AURELIUS Private Equity Mid-Market Buyout announced the acquisition of Teijin Automotive Technologies North America ('TAT-NA'). TAT-NA is one of the leaders in advanced composite materials technology for the automotive, heavy truck, marine, and recreational vehicle sectors, under its ultimate parent company, Teijin Limited. This acquisition is the first deal advised by AURELIUS' New York investment consulting team just a few months after opening its North American market office. Producing advanced composite materials components for automobiles TAT-NA is headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, with approximately 4,500 employees and annual revenues exceeding $1 billion. The company has 14 branches in the United States and Mexico, specializing in the development and production of advanced composite parts for the global automotive and transportation industries. TAT-NA's vertically integrated operational model and market-leading scale provide reliable assets and capabilities to maintain long-term supply relationships with major OEMs in North America.AURELIUS will provide new growth opportunities for the standalone TAT-NA business, whose unique, durable lightweight composite products are independent of the powertrain and thus well-suited to meet the long-term demand for Class A and structural vehicle components."Teijin Automotive Technologies North America has a long history of supplying major players in the North American automotive industry. We are particularly proud of this acquisition, as it is the first deal advised by our recently opened New York office. Our operations consulting team's experts will focus on providing a range of value creation plans across the entire production base network, while driving operational excellence through improved quality and efficiency," said Stephan Mayerhausen, Managing Director of AURELIUS Investment Advisory and head of AURELIUS's New York office."When we look to the future with the resources and support of the AURELIUS team, we are excited about the opportunities," said TAT-NA CEO Chris Twining. "The AURELIUS Operations Consulting team is committed to ensuring we remain at the forefront of the market, and I look forward to working with them to continue developing new material technologies while improving our operations, efficiency, and quality."AURELIUS is advised by Mizuho’s M&A team, Baker McKenzie (legal), EY (financial and tax), AON (insurance), and Ramboll (environmental).

For durable components requiring special thermal management, BASF has further expanded its Ultramid® Advanced T1000 series. This product line is developed based on polyamide 6T/6I resin, with newly added optimized products featuring high hydrolysis resistance (HR) and high purity (EQ, i.e., electronic quality).The newly developed HR and EQ grades exhibit excellent high strength and stiffness at high temperatures, along with superior creep resistance and excellent tolerance to coolant fluids. Their overall performance significantly outperforms standard polyamide grades as well as many other PPA products on the market. The brand new hydrolysis-resistant Ultramid® Advanced T1300HG7 HR product exhibits excellent chemical stability and dimensional stability even when in contact with various media such as ethylene glycol, thermal oil, and water at temperatures of 130°C and above.This characteristic can significantly extend the service life of components used in automotive cooling systems, such as thermostat housings, oil inlets and outlets, and water pumps.The pure Ultramid® Advanced T1300EG7 EQ contains almost no electroactive components, yet it still exhibits excellent thermal aging resistance when in contact with water, hydrogen, or high-purity cooling media such as Glysantin® FC G20. This characteristic makes this PPA particularly suitable for applications in electric vehicles and fuel cell components, such as end plates, medium distribution components, and humidifiers. Throughout the entire lifecycle of electric vehicles (with a minimum requirement of 25,000 hours), this PPA is able to maintain stable mechanical properties at various temperatures, helping to extend the service life of these components.Marc Keller from BASF's PPA Global Marketing Department stated, "Since we launched Ultramid® Advanced T1000 in 2018, customers have trusted its outstanding performance: it maintains mechanical strength regardless of temperature or climatic conditions, and exhibits excellent moisture and chemical resistance. With the introduction of the new HR and EQ grades, we are raising the bar once again: we are well aware of the growing challenges in thermal management for PPA under demanding conditions, and we can help customers address these challenges while maintaining the performance and safety of their applications." In addition to the newly launched high-performance HR and EQ grades, components requiring laser welding can utilize the Ultramid® Advanced T1000 LT product series, which not only features hydrolysis resistance but also laser transparency.About the Ultramid® Advanced product lineBASF's PPA product series is based on six polymers: Ultramid® Advanced N (PA9T), Ultramid® Advanced T1000 (PA6T/6I), Ultramid® Advanced T2000 (PA6T/66), Ultramid® T KR (PA6T/6), Ultramid® T6000 (PA66/6T), and Ultramid® T7000 (PA/PPA). This product series offers next-generation lightweight, high-performance plastic components for industries such as automotive, electronics and electrical equipment, mechanical engineering, and consumer goods. The series includes over 50 modified specifications for injection molding and extrusion, as well as flame-retardant and non-flame-retardant products. The products are available in various colors, from colorless to laser-marked black, with short glass fiber, long glass fiber, or mineral fiber reinforcement, and various heat stabilizers.In the Ultramid® series, the Ultramid Advanced T1000 (PA6T/6I) product portfolio boasts the highest strength and stiffness, with stable mechanical properties at temperatures of 125°C (dry) and 80°C (conditioned). It exhibits exceptional moisture resistance and corrosion resistance, surpassing traditional polyamides and many other PPA materials available on the market. It is used in the automotive industry, particularly for components that must maintain strength and rigidity when exposed to harsh environments. Additionally, it is found in all other industry applications requiring moisture or chemical resistance, such as thermostat housings and water pumps, fuel circuits and selective catalytic reduction systems, automotive actuators and clutch components, coffee machines, furniture joints, and building applications like manifolds, heating systems, and water pumps. BASF offers the market around 10 different grades, ranging from standard glass fiber-reinforced grades with varying stiffness, strength, and toughness values, to special grades with improved hydrolysis resistance, and long fiber-reinforced compounds with high thermal stability.About high-temperature nylon PPAPolyphthalamide (PPA), also known as high-temperature nylon (HTPA), is a semi-aromatic polyamide made from the polycondensation of phthalic acid and hexamethylenediamine. The molecular chain of HTPA contains rigid benzene rings and long flexible chains of diamine, which endow the polymer with both flexibility and strength, as well as moderate mobility. As a result, it has a high crystallization rate and crystallinity.PPA resin exhibits superior strength and stiffness compared to ordinary nylon resin at high temperatures, along with better chemical resistance. It also performs better than ordinary nylon in humid environments. With a continuous use temperature range from 120°C to 185°C, it can replace metal in high-temperature automotive components.PPA resin is more robust and rigid than aliphatic polyamides such as nylon 66; it is less sensitive to moisture; it has better thermal properties; and it exhibits much better creep, fatigue, and chemical resistance. For example, PPA resin containing 45% glass fiber has a tensile strength of approximately 276 MPa, flexural modulus exceeding 13,786 MPa, and heat deflection temperature (HDT) of 549°F. Even mineral-filled grades of PPA can achieve a tensile strength of 117 MPa. The ductility of PPA resin is not as good as that of nylon 6,6; however, un-reinforced impact-modified grades of PPA resin have been developed, with notched Charpy impact strength as high as 20 ft-lb/in.Due to the excellent physical, thermal, and electrical properties of PPA resin, especially its moderate cost, it has a wide range of applications. These properties, along with its excellent chemical resistance, make PPA a candidate for many uses in the automotive industry.  

On March 28, a concentrated signing ceremony for the low-altitude economic industry project in Gongqing City and the production launch ceremony for Jiangxi Ruichi Carbon Fiber Composite Materials Company were held. Jiang Wen Ding, Deputy Secretary of the Jiujiang Municipal Committee and Mayor, and Zhang Guoliang, the initiator of Jiangxi Ruichi Investment and founder of Zhongfu Shenying Carbon Fiber Co., Ltd., delivered speeches. Guo Weiquan, Deputy Director of the Provincial Military-Civilian Integration Office, Liu Bing, Member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, Qu Xiaohua, Member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Provincial Industry and Information Technology Department, and Chen Mingyu, President of the Jiangxi Chamber of Commerce in Jiangsu and Chairman of Nantong Vocational Institute, were also present. Wan Jianming, Secretary of the Gongqing City Committee, hosted the ceremony. Leaders from provincial, Jiujiang City, and Ganjiang New District relevant departments, as well as leaders from Gongqing City and guests from the concentrated signing projects, along with guests from Ruichi's upstream and downstream enterprises, participated in the event.A concentrated signing ceremony for 10 low-altitude economy industrial projects was held on site. The attending leaders pressed the launch ball to jointly witness the official production of the Ruichi project, and upstream and downstream enterprise guests also visited Jiangxi Ruichi Carbon Fiber Composite Materials Company.This batch of centrally signed projects includes 10 projects with a total investment of 1.87 billion yuan, namely the AVIC International Low-altitude Economy Integrated Ecological Construction Strategic Emerging Industry Project and the Remote Sensing Spatial Information Big Data Platform Project, among others. These projects cover areas such as RD and production of drones, drone training, drone inspection and testing, drone agricultural protection and logistics, low-altitude intelligent connected networks, aircraft engine maintenance, passenger sightseeing, aviation exhibitions, and aviation education and training.The Jiangxi Ruichi Carbon Fiber Composite Materials Company, which has recently been put into production, has a total investment of 500 million yuan. It focuses on the research, development, production, and sales of carbon fiber woven fabrics, carbon fiber prepregs, and carbon fiber composite products, with applications in low-altitude economy, rail transit, new energy, and other fields. The project was signed and settled in Gongqing City in December 2024, and it took just over three months from signing to production, fully demonstrating the completeness of Gongqing City's infrastructure in the low-altitude economy and the efficiency of its administrative services.Zhang Guoliang stated in his speech that choosing to invest in Gongqing City is not only because of the favorable environment for the development of the low-altitude economy industry here but also stems from a deep sense of hometown sentiment. We will fully leverage our advantages in carbon fiber materials and technology, continue to increase investment, and constantly expand our business areas, working together to create a bright future for Gongqing City's low-altitude economy!   

Hydroxyapatite (CaHA) and poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) are known as the "twin stars" of regenerative materials. These two biomaterials are widely used in the biomedical field and have become indispensable components in modern medicine. Whether for fracture repair, dental implants, skin regeneration, or fat reduction and body contouring, their presence can be seen. These two regenerative materials exhibit significant differences in composition, physicochemical properties, biological performance, and application areas.Components and StructureHydroxyapatite (CaHA): With the chemical formula Ca₁₀(PO₄)₆(OH)₂, it is primarily composed of calcium and phosphorus. It is a naturally occurring inorganic mineral found in bones and teeth, sharing similar composition and structure with bone tissue.◎ Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA): Its chemical formula is (C₆H₈O₄)n, which is a synthetic linear aliphatic polyester made by polymerizing L-lactic acid monomers into a degradable high molecular material.Physical and chemical propertiesBiological performanceApplication AreaOverall, apart from cosmetic and plastic surgery, hydroxyapatite is more suitable for applications requiring osteoconductivity and bone replacement, while poly-L-lactic acid is better suited for biodegradable drug carriers and tissue engineering scaffolds.Applications of Composite MaterialsSince CaHA and PLLA have their own advantages and disadvantages, they are often combined to form composite materials to compensate for the shortcomings of single materials. CaHA/PLLA composites combine the osteoconductivity of CaHA with the biodegradability of PLLA and are widely used in bone tissue engineering and bone repair materials. By optimizing the composite ratio and structural design, both excellent mechanical and biological properties can be achieved. The CaHA/PLLA composite material, made by combining the two, can leverage their respective advantages to meet more complex clinical needs.

