The Dow Chemical Co. and Cargill formed Cargill Dow Polymers LLC to develop and market polylactic acid (PLA) polymers. The PLA polymers are derived from renewable agricultural resources, such as corn or sugar beets. They are composed of chains of latic acid, a natural food ingredient, which can be produced by converting starch into sugar, then fermenting it to yield lactic acid. Water is removed to form lactide, which is converted into the PLA resins using a solvent-free polymerization. "Polylatic acid technology has the potential to provide a new product platform to compete with hydrocarbon-based thermoplastics, such as polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene," says Jim Stoppert, president of the LLC. Like polyethylene terephtalate (PET), the polymers resist grease and oil and offer a flavor and odor barrier. They also provide for heat sealability at lower temperatures than polyolefin sealant resins, according to Stoppert. Contact Dow Customer Information Group at (800) .
We looked at a number of sources to determine this year's greenest cars, from KBB to automotive trade magazines to environmental organizations. These 14 cars emerged as being great at either stretching fuel or reducing carbon footprint.
Researchers at MIT and Sandia National Labs have observed a reaction in lithium-air batteries that could help improve the design of these cells for electric vehicles and other applications.
Healthcare might seem to be an unlikely target application for the Internet of Things technology, but recent developments show small ways that big-data is going to make an impact on patient care moving into the future.
As energy efficiency becomes more and more a concern for makers of electronics devices, researchers are coming up with new ways to harvest energy from sound vibration, footsteps, and even electromagnetic fields in the air.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 3
Early in my career, I worked as a draftsman and remember the days of drawing on vellum with numbered pencils and Mylar with plastic lead. This was a fun experience in the sense that I ...
I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
A quick look into the merger of two powerhouse 3D printing OEMs and the new leader in rapid prototyping solutions, Stratasys. The industrial revolution is now led by 3D printing and engineers are given the opportunity to fully maximize their design capabilities, reduce their time-to-market and functionally test prototypes cheaper, faster and easier. Bruce Bradshaw, Director of Marketing in North America, will explore the large product offering and variety of materials that will help CAD designers articulate their product design with actual, physical prototypes. This broadcast will dive deep into technical information including application specific stories from real world customers and their experiences with 3D printing. 3D Printing is
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