Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is currently the third-largest volume thermoplastic and continues to show global growth. PVC demand is a price-sensitive market and has felt the impacts of the lower crude oil prices. After the major drop in crude oil prices last November, PVC prices began falling as much as 30% in some regions. Prices began... Read more »
Europe has found a future in agricultural production in the north-west corner of the continent. Researchers have found that the cost to produce sugar in that part of the continent would be among the lowest in the world. The estimate by Deloitte is that Europe could produce nearly 30% more agricultural products than they already... Read more »
The notion of absolute zero has been around for quite some time. Lowering the temperatures of a molecule as close to zero as possible could reveal some wacky physics that could reveal some properties on exotic states of matter. Now, a team at MIT led by physicist Martin Zwierlein, was able to cool down sodium... Read more »
Due to the federal government ceasing their price supports in 1972, the Castor crop has not been grown in the U.S. since then. Because of this, the U.S. had no choice but to turn to producers in China, India, and Brazil to supply its needs. But now, according to a new University of Florida study,... Read more »
Benzene, which is an aromatic hydrocarbon and a natural constituent of crude oil, has been recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency as a known contributor to cancer. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, an estimated 137 billion gallons of gasoline were consumed in the United States last year. This, unfortunately, makes benzene a substantial... Read more »
The deadline for all chemical manufacturers, importers, and distributors to be in compliance with the new guidelines for Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) has passed. Beginning December 1st a new requirement for chemical labeling will also go into effect. OSHA first announced the changes in 2012 when they revised the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS, HazCom) to... Read more »
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were first discovered in the early 1990s. They are 100 times stronger than steel and one-sixth the weight, have several times the electrical and thermal conductivity of copper and lack most of the environmental or physical degradation issues related to most metals. The drawback is that CNTs have a tendency to aggregate... Read more »
Polyurethane, as many of you might already know, is extremely tough and corrosion-and-wear-resistant, which makes it a popular choice for a wide variety of applications. The only real downside is that the petroleum-based product isn’t as environmentally friendly as one would hope. But a new development from Washington State University is sure to change that.... Read more »
An explosion and major fire erupted in China’s Fujian province Monday night, sending six people to the hospital, officials reported. State news agency Xinhua said 177 fire engines and more than 800 firefighters were sent to the scene. The plant, in the city of Zhangzhou, produces the chemical paraxylene (PX), which is the basic raw... Read more »
Superhydrophobic surfaces are found on duck feathers and lotus leaves that repels water. A Chinese group, led by Junqi Sun, from Jilin University has achieved the same superhydrophobicity. The surface heals itself. If the surface gets nicked, it allows water from the air to cause the molecules to fill back in and bring back the... Read more »