Nexam Chemical, in collaboration with partners, is advancing the future of high-performance composites through the TAPE-X (Thermoforming Advanced Polymer Unidirectional Tape - TAPE-Extreme) project funded by Innovate UK.The project is dedicated to developing next-generation composite materials capable of replacing metals like titanium in aerospace applications, making aircraft lighter and more fuel-efficient.UD tape has storage stability and ease of processing.The core of the project is the newly developed unidirectional (UD) tape. It aims to combine the storage stability and processability of thermoplastic tapes with the thermomechanical properties of thermosetting materials. Nexam Chemical contributes its unique experience in high-temperature material formulations in the design and synthesis of the matrix materials that serve as the conceptual basis. This innovation paves the way for the cost-effective production of complex geometries, such as pipes and ducts in aircraft engines, with greater precision and minimal waste."TAPE-X is an important step forward in composite material development. By combining ease of processing with excellent thermal and mechanical properties, we are unlocking new possibilities for industries such as aerospace, defense, and others that require extreme performance," said Christer Svanberg, Chief Technology Officer of Nexam Chemical.The major advancements of TAPE-X technologyEnhanced processing window and storage stability: Unlike traditional thermoset materials, the new resin has a wide processing window and excellent stability, eliminating the need for low-temperature storage.Heat resistance: This material is specifically designed to meet the high thermal demands of aerospace applications, capable of withstanding extreme conditions, serving as a lightweight alternative to titanium and other alloys.Enhanced design flexibility: The combination of thermoplastic-like processing and thermoset-level performance enables the creation of complex structures that would otherwise be difficult to manufacture or costly.Vast Industrial Potential: Although the technology was initially focused on civilian aerospace applications, it is expected to be applicable to other aerospace and industrial uses where extremely high heat resistance and structural integrity are crucial.

On March 31, it was reported that Love Enterprise Check shows that recently, Zhejiang Shenghui New Materials Co., Ltd. was established, with Li Shuorong as the legal representative and a registered capital of 20 million yuan. The business scope includes: manufacturing high-performance fibers and composite materials; manufacturing graphite and carbon products; sales of graphite and carbon products; research and development of new materials technology; manufacturing bio-based materials; and sales of bio-based materials. Enterprise Check's equity penetration shows that the company is wholly owned indirectly by Rongsheng Petrochemical. Sinopec New Materials LayoutRongsheng Petrochemical is one of China's leading private enterprises in the petrochemical industry, ranking 7th on the Global Chemical Most Valuable Brands list and 16th on the Global Top 50 Chemical Companies list. The company is primarily engaged in the research, production, and sales of various oil products, chemical products, and polyester products. It has established seven major production bases in areas such as the Bohai Economic Circle, the Yangtze River Delta Economic Circle, and the Hainan Belt and Road Economic Circle, forming five major industrial chains: polyester, engineering plastics, new energy, high-end polyolefins, and specialty rubber. It is one of the important producers of polyester, new energy materials, engineering plastics, and high value-added polyolefins in Asia, possessing the world's largest production capacity for chemicals such as PX and PTA.The product range is diverse and comprehensive, covering new energy, new materials, organic chemicals, synthetic fibers, synthetic resins, synthetic rubber, oil products, and more. It essentially achieves "from a drop of oil to everything in the world," while continuously enhancing and refining the new materials industrial chain based on the existing globally leading integrated refining and chemical base and complete upstream and downstream supporting facilities. The main products are shown in the figure below:Source: Rongsheng Petrochemical 2024 Semi-Annual ReportIt is worth mentioning that on March 31, Rongsheng Petrochemical stated on the investor interaction platform that, as an integrated domestic producer of propylene oxide-polyether polyols, it currently has an annual production capacity of 270,000 tons of propylene oxide and 380,000 tons of polyether polyols. Propylene oxide, as a raw material, can be processed to produce downstream products such as polyether polyols, which are widely used in the healthcare sector. For example, certain polyether polyols can be used to manufacture medical polyurethane materials. In the future, Rongsheng Petrochemical will continue to optimize its product portfolio, enhance product competitiveness, and expand high-end applications in the healthcare field. 

