There are various beneficial applications of carbon blacks in thermoplastics - they can contribute colour, opacity, electrical conductivity and protection from ultra-violet degradation to the thermoplastic materials. Thermax medium thermal carbon black (N990), supplied by Cancarb, are proven fillers for thermoplastics and provide low viscosity concentrates and compounds with high volume resistivity which makes then useful in many applications including low voltage cables and films.

Teknor Apex offers new Sarlink TPV grades specifically for the production of low-density foams. These TPVs are said to exhibit the high resilience required for door and window seals and provide alternatives to widely used polyurethane foams. Available from 40 to 70 Shore A, the Sarlink 8100 series can be foamed to a density of 0.20 g/cm3 range, which is comparable to those of PU foam used in door seals but is difficult to achieve with standard TPEs.

The Dow Chemical Company announced that it has won the “Sustainability Product of the Year” for the second consecutive time in the Business Intelligence Group’s Sustainability Awards programme. The company won the award for Voraguard, a polymer polyol for flexible PU foam mattress production designed to exhibit inherent flammability resistance properties and good load-bearing, in addition to having very low volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emission characteristics.

The Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV) in Industry and the Skilled Crafts at RWTH Aachen University invites to a symposium on “Reactive Pultrusion” on 9 October 2018 in Aachen, Germany, where specialists from industry and research will present and discuss the latest developments. Dr. Hubert Ehbing from Covestro Germany will be the chairman of the symposium.

Maguire Products, Inc. has launched the WXB Weigh Extrusion Blender that provides extrusion control based on batch precision and metering accuracy. According to the manufacturer, the machine can be interfaced with a supervisory system that controls the total production line and has been proven effective in blown and cast film, sheet, pipe and profile, and wire and cable applications.

BASF has been supplying PU systems for foam-backed instrument panels for many years. The production process involves injecting a polyurethane foam between the outer skin and the support of the instrument panel, bonding the surface and support material together. The PU foam produces a material that has a very soft haptic and offers good adhesion to surfaces produced from a wide range of materials. According to BASF, the PU systems are also suitable for PVC skins.

On 6 August 2018, Covestro announced the launch of the brand name Maezio for its continuous fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composites (CFRTP). According to the manufacturer, these products are set to tap into the growing demand worldwide for strong and light materials that contribute to resource conservation and energy efficiency. From mobility and electronics industries to consumer goods and medical products, OEMs and part suppliers can benefit from the performance capabilities of CFRTP composites while enjoying cost-effective and scalable manufacturing solutions, said Covestro.

On 2 August 2018, the Australian polyurethane systems house Era Polymers announced that two of its PU foam products were used by Tafe student Kristina Melnikova to prototype and create the design of the “Moxie Chair” that has won the 2015 Australian Contemporary Emerging Design Award. Kristina Melnikova was assisted with guidance in using the PU foams by Will Huntley, Artistic Representative at the moulding material specialists Kirkside Products.

As a supplier to vending machine manufacturers for over 25 years, the Dow Chemical Company has created a new low-global-warming-potential (GWP) polyurethane foam insulation that also delivers weight reduction and improves thermal insulation. The insulation will help a cold-drink vending machine manufacturer meet the more stringent Energy Star version 4.0 with a solution that will be compliant with global blowing agent regulations.

Orthodontic braces not only contribute to creating an attractive smile but also improve the dental health of those who undergo treatment. Occasionally, patients can feel discomfort caused by friction from the wires or brackets against the mouth. To avoid discomfort during treatment, manufacturers in the medical/dental field have created dental bracket covers using a Thermolast M compound from Kraiburg TPE.