Electrical & Electronics - The Expert's View

May 14, 2008 - A RFID transponder detector enclosure made from PEI/PCE blend by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The Italian firm Bticino, a security electronics manufacturer, has chosen a blend of polyetherimide and polycarboxylic ether (PEI/PCE) reinforced with 30% glass fiber i.e. Ultem® ATX103R from Sabic Innovative Plastics (formerly GE...
May 13, 2008 - New compounds for electronics and automotive parts by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The Dutch material producer has developed and patented a new high-performance engineering thermoplastic that is commercialized under the trade name PA4T. According to the firm, its new compounds combine high dimensional stability, high...
May 12, 2008 - Manufacture of transparent conducting film by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

The film is manufactured by coating a fluid containing transparent conducting fine particles (ITO) on a substrate, sintering the coat film and irradiating with electromagnetic wave under a pressure so that the density of the coat film...
Apr 29, 2008 - Conducting nanotubes or nanostructures based composites, method of making them and applications by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

An electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding material includes a matrix of a dielectric or partially conducting polymer, such as foamed PS, with carbon nanotubes or other nanostructures dispersed therein in sufficient concentration to...
Apr 29, 2008 - Morphology and flame-retardancy properties of ternary high-impact polystyrene/elastomer/polystyrene-encapsulated magnesium hydroxide composites by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

The effects of elastomer type on the morphology, flammability, and mechanical properties of HIPS encapsulated magnesium hydroxide (MH) were investigated. The ternary composites were characterized by cone calorimetry, mechanical testing,...
Apr 25, 2008 - New biobased protective packaging for sensitive products by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The American firm KTM Industries, Inc. has introduced an innovative bio-based packaging that can be used to protect sensitive products. This new protective packaging is made from “Green Cell Foam”, a “green” material developed by the...
Apr 23, 2008 - Some Unusual Applications of Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) by SpecialChem (Article)

As the range of materials available for use with SLS and their properties are further developed, more applications are emerging, some of which are quite unusual.
Apr 22, 2008 - Composite dropsonde for storm tracking device by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The dropsonde specially developed by the Finnish firm Vaisala Inc. to protect a new storm-tracking device has been made from a thermoset-based composite. This innovative storm tracking device, namely RD93 dropsonde allows to measure...
Apr 20, 2008 - Flame resistant natural fiber-filled thermoplastics with improved properties by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

This invention relates to flame retardant systems including brominated flame retardants and chlorinated flame retardants with synergists and char formers for use in wood-filled resins in combination with compatibilizers to enhance...
Apr 16, 2008 - Innovative and cheap solar cell by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science of the Jersey Institute of technology (NJIT) has announced the development of an innovative and cheap solar cell. This new organic solar cell has made using a carbon nanotube complex...
Apr 16, 2008 - Light-tight housing made from mineral filled PBT by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The German automotive parts manufacturer Siemens VDO Automotive AG has chosen a mineral filled polybu(tylene terephthalate) (PBT) grade i.e. Celanex® PBT 4022 developed by the materials producer Ticona, the engineering polymers business...
Apr 13, 2008 - Processes for extruding stabilized alkenyl aromatic polymer foams by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

A process for extruding a thermoplastic polymer foam comprises (a) providing a foamable composition comprising a thermoplastic polymer, a blowing agent that includes water, a brominated flame retardant, and a stabilizer in an extrusion die...
Apr 09, 2008 - Just How Feasible is Rapid Manufacturing? by SpecialChem (Article)

Rapid production, now economically feasible in only a few specialised situations, could soon allow routine direct production of functional plastic parts in small quantities, and on a custom basis without any intervening prototyping steps.
Apr 06, 2008 - Flame retardant extruded polystyrene foam compostions by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

Extruded PS foam compositions having flame retardant properties and methods of making such foams, and products are described. The extruded compositions having flame retardant compositions can be generally characterized as having a MW of at...
Apr 06, 2008 - Flame retardant rubber-modified styrene resin composition by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

LLDPE was blended with esterified SMA (ESMA) to improve the environmental degradability characteristics of LLDPE. ESMA was synthesized by esterifying SMA with n-decanol. LLDPE was blended with ESMA (EDP blends) and SMA separately in a...
Apr 06, 2008 - High concentration pelletized additive concentrates for polymer stabilization, masterbatches and preparation of masterbatches of polymer additives by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

