Engineering Materials

Engineering materials is a discussion led by Design News Contributing Materials Editor Doug Smock on important new developments and applications that affect mechanical design. Metals covered include all types of steel and nonferrous metals, in all shapes. Resins covered include nylons, polycarbonates, polysulfides, polyimides, and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT). Other materials covered include ceramics and rubber. Topics covered include materials enhancement, new applications, process technology, tooling, sustainability, and economic issues. Posts will include latest news from global events such as K 2007, the Alliance of Plastics Processors Annual Conference, the National Plastics Exposition, and the annual technical conference (ANTEC) of the Society of Plastics Engineers.

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Monday, April 2, 2007

Bioplastics Are Measured by Radioactive Carbons

Beware of the name game as the beat for bioplastics picks up. For engineering applications, plastics made from renewable resources such as corn or soybeans are usually used as part of a compound that contains reinforcements, oil-based plastics (for rigidity and heat resistance) and other chemical additives, which are usually not derived from plant sources. The percentage of bioplastics may be represented as a percentage of weight or volume. That is not accurate, says Dr. Ramani Narayan, a chemical engineering professor at Michigan State University. "The reason for using plastics from sustainable sources is to manage the carbon cycle," he told the annual conference of the Alliance of Plastics Processors in Memphis, TN. As a result, the correct reference is the percentage of carbon atoms with a radioactive signature (derived from renewable resources) as a percentage of total carbon atoms in the compound. As a result, glass reinforcements and other noncarbon additives are not included in the calculation.

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