   The melt blending method was employed to prepare maleic anhydride-grafted polyethylene (MAPE) modified polyamide 66/polytetrafluoroethylene (PA66/PTFE) blends. Under unlubricated conditions, the friction and wear properties of the materials under different loads were tested using a three-pin-on-disk friction test method. The fracture surfaces and wear morphologies of the materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the wear mechanisms were analyzed. The results showed that the addition of PTFE alone could improve the self-lubricating properties of PA66, but the friction coefficient exhibited significant fluctuations, along with an increased volumetric wear rate. When MAPE was used to replace PTFE under a fixed total additive mass fraction of 20%, the friction coefficient of the material further decreased, and the wear resistance was significantly improved, demonstrating a certain synergistic friction-reducing effect. Compared to PA66/MAPE (80/20) and PA66/PTFE (80/20), PA66/PTFE/MAPE (80/5/15) exhibited the lowest friction coefficient of 0.234, a 55.3% reduction compared to pure PA66 (0.523), and a volumetric wear rate of 3.23×10−6 mm3/(N∙m), a 44.1% decrease compared to pure PA66. In long-distance, multi-stage friction tests, except for pure PA66, all modified materials showed a gradual decrease and stabilization in the volumetric wear rate per unit distance as the sliding distance increased. Among them, the PA66/PTFE/MAPE blend exhibited the lowest and most stable friction coefficient, along with the smallest overall volumetric wear rate. SEM images of the wear surfaces revealed that MAPE enhanced the interaction between the PA66 matrix and PTFE, reducing the width of wear scars and improving wear resistance. Friction test results under different loads further confirmed the synergistic friction-reducing effect of MAPE and PTFE on PA66 materials.Polyamide 66 (PA66) is an engineering plastic that can replace metals and is used in automotive components, mechanical manufacturing, and other fields, offering advantages such as high mechanical strength and good processing performance [1-3]. It can be used to manufacture parts like gears and bearings [4-8]. However, in the absence of lubrication, PA66 exhibits a high coefficient of friction and low wear resistance [9], particularly under extreme operating conditions, especially in special scenarios where the use of lubricating oil/grease is prohibited, such as in the aerospace industry [10-11], which imposes higher requirements for its self-lubricating and wear-resistant properties.Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is an organic solid lubricant commonly used for improving the wear resistance and self-lubrication of polymer materials. During sliding, it can form a thin film layer on its surface and the mating surface, resulting in a low coefficient of friction. According to Li et al., under low load and low-speed conditions, PTFE/copper composites form a thin and uniform transfer film on the GCr15 mating surface, but the adhesion between the transfer film and the steel ring is weak, and a continuous transfer film is lacking. Due to PTFE's extreme inertness and weak intermolecular forces, its compatibility with the polymer matrix is poor, making it difficult to improve the material's wear resistance. Therefore, the compatibility between PTFE and the matrix must be enhanced. Li et al. reported that the use of reactive graft copolymers, such as maleic anhydride (MAH) grafted polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE-g-MAH), can effectively increase the interfacial adhesion between polyamide 6 (PA6) and PTFE, enhancing the tribological properties and tensile strength of PA6/PTFE-g-MAH blends. However, due to PTFE's high melt processing temperature, the preparation of PTFE-g-MAH is challenging.Polyethylene (PE) has a non-polar chain structure similar to PTFE. Due to its low intermolecular forces and inherent molecular chain flexibility, it can also serve as a solid lubricant in polymer-based wear-resistant and self-lubricating materials [19-22]. Jin et al. [23] found that adding just 2.0 wt% of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (PE-UHMW) to a PEEK matrix reduced the coefficient of friction and wear rate by 61% and 89%, respectively. Keresztes et al. [24] observed that PE-filled cast PA6 significantly improved the wear resistance of PA6. Moreover, the compatibility between PE and polyamide matrices can be easily enhanced through surface modification, leading to more uniform dispersion of PE particles and further potential improvement in friction performance. Wang et al. [25] prepared PA66/PE-UHMW composites compatibilized with maleic anhydride (MAH)-grafted high-density polyethylene (PE-HD-g-MAH) and found that the coefficient of friction decreased noticeably with increasing PE-UHMW content.Currently, improvements in the friction and wear properties of PA66 are mainly focused on fiber reinforcement [26-27] and lubricant modification [28-29], among others; however, there is limited reporting on the impact of maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (MAPE) on the friction and wear properties of PA66/PTFE blends. Considering the similarity in nonpolar structures between PE and the solid lubricant PTFE, as well as their adaptability to functionalization, this study primarily investigates the effect of MAPE on the friction and wear properties of PA66/PTFE blends and their wear mechanisms.1 Experimental Section1.1 Main Raw MaterialsPA66: 101 F, DuPont Company, USA.MAPE: HAD-14A, grafting rate 0.8%~1.0%, Nanhai Bochen High Polymer New Materials Co., Ltd.PTFE: M1300, particle size 5~10 μm, DuPont, USA;Xylene and Ethanol: Shanghai Guoyao Group Chemical Reagent Co., Ltd.1.2 Main Instruments and EquipmentTwin-screw extruder: TSE-30A/500-11-40, Nanjing Ruiya Extrusion Group Co., Ltd.Injection molding machine: SA600Ⅱ/130, Ningbo Haitian Plastic Machinery Group Co., Ltd.;Electronic Universal Testing Machine: UTM4204, Zhuhai SANS Testing Equipment Co., Ltd.Impact Testing Machine: DR-6025A, Yangzhou Derui Instrument Equipment Co., Ltd.Friction and Wear Testing Machine: MMW-1A, Jinan Yihua Tribology Testing Technology Co., Ltd.;Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM): sigma500, by Carl Zeiss company.Electric Heating Air Blast Drying Oven: DHG-9140A, Shanghai Jing Hong Laboratory Equipment Co., Ltd.1.3 Sample PreparationUsing a twin-screw extruder, PA66 was melt-blended with PTFE and MAPE. The sample codes and specific mass fractions of each component are shown in Table 1. The screw speed was 300 r/min, and the temperature was 270 ℃. Test strips were prepared through injection molding, with the injection temperature set at 270 ℃.Table 1 Sample Code and Mass Fraction of Each Component %1.4 Testing and CharacterizationFriction tests in the pin-on-disc mode were conducted under dry sliding conditions on a tribometer, following the ASTM G 99-2017 standard. The test load was varied, with a friction coefficient test speed (v) of 120 r/min. The wear height change (∆h) before and after testing for each sample was measured and calculated, and the wear volume (∆V) was computed. The volumetric wear rate was then determined.The calculation formula for [mm3/(N∙m)] is shown in Equation (1). (1)Where: ∆V is the wear volume, mm³; P is the load, N; L is the sliding distance, m. Use a universal testing machine to test the flexural and tensile properties of materials according to GB/T 9341-2008 and GB/T 1040.2-2006, with a testing speed of 20 mm/min.Using a impact testing machine, the impact strength of the material was tested according to GB/T 1043-1993.Dynamic thermomechanical analysis was performed in a three-point bending configuration, with a frequency of 1 Hz, a heating rate of 5 °C/min, and a temperature range of 25 to 180 °C.The morphology of the material's worn surface and impact fracture was observed using SEM. Prior to characterization, the sample fracture was etched with xylene and subjected to gold sputtering.2 Results and Discussion2.1 The effect of PTFE on the friction and wear performance of PA66Figure 1 shows the friction and wear properties of PA66/PTFE blends with different PTFE contents (test load was 36 N). As can be seen from Figure 1a, due to the addition of PTFE, the friction test curve of the PA66/PTFE blend shifts downward, indicating that the friction coefficient of the material has been effectively reduced. Moreover, as the PTFE content increases, the reduction in friction coefficient becomes more significant, but the fluctuation amplitude of the friction coefficient also increases. This is likely due to the poor compatibility between PTFE and PA66. The higher the PTFE content, the more defects caused by the poor compatibility between the two phases, leading to an increasingly unstable friction coefficient. As shown in Figure 1b, based on the friction coefficient test curves and the average friction coefficient and volumetric wear rate calculated from the wear height statistics, when the mass fraction of PTFE added is 20%, the friction coefficient of the PA66/F20 material decreases to 0.39, which is a 25.4% reduction compared to pure PA66, providing some degree of self-lubrication improvement. However, due to the poor compatibility between PA66 and PTFE, the volumetric wear rate of the PA66/PTFE blend is higher than that of pure PA66.Fig. 1   Friction and wear properties of PA66/PTFE blends filled with different contents of PTFE2.2 The effect of MAPE on the friction and wear properties of PA66Figure 2 shows the friction and wear performance tests of PA66/MAPE blend materials filled with different MAPE contents. The data indicate that as the MAPE content increases, the friction coefficient of the PA66/MAPE blend material gradually decreases. When the MAPE mass fraction increases from 5% to 10%, the friction coefficient decreases by 20%. As the MAPE mass fraction increases beyond 10%, the downward trend of the friction coefficient tends to level off.Fig. 2 Friction and wear properties of PA66/MAPE blends filled with different contents of MAPE2.3 Effect of MAPE on the Properties of PA/PTFE BlendsMAH grafting is used to modify PA66 materials because the introduced MAH groups can form covalent bonds with the amino-H in PA66 through nucleophilic substitution reactions, resulting in good interfacial interactions[30]. With the total mass fraction of PTFE and MAPE fixed at 20%, the friction coefficient curves of PA66/MAPE, PA66/PTFE, and PA66/PTFE/MAPE blends are shown in Fig. 3a, and the average friction coefficients and volume wear rates are presented in Fig. 3b. It is evident that the addition of MAPE significantly reduces the friction coefficients of all samples compared to the sample PA/F20 with only PTFE added, and the friction coefficients are more stable. Among them, the PA/F5/M15 material has the lowest friction coefficient of 0.234, a 55.3% decrease compared to pure PA66's 0.523, and its volume wear rate is 3.23×10^-6 mm³/(N·m), a 44.1% decrease compared to pure PA66's 5.78×10^-6 mm³/(N·m). The average friction coefficient of the PA/F10/M10 material is also only 0.237. The data demonstrate that PTFE and MAPE have a synergistic effect in improving the friction and wear properties of PA66.Fig. 3 Friction and wear properties of MAPE-modified PA66/PTFE blend materialsTable 2 presents the bending and tensile properties of PTFE and MAPE modified PA66 blends. As shown in Table 2, both PTFE and MAPE have a negative impact on the mechanical strength and modulus of PA66, with MAPE having a greater influence than PTFE. However, due to the good compatibility between MAPE and PA66, the impact strength of the blend increases with the addition of MAPE. Compared to pure PA66, the impact strength of PA/M20 is approximately 59.3% higher than that of pure PA66 at 8.1 kJ/m². The impact strength of PA/F5/M15 is 103.9% higher than that of PA/F20, which only contains PTFE. The flexural modulus of PA66/PTFE/MAPE shows a certain decrease, indicating a reduction in material rigidity, with the lowest PA/F10/M10 decreasing by only 13.4%.Table 2 Flexural and tensile properties of PA66/PTFE/MAPE blends To analyze the mechanism of the effect of MAPE and PTFE on the properties of PA66 blends, SEM was used to conduct morphological analysis of the brittle fracture surfaces of PA/F20, PA/M20, and PA/F10/M10 materials, as shown in Figure 4. In Figure 4b, the fracture surface of PA/F20 is relatively smooth, with clearly visible smooth holes left by the detachment of PTFE, indicating that the compatibility of PTFE with the PA66 matrix is extremely poor, resulting in brittle fracture, and PTFE easily falls off the surface. This should be the reason why the volume wear rate of PA/F20 is greater than that of PA66. In contrast, on the surface of PA/F10/M10, in addition to the dense holes etched by MAPE, there are also many exposed PTFE particles adhering to the surface, indicating that the addition of MAPE has played a role in improving the compatibility between PTFE and the PA66 matrix to some extent.Fig. 4   SEM photos of PTFE and impact fracture surface of PA66/PTFE/MAPE blends2.4 Long-distance Staged Friction TestingTo further explore the effects of MAPE and PTFE on the friction and wear properties of PA66 materials, long-distance staged friction tests were conducted on each material, as shown in Figure 5. As can be seen from Figure 5, under the same test conditions, the PA/F20 sample with only added PTFE exhibits extremely unstable friction coefficients, with significant fluctuations both between cycles and within cycles. This further indicates poor compatibility between PTFE and the PA66 matrix, and that PTFE tends to peel off during the friction process. The PA/M20 also shows a high friction coefficient during the friction stage when the sliding distance exceeds 2,000 meters. Compared to PA/M20 and PA/F20, PA/F10/M10 demonstrates lower friction coefficients and better stability within the sliding distance range of 0-11,000 meters, indicating the synergistic anti-friction effect of PTFE and MAPE on PA66.Fig. 5 Friction coefficient of PA66 and its blends at different sliding distancesfriction stagesFigure 6a lists the volumetric wear of PA66 and its blended materials at various stages of the friction test. As shown in Figure 6a, pure PA66 exhibits high volumetric wear at each stage. Notably, for modified materials filled with PTFE or (and) MAPE, as the sliding distance increases regularly, the volumetric wear of the materials gradually decreases, with the reduction rate slowing down and stabilizing at a low level, demonstrating excellent wear resistance. According to the total volumetric wear statistics for the entire cycle (0–11,000 m) in Figure 6b, the PA/F10/M10 material has the lowest total wear, indicating its superior wear resistance.Figure 6 Volume wear loss of PA66 and its compositesIn order to better study the friction behavior of PA66 and its blended materials, SEM was used to analyze the wear surface after a sliding distance of 2,000 m, as shown in Figure 7. From Figure 7, it can be observed that the surface of pure PA66 has particle-like substances adhered to it, forming abrasive and adhesive wear marks. The small protruding particles on the surface of PA66 undergo deformation and movement due to shear and frictional heat, with the wear mechanism mainly characterized by abrasive wear and adhesive wear.Fig. 7   Morphology of worn surface of PA66 sliding to 2,000 mMAPE has higher flexibility than PA66. Under friction and shear action, the surface of PA/M20 yields and deforms, forming flake-like wear debris. However, due to its good interfacial interaction with the PA66 matrix, the flake-like wear debris is not easy to detach. As a result, the material exhibits a low friction coefficient and volume wear rate, with the wear mechanism primarily characterized by adhesive wear.The wear surface of PA/F20 is relatively flat, which is also due to the tendency of PTFE to yield and deform under friction. A careful observation of Figure 7c reveals the presence of some layered material on the surface, which indicates that a discontinuous film layer of PTFE has formed on the friction contact surface, reducing the direct contact between the material and the steel counterpart. This is the main reason for the improved friction coefficient of PA66/PTFE. Due to the weak interaction between PTFE and the matrix, it is prone to fall off from the wear surface, leaving wider wear scars on the surface, which results in extremely unstable friction coefficients and low wear resistance. In contrast, the wear scars along the friction direction on the PA/F10/M10 wear surface are narrower. Analyzing this in conjunction with Figure 4c further demonstrates that MAPE can improve the compatibility of PTFE with the PA66 matrix, enhancing the interaction between PTFE and the PA66 matrix. The PTFE film layer on the friction surface adheres more firmly to the PA66 matrix, resulting in narrower wear scars and improved wear resistance. While enhancing the interaction between PTFE and PA66, MAPE itself also undergoes plastic deformation, promoting the formation of a continuous and uniform transfer film, with the wear mechanism primarily involving adhesive wear.The effect of MAPE on the friction and wear performance of PA66/PTFE under different loadsAt the same test speed (v=120 r/min), friction tests were conducted on PA, PA/M20, PA/F20, and PA/F10/M10 by varying the load (P), and the results are shown in Figure 8. Although the friction coefficient of the PA/F20 material is lower than that of pure PA66 due to the self-lubricating properties of PTFE, the friction coefficient exhibits significant fluctuations because PTFE is prone to detachment, and the test process is accompanied by substantial vibration noise.Fig. 8 Friction coefficient of PA66 and its composites under different loadsdifferent loadsWith the addition of MAPE, the corresponding materials exhibit lower friction coefficients under both low and high loads. Among them, the PA/F10/M10 material demonstrates a good synergistic improvement effect, showing the lowest and most stable friction coefficient.Table 3 shows the volume wear rates of various PA66 samples under different test loads. As can be seen from Table 3, the volume wear rates of PA/F10/M10 are lower than those of PA/F20 and PA/M20 under different loads, which further indicates that MAPE and PTFE have a friction-reducing effect on PA66, and the wear resistance of PA66 material is further improved.Tab. 3 Volume wear rate of PA, PA/M20, PA/F20, PA/F10/M10 under different loads mm3/(N·m)3 ConclusionThe PA66-based blend material (PA/PTFE/MAPE) modified by PTFE and MAPE was prepared using the melt blending method, and friction and wear tests were conducted under dry friction conditions. SEM was used to analyze the surface morphology of the material cross-section and wear surface, and the friction and wear mechanism was discussed. The following conclusions were drawn:(1) The addition of PTFE can reduce the friction coefficient of PA66 to some extent. However, due to its poor compatibility with PA66, PTFE tends to detach during friction, resulting in a high volume wear rate and unstable friction coefficient for the PA66/PTFE material.MAPE can significantly improve the friction and wear performance of PA66/PTFE materials. Under different friction test conditions, MAPE and PTFE have a synergistic effect on the friction and wear performance of PA66, while the total filling amount of PTFE and MAPE (mass fraction 20%) remains unchanged. The materials exhibit a low and stable friction coefficient and a low volume wear rate. In the friction test with a load of 54 N, the average friction coefficient and volume wear rate of PA/F10/M10 materials are 0.237 and 1.7×10^-6 mm³/(N∙m), respectively.(3) SEM analysis shows that MAPE has good compatibility with PTFE, which can improve the interfacial interaction between PA66 and PTFE, thus enhancing the impact toughness and friction-wear properties of the material.  

