stand out, the new applications in electronics equipment dealers equipment dealers, with the use of conductive plastics and electrical semiconductors like components of system of the organic electronics equipment dealers equipment dealers and impresa.