High concentration pelletized additive or polymer stabilization agent or blends are used in various polymerization processes to enhance stability. Heat stabilizers such as blends of Irganox are featured, as well as their LLDPE pelletized...
Apr 06, 2008 - Plastic Welding: Failures of Plastic Welding Joints by SpecialChem (Article)

It seems so easy to produce a good plastic weld. But, is it really so, or are there some hidden failures that might occur that nobody is able to recognize? When you know what kind of failures can occur, you will have a better understanding...
Mar 30, 2008 - Flame retardancy mechanisms in halogen-free PC/ABS blends by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

For applications such as in electronical engineering and transportation the fire behavior of PC/ABS blends is a key property and the halogen-free flame retardancy is a key challenge. In the last decades aryl phosphates, such as tri-Ph...
Mar 30, 2008 - Synthesis of composite polymer-metal nanoparticles by miniemulsion polymerization. by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

Metallic structures with nanoscale dimensions exhibit interesting optical, electronic and catalytic properties, and their potential application in areas such as sensors and biomedicine has been widely recognized. Merging metal...
Mar 28, 2008 - New high flow PA-6,6 grades by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The materials producer Rhodia Engineering Plastics (France) has introduced on the market new high flow polyamide-6,6 (PA-6,6) compounds including high filled grades (up to 60% glass fiber load) without sacrificing mechanical and thermal...
Mar 27, 2008 - China repositions in RFID and prints more by SpecialChem (Article)

China has about 150 out of the 1000 RFID suppliers in the world. About 100 of them make RFID tags, increasingly by printing the antennas as UHF versions become more popular and the Hana Label process of printing HF antennas reel to reel...
Mar 27, 2008 - Engineers create Transparent Electrodes for Display Screens by SpecialChem (Article)

South Korean engineers say that they had developed a new transparent electrode that could reduce the production costs of display screens used in computers and mobile phones. The new technology is expected to cut production costs by 50 per...
Mar 23, 2008 - Flame retardancy mechanisms of aryl phosphates in combination with boehmite in bisphenol A polycarbonate/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene blends by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

The influence of nano-dispersed AlOOH combined with bisphenol A bis(di-Ph phosphate) (BDP) + PTFE to make fire retardant PC/ABS has been investigated. Possible flame retardancy mechanisms are revealed. TGA and TGA-FTIR) are used to study...
Mar 21, 2008 - New flame retardant fiber reinforced polyamide materials by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The American firm Sabic Innovative Plastics has recently introduced new flame retardant fiber reinforced polyamide materials under the trade name X-Gen Starflam Z270. These new materials comply with the European directives regarding waste...
Mar 19, 2008 - New PEEK-based compound for electronic applications by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The materials producer Vitrex has developed a new blend based on polyetheretherketone (PEEK) polybenzimidazole (i.e. Celazole™) and carbon fiber reinforcement. This new material, available under the trade name Vitrex™ T-Series can be used...
Mar 19, 2008 - Overcoming Raw Material Limitations in Selective Laser Sintering by SpecialChem (Article)

What discourages companies using rapid prototyping techniques? One reason is technical limitations, another is a lack of knowledge and information and a third is uncertainty about the economic benefits. The aticle emphasizes on overcoming...
Mar 17, 2008 - Multifaceted Electronic Semiconductor Encapsulation Emerging Fast by SpecialChem (Article)

The trillion-plus-dollar per annum semiconductor packaging (encapsulation) market, currently dominated by thermoset epoxy could become significant for injection molders. Epoxies with their low viscosity at relatively low temperatures have a...
Mar 17, 2008 - Printable Electronic Disruptive Applications Rapidly Developing by SpecialChem (Article)

Cambridge University spin-off, Plastic Logic Ltd., a leading developer of plastic electronics is developing and exploiting a portfolio of intellectual property based on inkjet printing of active electronic circuits using advanced plastic...
Mar 16, 2008 - Conductive polymer coating with improved aging stability by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

The invention relates to a member comprising a substrate and a transparent conductive layer comprising an electronically conductive polythiophene polymer present in a cationic form with a polyanion. Thus, Baytron PHCV2 was coated on PET...
Mar 11, 2008 - Selective Laser Sintering - an Overview by SpecialChem (Article)

Selective Laser Sintering is a process that was patented in 1989 by Carl Deckard, a University of Texas graduate student and SLS is a registered trademark by DTM of Austin, Texas, USA. It is one of the most rapidly growing rapid prototyping...