01What exactly are PMMA microspheres?In the fascinating world of materials science, PMMA microspheres are a shining star. PMMA, or polymethyl methacrylate, is a high-molecular-weight polymer. Simply put, PMMA microspheres are tiny spherical particles composed of polymethyl methacrylate. These microspheres typically appear as fine white powdery granules, resembling delicate snowflakes. Their particle size commonly ranges from tens of nanometers to several micrometers. Despite their minuscule dimensions, they possess unique properties and vast application potential. Don’t be fooled by their small size—they play a significant role in numerous fields.02How are PMMA microspheres produced?(1) Emulsion Polymerization MethodEmulsion polymerization is a commonly used method for preparing PMMA microspheres. The principle involves dispersing methyl methacrylate monomer in an aqueous phase under the action of an emulsifier, forming a stable emulsion system. The monomer is then polymerized by an initiator to produce PMMA microspheres. In the specific operation, an appropriate emulsifier, such as sodium dodecyl sulfate, must be selected, dissolved in water, and form an aqueous phase. Next, methyl methacrylate monomer is added to the aqueous phase and dispersed evenly under stirring. Then, a suitable amount of initiator, such as potassium persulfate, is added to initiate the monomer polymerization reaction. During the reaction process, it is necessary to control temperature and stirring speed properly to ensure that the microsphere size and distribution meet the requirements. The advantage of emulsion polymerization is that it can produce PMMA microspheres with smaller sizes and narrower distributions, and the performance of the microspheres can be regulated by changing the reaction conditions. However, this method has relatively high requirements for reaction conditions, such as strict requirements for the acidity and alkalinity and temperature stability of the reaction system. Moreover, the removal of the emulsifier may bring some subsequent processing issues.(2) Suspension PolymerizationSuspension polymerization is also an important method for preparing PMMA microspheres. The principle involves suspending methyl methacrylate monomer droplets in a dispersing medium (usually water) in the form of small droplets. With the aid of stirring and stabilizers, the monomer droplets can maintain a stable suspension state. Initiators are then added to trigger the polymerization reaction, resulting in the formation of PMMA microspheres. In the process, the monomer, initiator, and appropriate stabilizers are first introduced into a reaction vessel. High-speed stirring disperses the monomer into small droplets and evenly suspends them in water. The role of the stabilizer is to prevent the monomer droplets from coalescing, with common stabilizers including polyvinyl alcohol. During the reaction, it is essential to strictly control the stirring speed and temperature to ensure the size and quality of the microspheres. Compared to emulsion polymerization, suspension polymerization has a relatively simpler process. The microspheres produced typically range from tens to hundreds of micrometers in size, and they exhibit good hardness and wear resistance. However, the particle size distribution of microspheres prepared by suspension polymerization tends to be wider, and their surface smoothness may not match that of microspheres prepared by emulsion polymerization.03In the fields of biomedicine and cosmeticsBiomedical aspectIn the field of biomedicine, PMMA microspheres are playing an increasingly important role and contributing to human health. They can serve as a crucial component of drug delivery systems, enabling precise drug delivery and controlled release. By encapsulating drugs within PMMA microspheres or adsorbing drugs on their surface, and then injecting these drug-loaded microspheres into the body, the microspheres can slowly release the drug at specific sites, achieving a sustained therapeutic effect. This controlled release not only enhances the efficacy of the drug but also reduces its toxic side effects, as the drug is gradually released at the desired location rather than entering the body all at once, minimizing potential harm to other parts of the body. For example, in the development of some anticancer drugs, using PMMA microspheres as drug carriers allows the drug to target tumor sites more precisely, improving treatment efficacy while reducing damage to normal tissues. Additionally, PMMA microspheres have potential applications in tissue engineering. They can act as scaffold materials, providing a favorable environment for cell growth and tissue repair. Due to their excellent biocompatibility, cells can adhere, proliferate, and differentiate on the surface of PMMA microspheres, thereby promoting tissue regeneration and repair. In bone tissue engineering, researchers are exploring the use of PMMA microspheres as scaffolds to guide bone cell growth, offering new solutions for fracture healing and bone defect repair.(II) Cosmetics SectorIn the world of cosmetics, PMMA microspheres are a "star ingredient." They are often used as fillers to cleverly improve the texture and feel of products, elevating the user experience of cosmetics. Imagine adding an appropriate amount of PMMA microspheres to foundation—they disperse evenly within it, making the foundation's texture more delicate and smooth, gliding on the skin like silk. Moreover, these microspheres can enhance the foundation's coverage, giving the skin a flawless and smooth appearance. In skincare products, PMMA microspheres also play a unique role. They can act as carriers, encapsulating certain active ingredients and releasing them slowly, thereby prolonging the duration of these ingredients on the skin and improving skincare efficacy. For example, in skincare products containing active ingredients like vitamin C, the addition of PMMA microspheres allows vitamin C to remain more stable and continuously exert its antioxidant effects, helping the skin combat free radical damage and delay signs of aging.With the continuous advancement of technology, the research and application of PMMA microspheres are moving toward more diversified and refined directions. In terms of preparation methods, researchers are actively exploring novel techniques such as microfluidics and template methods to achieve more precise control over the particle size, morphology, and performance of PMMA microspheres. These new approaches are expected to produce PMMA microspheres with narrower size distributions and superior properties, meeting the demands of high-end applications.

 According to a report by the Liberation Daily on March 31, at the Renewable Carbon Resources Science and Technology Engineering Center of East China Normal University, journalists observed several bottles of transparent liquid. These are sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) derived from oils, with their raw material being waste oil commonly known as "gutter oil."Recently, this fuel sample passed the authoritative testing by the Civil Aviation Second Research Institute of China, with all 48 indicators meeting the standards and complying with the national standard for Jet Fuel Type 3. Furthermore, the scientific research team from East China Normal University achieved innovation in the reaction principle of preparing oil-based Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), which can significantly reduce the cost of converting "waste cooking oil" into aviation fuel."This is a disruptive technology that is expected to propel Shanghai into becoming a hub for SAF technological innovation," said Zhao Yixin, project manager of the Green Fuel Initiative at the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission. Through the coordination of the project manager team, Shanghai Airport Group will jointly establish a company with the team led by Zhao Chen, the director of the Renewable Carbon Resources Center at East China Normal University, to advance the pilot project of this disruptive technology and lay the foundation for future industrialization. Discovery of a new technology route for SAF preparationIn China's journey towards carbon peak and carbon neutrality, green fuels play a crucial role.They are high-energy-density fuels transformed from renewable energy sources, capable of meeting the demands of long-distance maritime and air transport. To foster the green fuel industry, the Municipal Science and Technology Commission established a project manager team last year, along with a strategic expert group composed of experts from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Tongji University, Shenergy Group, and Huayi Group, continuously monitoring and supporting technological innovation and industrial development in sustainable aviation fuel, green methanol, green ammonia, and other green fuels.According to statistics, about 99% of carbon emissions in the civil aviation industry come from the consumption of aviation kerosene. Gradually replacing petroleum-based aviation fuel with green fuel has become an international trend. Many countries and international organizations have specified the blending ratio of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). For example, the EU regulations state that from 2025 onwards, aviation fuel manufacturers must include 2% SAF in the fuel supplied to EU airports; this blending ratio will gradually increase until it reaches 70% by 2050. The Civil Aviation Administration of China has proposed that during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, the cumulative consumption of sustainable aviation fuel should reach 50,000 tons. Since September last year, Air China, Eastern Airlines, and Southern Airlines have conducted trials on 12 flights by adding SAF.How to prepare SAF? Song Xuefeng, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Shanghai Airport Group, introduced that there are currently four main technological routes, among which HEFA (Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids) is the first commercialized technology route in China. The raw materials for HEFA are waste oils and fats, which are converted into SAF through steps such as hydrogenation, deoxygenation, and isomerization reactions.Last July, the establishment of the Large Aircraft New SAF Research and Application Joint Laboratory, a collaboration between COMAC and East China Normal University, attracted attention from the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission.Why is COMAC collaborating with the East China Normal University Renewable Carbon Resource Center to conduct research on SAF?The project manager team from the Municipal Science and Technology Commission visited this research institution for an investigation. They discovered that Professor Zhao Chen’s team produces SAF using waste oils as raw materials, but the reaction principle differs from HEFA. Through process optimization, catalyst improvement, and other innovations, this new technology route significantly reduces energy consumption compared to HEFA, while the yield has notably increased, resulting in a more than 30% reduction in SAF production costs compared to HEFA.Moreover, compared to SAF produced via HEFA, the new SAF contains more components such as aromatics, enabling it to fully replace petroleum-based aviation fuel rather than being blended with it at a certain ratio. Leveraging these performance advantages, Zhao Chen's team is collaborating with COMAC and AECC Commercial Aircraft Engine Co., Ltd. to better adapt the new SAF to domestically produced aircraft and engines. Government-Industry-University-Research Collaboration to Promote Pilot TestingUpon discovering the disruptive technology, the project manager's team immediately sprang into action. They reached out to multiple state-owned enterprises to advance pilot projects and facilitate industrialization.Zhao Yixin introduced that an important mission of the project manager team at the Municipal Science and Technology Commission is to select and support disruptive technology research and development, and to rapidly promote technology iteration and industrialization through integrated industrial layout. "We draw on international advanced experience, focus on strategic needs, and seek disruptive technologies through organized research. Once identified, we use mature technologies to iterate on them. We aim to maintain strategic agility, connecting research teams engaged in disruptive innovation with top-tier enterprises to quickly transform laboratory results into new productive forces."During the process of对接企业, Chai Mei, a member of the project manager team, found a partner for Zhao Chen - Shanghai Airport Group."I used to work at Shenergy Group, where I was exposed to many green fuel technologies. After joining the Airport Group, I started to lay out plans for SAF. Upon receiving柴梅's call, I immediately led a team to visit Professor Zhao Chen's research group," Song Xuefeng told the reporter. "They are one of the most professional research teams we have ever come across. The technology they developed is innovative and disruptive. The SAF products they have prepared have already undergone preliminary certification by domestic professional institutions, and have a solid foundation for industrialization."Today, Shanghai Airport Group is collaborating with the project manager team from the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission to jointly advance the pilot project for a new type of SAF. The Airport Group has decided to co-found a company with Zhao Chen's team to build a kiloton-scale pilot plant in Shanghai. The Science and Technology Commission has found a supplier of "gutter oil," the raw material for SAF, and will support the advancement of the pilot project. Empowerment reform promotes the transformation of achievements."In the next 30 years, the SAF industry will continue to grow, with its output value expected to reach trillions of yuan." Looking ahead, Zhao Chen is full of anticipation. The use of disruptive technologies to produce SAF will not only help China achieve its "dual carbon" goals but also reduce the country's reliance on imported crude oil, ensuring national energy security.Researchers from East China Normal University take samples next to a fixed-bed reactor. Zhao Chen's team has applied for more than 20 Chinese invention patents for this technology. After the pilot company is established, international patents will be filed.As the first university in the country to implement full ownership assignment of job-related scientific and technological achievements, East China Normal University has assigned full ownership of more than 20 patents to Zhao Chen's team, supporting them to cooperate with the airport group to establish a pilot company.In the process of entrepreneurship, associate scientific and technological achievements based on empowerment outcomes are developed. East China Normal University adopts the "dual-empowerment" model, conferring both ownership and long-term right of use of the associated scientific and technological achievements to Zhao Chen's team. In case of special situations during the entrepreneurial process, they can also revert the job-related scientific and technological achievements back to the school through the "achievement conversion" mechanism.Hu Mei Bing, the Party Secretary of East China Normal University, stated, "We adhere to the belief that 'scientific and technological achievements can only truly realize their innovative value through transformation; not being transformed is the greatest loss.' We have designed a 'zero-risk full empowerment plan,' aiming to use institutional innovation as a lever to drive more disruptive technologies out of laboratories and become a powerful engine for high-quality development."The reform of the scientific and technological achievement transformation system in universities, the government's reform of science and technology project management, and the strategic layout of technological innovation in state-owned enterprises have collectively accelerated the transformation and industrialization of disruptive innovations from universities. The laboratory achievements of Zhao Chen's team represent the "0-1" starting point on the chain of technological innovation.The reason for achieving the "0-1" breakthrough is what?The female scientist said that the foundation of disruptive innovation lies in a deep understanding of scientific principles and long-term accumulation of practical experience. For the past 20 years, she has been researching green fuels, from lignocellulosic biofuels to waste oil fuels, and then to fuels produced from carbon dioxide, conducting in-depth studies. "After understanding the demand for SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) from enterprises, our team considered potential breakthroughs for achieving low-cost, large-scale synthesis of green fuels, and after multiple discussions, we developed an innovative plan."Close collaboration with industry is also a key reason for their breakthroughs. The research team took charge of a production-education-research integrated sub-project under the National Key Research and Development Program 10 years ago. They entered factories and worked jointly with enterprise teams, accumulating experience in catalyst preparation and chemical production. In Zhao Chen's view, combining scientific theory with practical application can accelerate the industrialization process of innovative achievements.Compared to traditional aviation fuel, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 80%, making it a key factor for the global aviation industry to achieve net-zero carbon emissions. In July 2024, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) announced the provision of standard evaluation services for SAF producers through the EU SAF Information Exchange Center. In September 2024, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the launch of the Matchmaker platform to connect airlines and SAF suppliers; in December, IATA predicted that global SAF production would reach 2.1 million tons in 2025.According to the annual report on China's Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) industry by Yahua Consulting, SAF can come from bio-based raw materials such as waste oils, corn/sugarcane fermented ethanol, as well as from green electricity, green hydrogen, and CO2, and can also be derived from urban solid waste. Hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) and alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) are the traditional pathways for producing SAF. Currently, many project plans focus on large-scale gasification of biomass coupled with green hydrogen to produce green methanol, which is then converted into SAF. Additionally, green syngas Fischer-Tropsch synthesis to produce SAF, direct conversion of CO2 and green hydrogen to SAF, and the production of SAF from lignocellulosic materials are also widely regarded as promising technological routes.Policies are a crucial catalyst for the continuous growth of the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) market. Countries and regions such as China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, the European Union, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore have introduced relevant policies or plans to promote the development of the SAF industry. Meanwhile, aircraft manufacturers like Boeing, Airbus, COMAC, and Bombardier, engine manufacturers such as GE and Rolls-Royce, as well as major global airlines, are advancing the demonstration and application of SAF. It is estimated that by 2030, the global SAF market size will exceed 18 million tons, with a value reaching tens of billions of dollars.  

On March 27, the 2025 Zhongguancun Forum Annual Meeting opened in Beijing and released 10 major scientific and technological achievements. "The Key Technology for the Biological Manufacturing of Adipic Acid" was selected. Adipic acid is an important basic chemical raw material. Traditional chemical plants produce nylon raw material adipic acid, which generates a large amount of greenhouse gases. The team of Tan Tianwei from Beijing University of Chemical Technology obtained microbial strains that efficiently produce adipic acid precursors by optimally designing the biosynthetic pathway, with a yield of 110 g/L, providing a Chinese solution for the green transformation of the chemical industry.According to Wang Bin, Vice Dean of the Institute of High Technology at Beijing University of Chemical Technology, nylon materials prepared from adipic acid are closely related to people's lives. They can be used to produce high-quality engineering plastics for the production of equipment in aerospace, automotive, and high-speed rail industries, as well as to make garments such as冲锋衣 and quick-drying clothes.The chemical synthesis of adipic acid faces disadvantages such as non-renewable raw materials, high pollution, and abundant byproducts. Traditional petrochemical methods release 3 tons of greenhouse gas nitrogen dioxide per ton of adipic acid produced. In contrast, the biological production of adipic acid not only uses renewable raw materials but is also cleaner and more efficient, aiding the green and low-carbon transformation of the industry. However, current biotechnology suffers from low efficiency and limited production capacity. "By 2025, global nylon demand is expected to exceed 10 million tons, yet bio-based adipic acid has not yet achieved commercial production, representing a bottleneck technology for China."Synthetic bio-manufacturing is a novel material production technology centered on industrial biotechnology, representing a burgeoning industry that leads the "Third Revolution in Biological Sciences." It enables cells to become "super factories," producing various specific substances on demand.In the laboratory of the National Energy Bio-refining Research and Development Center at Beijing University of Chemical Technology, the construction of "high-efficiency microbial cell factories" is becoming a reality. Artificial intelligence technology plays the role of a "super brain," helping researchers simulate biological reaction processes and greatly improving experimental efficiency; robotic arms operate efficiently and accurately, tirelessly completing microbial inoculation on the high-throughput strain screening automation platform. The support of interdisciplinary technologies has made the experimental progress more efficient. The team led by Tan Tianwei, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and president of Beijing University of Chemical Technology, has made a significant breakthrough in the biotechnological production of adipic acid. Through a new biosynthetic pathway for adipic acid, the theoretical yield of the product has reached 87%, which is 32% higher than the existing pathway. As the new technology continues to mature, this year, it is expected to be scaled up to a pilot-scale bioreactor with a capacity of 1 ton.Wang Bin said that the production of propylene glycol, succinic acid, and butanediol were all originally developed in the West as technological pioneers, while China followed and tracked these technologies, progressing from catching up to keeping pace. However, the adipic acid project is expected to put China's original technology ahead of the West.   

The IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Svensk Plaståtervinning (Swedish Plastic Recycling), and LCA researcher Tomas Ekvall recently released a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) report, which indicates that "downcycling" - such as recycling waste without sorting - has "almost as much" climate impact as incinerating these plastic wastes.Three approaches for managing plastic packaging waste were compared: one involves directly incinerating the waste for energy recovery without sorting or remanufacturing; another is downcycling, where mixed plastic waste is not sorted or remanufactured and is instead used to produce railway sleepers; and the last approach is advanced sorting with high-quality recycling, where plastics are sorted and individually remanufactured after classification. The real data from the Institute's zero waste facility (Site Zero) in Sweden was utilized.The results show that, compared to incinerating unsorted waste, downgraded recycling can only reduce climate impact by an additional 4%, while advanced sorting and high-quality recycling can reduce climate impact by 27%."The research results show that high-quality recycling through advanced sorting is more beneficial to the environment than downgraded recycling," said Rickard Jansson, a RD engineer for plastic recycling in Sweden and a member of the project's expert panel.Sweden's current regulatory framework encourages recycling over incineration. However, researchers argue that the regulations do not yet distinguish between different recycling methods in terms of resource efficiency or their varying opportunities and drawbacks for circularity and climate impact. Therefore, they emphasize the need for stricter requirements and more "precise" policy tools. "Given this, we urgently need more specific requirements and the introduction of precise policy instruments," stressed Mattias Philipsson, CEO of Swedish Plastic Recycling. "High-quality recycling through advanced sorting must become the standard; otherwise, we will remain locked in a linear economy with high climate impact and resource waste."The zero-location plant for plastic recycling in Sweden opened in November 2023. The plant recycles all types of plastic packaging, accepting 200,000 tons of mixed plastic waste annually and sorting 1,000 objects per second. To read the full research report, please download it via the link below:Life Cycle Assessment of Plastic Waste Management.pdf(Source: Packaging Europe and IVL report). 

Since the release of the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, Xiaomi Cars has become a focal point in the industry due to its outstanding performance, cutting-edge ecosystem, and highly competitive pricing. Discussions with traditional car manufacturers, new energy vehicle companies, and internationally renowned brands are ongoing, showcasing Xiaomi Cars' strong competitiveness and unique advantages. Xiaomi Group's overall performance is also remarkable. In March, Xiaomi founder Lei Jun released the company's 2024 financial report on social media—its strongest annual report ever. The report shows that Xiaomi Group's annual revenue reached 365.9 billion yuan, a historical high, with a year-on-year growth of 35.0%. The adjusted net profit was 27.2 billion yuan, also a historical high, with a year-on-year growth of 41.3%. Carbon fiber, due to its excellent characteristics such as lightweight, high strength, high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, and long lifespan, has seen a rapid increase in penetration in the automotive industry in recent years. At the same time, the rapid development of new energy vehicles provides new opportunities for the application of carbon fiber composite materials. The use of carbon fiber structural components, carbon/ceramic brake discs, battery boxes, etc., can significantly reduce the vehicle's weight, enabling longer range conditions. The safety, handling, and comfort of new energy vehicles have also been greatly improved.The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra's extensive use of carbon fiber has redefined the supercar experience for new energy vehicles. Compared to the standard version, the SU7 Ultra employs a large amount of carbon fiber composite materials in 21 parts, including the roof, rear wing, welcome pedals, seat back panels, and interior center console. It also offers optional features such as a carbon fiber dual air duct front hood and U-shaped forged wheels, with a total carbon fiber usage area exceeding 5.5 square meters, achieving significant weight reduction for the entire vehicle. At the same time, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra comes standard with a 24K gold carbon fiber logo, highlighting the Ultra's high-end positioning.Recently, news about the Xiaomi YU7 has gradually emerged, with expectations for its launch as early as May this year. Meanwhile, Lei Jun appeared at Wuhan University to shoot promotional material for Xiaomi's car, further unveiling the mystery of the YU7. Earlier, the latest declaration images of the Xiaomi YU7 obtained from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology showed that its appearance design has undergone several upgrades, including the addition of front hood decorative pieces, a carbon fiber rear spoiler, and a carbon fiber ducktail. Additionally, the YU7 has added "Hyper Autonomous Driving" on the side door decorative pieces. These details not only enhance the vehicle's sporty and technological feel but also indicate upgrades in design and functionality for the Xiaomi YU7, making it highly anticipated.  

In today's continuously advancing orthopedic medical technology, the application of new materials brings more hope to patients. Among them, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPEThe material performs excellently in the field of orthopedic implants, becoming a reliable choice for both doctors and patients.In the field of artificial joint replacement, a material that seems ordinary.——Ultra-high molecular weight polyethyleneUHMWPE）However, it silently supports more than... globally every year.200Successful joint replacement surgeries in tens of thousands of cases. From hip joint liners to cranial repairs, this is stronger than steel.15But as light as plastic.'Magical materials'..., is breaking through the boundaries of medicine at an astonishing pace of innovation.I. Important Needs for Orthopedic ImplantsOrthopedic diseases are diverse, such as fractures and joint degeneration, which seriously affect the quality of life of patients. Orthopedic implants are designed to repair or replace damaged bones and joints, restoring their function. This requires the implant materials to have good biocompatibility, not to trigger immune rejection reactions in the body; they must also possess sufficient strength and wear resistance to withstand the pressure and friction generated by daily physical activities, ensuring the long-term stable performance of the implants.II. Unique Advantages of Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene1.Outstanding biocompatibility: Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene "gets along well" with human tissues, and after being implanted in the body, it almost does not trigger the immune system's alert, significantly reducing the risk of rejection and minimizing unnecessary pain and complications for patients.2.Outstanding wear resistance: In joint replacement surgery, there is constant friction between the joint surfaces. Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, with its extremely low friction coefficient and exceptional wear resistance, can withstand long-term and frequent friction, extending the service life of the implanted joint and reducing the probability of reoperation.3.Good mechanical properties: It has high strength and toughness, capable of withstanding the pressure from body weight while also adapting to the dynamic mechanical environment of the bones to a certain extent. It is not easily broken, ensuring the stability of the implant.Three, specific applications in orthopedic implants1.Artificial Hip Joint: The hip joint is an important weight-bearing joint in the human body. The acetabular liner made of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, in conjunction with the metal femoral head, can simulate the movement of a natural joint, providing patients with hip joint diseases a good recovery of joint function, allowing them to walk and move freely again.2.Artificial knee joint: The knee joint has a complex structure and high requirements for implanted materials. Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene is used for knee joint spacers, effectively buffering the impact during joint movement and improving joint mobility. Many patients with knee joint diseases experience a significant improvement in their quality of life after surgery.3.Other applications: In spinal fusion surgery and bone defect repair, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene also plays an important role in helping patients reconstruct bone structure and restore health.IV. Development Prospects and ChallengesWith the advancement of technology, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene materials are continuously optimized, and there is hope for the development of products with even better performance in the future, further expanding their applications in the field of orthopedic implants. However, there are still challenges, such as how to further enhance their bonding ability with bone tissue to achieve better bone integration, which remains a direction that researchers are striving to overcome.Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene materials have achieved significant success in the field of orthopedic implants, bringing hope to countless patients. It is believed that with the joint efforts of researchers and medical professionals, it will make a greater contribution to the development of orthopedic medicine, allowing more patients to regain a healthy life.From being an unknown engineering plastic to saving millions of joints.'Life materials'，UHMWPEThe evolution of this is a model of biomedical materials science. With breakthroughs made by Chinese companies in the field of high-end medical materials, this...'Invisible champion'Promoting Chinese medical manufacturing to the world stage. Perhaps in the near future, we will see lighter, stronger, and smarter products.UHMWPEImplant, let'Lifetime use'No longer a dream.Shanghai Poly Medical Materials Co., Ltd. is committed to implant-grade ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.Research and development, production, and sales of core medical raw materials such as UHMWPE (Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene), providing implant-grade ordinary UHMWPE profiles, highly cross-linked UHMWPE profiles, and other products. It also involves new material technology research and development, promotion, synthetic material manufacturing and sales, plastic product manufacturing and sales, and various other businesses.

To address the issues of uneven flow rates, pressure drop fluctuations, and local overheating caused by the rapid expansion of volume due to phase change during the heat transfer process of two-phase flow in microchannels, this study investigates the pressure drop of flow boiling in countercurrent microchannels with different phase separation pore densities (PSP00, PSP04, PSP06, PSP10) under the influence of an electric field. A performance evaluation criterion (PEC) is introduced to study the comprehensive heat transfer performance of countercurrent microchannels with and without phase separation structures under different voltages (0, 200V, 400V, 600V). High-speed photography is utilized for visual study of the channels, and the variation rate of the aspect ratio of confined bubbles is introduced to analyze the growth behavior of confined bubbles within the channels. The research results indicate that as the pore density of the phase separation structure increases, the flow resistance and pressure drop within the channel decrease. With the increase of heat flux density, the reduction in two-phase pressure drop becomes more significant. The application of an electric field increases the two-phase pressure drop within the channel; however, the increase is less pronounced compared to the two-phase pressure drop in the channel after synergistic action with the phase separation structure. The two-phase pressure drop in the PSP10 channel with a phase separation structure under 600V is reduced by 14.2% compared to the PSP00 channel without a phase separation structure. Both the electric field and the phase separation structure can reduce the aspect ratio of confined bubbles in the microchannel, and the greater the pore density of the phase separation structure and the voltage, the smaller the aspect ratio of the confined bubbles. The combined effects of the electric field, phase separation structure, and their interaction all contribute to improving the overall heat transfer performance PEC of the microchannel. The best effect is achieved when both the electric field and phase separation structure are applied together, with larger pore density and voltage leading to a higher PEC. The maximum PEC when both the electric field and phase separation structure are simultaneously applied (PSP10-600V) is 1.30, which is an increase of 13.0% compared to the maximum PEC under the electric field alone (PSP00-600V) and an increase of 7.4% compared to the maximum PEC under the phase separation structure alone (PSP10). Currently, methods to improve the phase change heat transfer efficiency in microchannels with two-phase flow include active, passive, and composite methods. Active enhancement techniques refer to the addition of external energy to enhance heat transfer (such as surface vibrations, electrodynamics, and magnetohydrodynamics). Passive enhancement techniques involve the use of additives (nanoparticles) in the working fluid, altering the properties of the heat transfer surface, or incorporating microstructures for enhanced heat transfer on the heat transfer surface. Composite enhancement techniques refer to the combined use of active and passive enhancement techniques. In passive enhancement techniques, hydrophobic porous membranes and capillary action from different microchannel structures are often used to achieve gas-liquid phase separation, addressing the issue of uneven gas-liquid distribution within microchannels. Studies by Priy et al. and Apreotesi et al. have shown that hydrophobic porous materials can effectively reduce pressure drops within microchannels. Luo Xiaoping et al. used a 30% glycerol aqueous solution as the working fluid and analyzed the pressure drop variations in two phase separation structures (porous/non-porous) and ordinary microchannels without exhaust holes. The results indicated that phase separation structures can significantly reduce the two-phase flow resistance within the channel, and that the ability to mitigate pressure drop increases with greater heat flux density and more open pores in the phase separation structure. In active enhancement techniques, external forces such as acoustic fields and electric fields are often applied to the microchannels to alter the heat transfer efficiency of the two-phase flow.Tang et al. studied the effect of needle-shaped electrodes on the evaporation heat transfer of working fluids in heat pipes and microchannels. They found that the application of needle-shaped electrodes can promote an increase in capillary wetting length, reduce the wall temperature of microchannels, and effectively enhance heat transfer performance. Li et al. adopted a counterflow stepped microchannel to address the main issues faced by two-phase flow boiling in microchannels. Jing et al. used a counterflow diverging microchannel and found that compared to traditional co-flow designs, it significantly improved temperature uniformity, with a heat transfer coefficient increase of 45.1%, a pressure drop reduction of 73.8%, and a performance coefficient increase of 123.1%. From these studies, it can be observed that gas-liquid two-phase flow in direct contact with a liquid-repellent porous membrane or capillary structure can achieve a certain degree of separation between gas and liquid phases, effectively reducing local gas phase content, resulting in a more uniform working fluid within the channel, more stable heat transfer performance, and reduced pressure drop. However, the other side of such phase separation structures is in direct contact with the external environment, and during the phase separation process, there may be a certain degree of working fluid loss. Additionally, if the pressure within the channel becomes too high, the capillary structure or porous membrane may be damaged, posing safety hazards. The electric field applies a force to the gas-liquid interface, affecting the motion characteristics and morphology of bubbles, particularly having a significant impact on the growth and detachment processes of bubbles. However, the electric field mainly exerts a strong enhancement effect during the nucleate boiling stage, and as the heat flux density continues to increase, leading to a large number of confined bubbles in the channel, the enhancement effect of the electric field gradually diminishes. In terms of microchannel structure, counterflow microchannels can reduce the overheating region near the downstream outlet by facilitating heat exchange between hot and cold fluids, thereby improving the overall heat transfer performance of microchannels and enhancing temperature uniformity and pressure drop stability.To address the aforementioned issues, this paper proposes a parallel counterflow microchannel structure, which features a gas-liquid phase separation structure with modified polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) porous membranes at its ribs. Additionally, needle-shaped electrodes are integrated into the phase separation structure, allowing for the synergistic effects of electric fields and phase separation to further enhance flow boiling heat transfer performance. The study investigates the two-phase pressure drop and bubble behavior in counterflow microchannels (PSP00, PSP10, PSP06, PSP04) with varying densities of gas-permeable pores under the absence of an electric field. Furthermore, the research visualizes the two-phase pressure drop and bubble behavior under different voltages (0, 200V, 400V, 600V) when the electric field (needle-shaped electrodes) collaborates with the modified PVDF membrane phase separation structure. Performance evaluation criteria (PEC) are introduced to examine the uniformity of surface temperature distribution and comprehensive heat transfer performance of PSP10 under no electric field and PSP00 and PSP10 under a voltage of 600V, providing references for the study of enhanced heat transfer in microchannels. 01Experimental System and Experimental Plan1.11.1.1 Preparation of Phase-Separated Porous Membranes and Selection of Working FluidsThe principle of gas-liquid separation using a porous hydrophobic membrane is based on a wetting behavior that occurs at the solid-gas-liquid interface. By utilizing the pressure difference across the porous hydrophobic membrane, some gas can be separated from the flowing gas-liquid two-phase mixture. Wetting refers to the process where one fluid replaces another fluid that was originally present on the solid surface when they come into contact. The wettability is primarily determined by the microscopic morphology and chemical composition of the solid surface, typically represented by the contact angle θ. The contact angle is defined as the angle formed between the tangent to the gas-liquid interface and the tangent to the solid-liquid interface at the three-phase contact point. In 1805, Young proposed Young's equation as shown in Equation (1).In the formula, γsv is the surface tension of the gas-solid interface, N/m; γsl is the surface tension of the liquid-solid interface, N/m; γlv is the surface tension of the gas-liquid interface, N/m.When θ 90°, the solid surface exhibits wettability; when 90° ≤ θ ≤ 150°, the solid surface is considered non-wettable; when θ 150°, the solid surface is superhydrophobic and non-wettable.Currently, the commonly used porous hydrophobic membranes for microchannel phase separation include polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polypropylene (PP), and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). Among them, the porous membrane made of PVDF has excellent hydrophobicity and stability, allowing for long-term use at temperatures up to 120°C, and it is easy to process and shape. Therefore, this paper selects PVDF porous membranes to achieve gas-liquid phase separation. To enhance the hydrophobicity of the PVDF membrane, this paper employs a method used by Wu et al., utilizing a solution of 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltrichlorosilane (FDTS) to immerse and modify the PVDF membrane, followed by standing for 48 hours and then drying, resulting in the modified PVDF membrane. The contact angles of three commonly used working fluids (water, mineral oil, and ethanol) on the modified PVDF membrane were measured using a contact angle goniometer. It was found that the contact angle for water was 152°, for mineral oil 117°, and for ethanol 105°. The contact angles for all three working fluids were greater than 90°, with water having the largest contact angle and ethanol the smallest. Among them, the conductivity of ethanol solution is weak, allowing its liquid phase not to pass through the membrane, while the gas phase can pass through the membrane, and an electric field can be applied to it. Therefore, this paper uses industrial ethanol as the experimental working fluid.1.1.2 Reverse Flow Structure Layout PlanFigure 1 Reverse flow structure schematic diagramFigure 2 In order to ensure that the electric field in the channel can fully cover the microchannel, multiple rows of needle-like electrodes were set up. The needle-like electrodes are made from 304 stainless steel needles, with a diameter of 0.3mm and a length of 11mm. A direct current of 24V is applied to the needle-like electrodes, and the installation situation of the needle-like electrodes is shown in Figure 3. The back of the mounting plate makes contact with the microchannel plate, and the through holes on the mounting plate have a diameter of 0.5mm. The needle-like electrodes protrude 1mm from the back of the mounting plate, with the protruding parts located within the microchannel. 1.2The experimental system is divided into five main parts: the liquid injection system, the preheating system, the experimental section, the cooling system, and the data acquisition system. First, the ethanol working fluid is injected into the storage tank through the liquid injection system. During the formal experiment, the magnetic pump pumps the working fluid into the preheating water tank, which is set to a predetermined temperature. After being preheated in the serpentine pipe within the preheating water tank, the working fluid is heated to a certain temperature before entering the experimental section. In the experimental section, the working fluid undergoes boiling due to the heating from the electric heating rod while flowing. After flowing out of the experimental section, the working fluid passes through the cooling system, where it is cooled by the heat exchanger before returning to the storage tank, forming a circulation. The diagram of the experimental system is shown in Figure 4(a).  022.1In the formula, Qloss is the heat loss power, W; Ta is the ambient temperature, °C; Ts is the average wall temperature, °C.2.2In the formula, G is the mass flow rate of the microchannel, kg/s; V is the volumetric flow rate, L/h; Nch is the number of channels in the same direction on the microchannel plate; Wch is the width of the microchannel, m; Hch is the height of the microchannel, m; ρl is the density of the working fluid ethanol, kg/m³.2.3The calculation method for ΔPsp is shown in equation (6).2.4The method for calculating the relative uncertainty of R is shown in equation (16).  Table 1 Major Parameter Uncertainty   033.1The effect of different phase separation pore densities on pressure drop in microchannels. 3.2    The variation trend of voltage drop characteristics of PSP10 channel under different voltage effects.3.3  3.4  The phase separation structure with different pore densities and the variation of channel h and PEC with heat flow density under different voltage conditions. 04 

  Abstract: Using 2,2-bis(3-amino-4-hydroxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane, 5-amino-2-(4-aminophenyl)benzimidazole, and 3,3',4,4'-diphenyl ketone dianhydride as main raw materials, a photosensitive polyimide (PSPI) prepolymer was synthesized. The prepolymer was then thoroughly mixed with four different fluorescent materials containing dithioglycolic acid and coated into films, followed by UV curing, resulting in five groups of PSPI film samples, including a control group. The performance of each PSPI film was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, universal testing machine, differential scanning calorimetry, and contact angle goniometer. The water contact angle and water absorption rate of the PSPI films were studied. The results indicated that although PSPI films containing characteristic functional groups of polyimide were successfully synthesized, the tensile strength of the PSPI films with fluorescent materials was slightly lower than that of the PSPI films without fluorescent materials, while the glass transition temperature increased. This suggests that the addition of fluorescent agents increases the side chain volume of PSPI molecules and alters their symmetry, reducing molecular flexibility. The fluorescent materials also increased the structural voids in PSPI molecules, resulting in better hydrophilicity and water absorption.Polyimide (PI) is a type of polymer that contains cyclic imide rings in its molecular chain. Compared to other inorganic non-metal materials, PI has excellent high-temperature resistance and flame retardancy, with a decomposition temperature of 500-600 °C and a long-term use temperature of 200-380 °C. It possesses outstanding mechanical properties, including high strength and high modulus, as well as good creep resistance, dimensional stability, weather resistance, and corrosion resistance. However, PI usually requires high thermal curing temperatures, and the molding conditions are stringent. Photosensitive polyimide (PSPI) contains photosensitive units in its molecular chain that can achieve polymerization through photochemical cross-linking reactions under specific energy light exposure; PSPI not only reduces the polymerization temperature of PI but also accommodates various processing techniques.Fluorescence is the light emitted by a substance after it absorbs light or other electromagnetic radiation. When the absorption intensity is high, a two-photon absorption phenomenon may occur, leading to the emission of radiation at a wavelength shorter than the absorption wavelength. Fluorescent materials are substances that can absorb light of a specific wavelength and emit light at another wavelength. Utilizing this property of fluorescent materials, suitable dianhydrides and diamines are selected, and substances with photosensitive active groups are added to obtain PSPI prepolymers under certain conditions. Four types of organic fluorescent materials, self-made in the laboratory, are uniformly dispersed in the PSPI prepolymers, followed by film coating and ultraviolet curing. The effect of organic fluorescent materials on the curing of PSPI is explored, and further investigation is conducted on the physical and chemical properties of PSPI after the addition of organic fluorescent materials, providing new research ideas for the rapid curing of PSPI.1 Experimental Section1.1 Main Raw MaterialsN-Methylpyrrolidone (NMP), 2,2-bis(3-amino-4-hydroxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane (6FAP), 5-amino-2-(4-aminophenyl)benzimidazole (BIA), 3,3',4,4'-benzophenone tetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA), triethylamine, glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), hydroquinone, photoinitiator Irgacure 819, polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEG400DA), 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (NVP): analytical grade, Shanghai Aladdin Biochemical Technology Co., Ltd.Fluorescent material: homemade in the laboratory.1.2 Main Instruments and EquipmentElectronic tensile testing machine: AI-7000-MU2, high-speed rail testing equipment (Dongguan) Co., Ltd.Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC): DSC1, Mettler-Toledo, Switzerland;UV Curing Forming Machine: UV-030A, Shenzhen Daye Laser Forming Technology Co., Ltd.1.3 Sample Preparation1.3.1 Preparation of PI-GMADissolve 6FAP completely in NMP, add a quantitive amount of BIA, and stir for 2 hours under a nitrogen atmosphere to ensure uniform dispersion of the two monomers. Under ice-water bath conditions, add a quantitive amount of BTDA to the conical flask and continue reacting for 5 hours in a nitrogen atmosphere. After purging with nitrogen, seal the flask and place it in the refrigerator to react for more than 16 hours. Transfer the reactants to a hydrothermal reactor, purging with nitrogen and sealing it. Place the reactor in an oven and increase the temperature of the reaction system with the following specific temperature program: 120 °C for 1 hour, 160 °C for 1 hour, and 200 °C for 4 hours, resulting in a brown-red viscous liquid. After cooling to room temperature, pour the reactants into a conical flask, stirring while adding a quantitive amount of triethylamine, followed by a quantitive amount of GMA, and finally a quantitive amount of hydroquinone. Increase the temperature of the system and react at 100 °C for 5 hours. Once the solution cools to room temperature, precipitate in ethanol, filter, and dry in a vacuum oven for 24 hours to obtain a light yellow PI-GMA powder, with the specific formulation shown in Table 1.Table 1 Raw material formula of PI-GMA g 1.3.2 Preparation of Fluorescent MaterialsMix urea and salicylic acid in a molar ratio of 1:1.5, and heat the mixture at 70 °C for 48 hours to obtain blue carbon dot fluorescent materials; mix urea and thiosalicylic acid in a molar ratio of 1:0.25, and heat the mixture at 180 °C for 10 hours to obtain green carbon dot fluorescent materials; mix urea and thiosalicylic acid in a molar ratio of 1:1, and heat the mixture at 180 °C for 10 hours to obtain yellow fluorescent materials; mix urea and dibenzothiophene-5,5-dioxide in a molar ratio of 1:0.25, and heat the mixture at 180 °C for 10 hours to obtain red fluorescent materials.1.3.3 Preparation of PSPI FilmsIn a brown conical flask, a quantitative amount of NVP was added, followed by the addition of PI-GMA powder and PEG400DA, stirring until uniform. Finally, the photoinitiator Irgacure 819 was added, and the mixture was stirred in the dark for 2-3 hours until homogeneous, resulting in a uniform viscous transparent solution (PSPI prepolymer). A quantitative amount of organic fluorescent material was added to the PSPI prepolymer, and it was stirred in the dark for 30 minutes to obtain a viscous transparent mixture of fluorescent material/PSPI. The total amount of each mixture ratio was 20 g. After drying the mixture into a film, it was cured under UV light for 2 hours, resulting in a PSPI film (formulation shown in Table 2). At this point, the film's surface was smooth, non-tacky, and indistinguishable from films cured for more than 3 hours (as shown in Figure 1).Tab. 2 Raw material ratio of PSPI film % Fig. 1 Appearance of PSPI film1.4.1 Structural AnalysisCut the sample into a 2 cm × 2 cm film and fix it in the designated area of the FTIR spectrometer, allowing infrared light to pass through the film. After imaging the infrared spectrum on the electronic device, export the selected wavelength range for analysis.1.4.2 Mechanical Performance AnalysisUsing an electronic tensile testing machine to test the tensile strength and elongation at break of the samples. The samples are cut into strips of 5 cm × 1 cm, and the thickness at both ends and the middle of each strip is measured to take the average value and record the data. The strips are fixed in the clamps of the computer-controlled tensile testing machine, and the distance between the upper and lower clamps is measured and recorded. The strips are subjected to tensile testing at a speed of 5 mm/min. After the computer calculates the tensile strength and elongation at break, the data is compared for tensile performance analysis.The glass transition temperature (Tg) of the sample is measured using a DSC instrument. Take 3-6 mg of the sample, with a heating rate of 20 °C/min, and a temperature range of 25-300 °C.1.4.4 Analysis of Water WettabilityThe wettability of the sample was measured and analyzed using a contact angle measuring instrument. The sample was fixed horizontally on the equipment platform, and distilled water was dropped onto the surface of the sample. After 20 seconds, the shape of the distilled water on the sample was instantaneously captured using the built-in camera of the device. The captured images were processed using analysis software to obtain the contact angle data of each sample with distilled water for further analysis.1.4.5 Water Absorption AnalysisAccording to GB/T 1033.1-2008 for testing, the sample is cut into strips measuring 6 cm × 2 cm, and the weight is recorded. Then, each strip is completely immersed in distilled water for 6 hours. After wiping off the surface moisture, the strips are air-dried and weighed again, with the data recorded. The water absorption rate of each sample is calculated based on the weight before and after water absorption. The water absorption rate = (m2 - m1) / m1 × 100%, where m1 is the weight of the cured film before soaking, and m2 is the weight of the cured film after water absorption.2 Results and Discussion2.1 FTIR Structural AnalysisAccording to the information available [13-14], the characteristic functional groups of PSPI are located near 718 cm-1 (deformation vibration of amide C=O), near 1,370 cm-1 (stretching vibration of amide C—N—C), and near 1,780 cm-1 (asymmetric stretching vibration of amide C=O). If the characteristic functional groups of PSPI appear near these three vibration bands, it is sufficient to prove the successful imidization of the sample.Figure 2 shows the FTIR spectrum of PSPI films. As shown in Figure 2, the PSPI film without fluorescent materials has distinct vibration peaks at 1,760 cm-1, 1,350 cm-1, and 790 cm-1; film 1 has distinct vibration peaks at 1,750 cm-1, 1,330 cm-1, and 781 cm-1; film 2 has distinct vibration peaks at 1,750 cm-1, 1,340 cm-1, and 787 cm-1; film 3 has distinct vibration peaks at 1,750 cm-1, 1,330 cm-1, and 785 cm-1; film 4 has distinct vibration peaks at 1,756 cm-1, 1,340 cm-1, and 781 cm-1. The above vibration peaks are all within the vibration bands of the characteristic functional groups of PSPI, indicating that the samples have all undergone imidization. From Figure 2, it can also be seen that there are distinct absorption peaks at 810 cm-1 and 1,635 cm-1, with 900 cm-1 corresponding to the out-of-plane bending absorption peak of —C=C—, and 1,559 cm-1 corresponding to the stretching vibration peak of —C=C—, indicating that the photosensitive units have been successfully grafted onto the long chain of PSPI.Fig. 2 FTIR spectra of PSPI films with different ratios2.2 Stretching Performance AnalysisFigure 3 compares the average elongation at break and tensile strength of PSPI films with different ratios, while Figure 4 shows the elongation at break and tensile strength curves of PSPI film samples with different ratios. Comparing the five sets of data in Figure 3, it can be observed that the tensile strength of PSPI films with added fluorescent materials is slightly lower than that of PSPI films without fluorescent materials. This indicates that the organic fluorescent materials reduce the crystallinity and orientation of PSPI, thereby decreasing the flexibility of PSPI molecular chains, which ultimately results in a reduction in tensile strength. At the same time, observing the elongation at break of the five samples reveals that the elongation at break of PSPI films with organic fluorescent materials is significantly lower than that of PSPI films without fluorescent materials. This further confirms that the addition of fluorescent materials increases the entanglement between PSPI molecular chains, leading to the stiffening of the molecular chains. Due to the low reactivity of the structural units in PSPI, it is not easy to achieve photopolymerization; therefore, a relatively high amount (7%) of photoinitiator was added. However, excessive photoinitiator can generate too many free radicals during the reaction, adversely affecting the formation of macromolecular chains. As indicated by the tensile strength, the PSPI films ultimately exhibit a decrease in tensile strength. To resolve this contradiction, further exploration is needed to find the optimal ratio.Fig. 3 Comparison of elongation at break and tensile strength of PSPI films with different ratiosFig. 4 Curves of tensile stress-strain of PSPI films with different ratios2.3 Tg Test AnalysisTab. 3 Tg comparison of five PSPI films Fig. 5 DSC curves of five PSPI films2.4 Analysis of Water WettabilityFig. 6 Comparison of five PSPI films contact angles2.5 Water Absorption AnalysisFigure 7 compares the water absorption rates of five types of PSPI films. From Figures 6 and 7, the following conclusions can be drawn: among the five samples, the smaller the water contact angle, the better the hydrophilicity and water absorption of the film; conversely, the larger the water contact angle, the poorer the hydrophilicity and water absorption of the film. Sample 2# and 4# exhibit slightly higher water absorption compared to the PSPI without fluorescent materials, which is because the fluorescent materials added to 2# and 4# contain dithiosalicylic acid, which has a higher water absorption capacity. Additionally, after the addition, it reacts with the side groups of PSPI, leading to a decrease in crystallinity and an increase in structural gaps, creating more space for water retention. In the other two samples, the fluorescent materials contain thiosalicylic acid, which is slightly soluble in water, but the fluorescent material in 3# contains a certain amount of hydrophilic formamide, while 5# does not contain any hydrophilic groups, resulting in 5# exhibiting the lowest water absorption rate.Fig. 7 Comparison of water absorption rate of five PSPI films(1) Four different colors of organic fluorescent materials were synthesized and added to the self-synthesized PSPI prepolymer. These resins can cure under ultraviolet light to form PSPI films. FTIR analysis showed that all five PSPI films exhibited characteristic peaks of PSPI. The addition of organic fluorescent materials affects the crystallinity, orientation, and flexibility of the PSPI molecules, resulting in a decrease in both the tensile strength and elongation at break of the films. The inclusion of fluorescent agents increases the volume of the side groups of the PSPI molecules and alters their symmetry, reducing molecular flexibility, which leads to an increase in the Tg of the PSPI films compared to those without fluorescent materials. Hydrophilicity and water absorption tests revealed that the fluorescent material containing dithiosalicylic acid reduced the crystallinity of the PSPI molecules and increased structural voids, resulting in better hydrophilicity and water absorption.(2) Although fluorine-containing monomers were used, in order to improve the light-curing properties of the prepolymer, NVP was used as the solvent when preparing the PSPI film, resulting in the cured PSPI film being brown and having strong light absorption. None of the five PSPI films exhibited fluorescence effects after exposure to ultraviolet light. The added fluorescent materials are small organic molecules, which can reduce the toughness of PSPI and alter the water absorption properties of the film. Further experimental validation is needed for the study of PSPI modified with fluorescent materials. 

On March 25, 2025, the key projects in the first quarter of Taihe District, Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province, will be concentrated and resumed. The opening ceremony of the new 100,000-ton/year adiponitrile project of Liaoning Lanqi Fine Chemical Materials Co., Ltd. will be held.The project is located in the Chemical Park of Tanghezi Economic Development Zone in Jinzhou, with a total investment of 3 billion yuan, divided into two phases. The first phase involves an investment of 1.28 billion yuan to build a 100,000-ton/year acetonitrile production unit, with the first 10,000-ton production line expected to be completed and put into operation by the end of December 2025. The second phase involves an investment of 1.72 billion yuan to build a 200,000-ton/year nylon 66 production line, with the entire 100,000-ton production line expected to be completed and put into operation by November 2026.The annual production of 100,000 tons of adiponitrile project adopts the acrylonitrile electrolysis method. The raw material acrylonitrile is close by, just 50 kilometers away in Panjin. The project uses a self-developed process technology integrating industry, academia, and research.On June 26, 2024, the project held its signing ceremony and officially settled in the Taihe District of Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province.   

A team of engineers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has developed a new solvent-based technique to remove stubborn pigments from recycled multi-layer plastic packaging. This advancement makes recycled plastic more commercially attractive, increases its market value, and brings the industry closer to a "closed-loop" recycling process for plastics. This study was published in the March 14, 2025, issue of *Science Advances* and was led by postdoctoral researcher Tianwei Yan and Ph.D. student Charles Granger, who work in the lab of George Huber, a professor of chemical and biological engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Solvent-targeted recovery and precipitationPlastic pollution is a significant environmental and sustainability issue, with millions of tons of plastic, produced from petroleum products, entering landfills, waterways, and oceans each year. Despite decades of research, plastic recycling remains limited; only about 9% of plastic is recycled globally, with most of it being downgraded into lower-value products.However, new technologies may help enable closed-loop recycling to produce high-quality recycled plastics that are as good as virgin “virgin” plastics. Since 2020, researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have made significant progress in chemical recycling through an innovative process called Solvent Targeted Affinity Partitioning (STRAP™). STRAPEspecially skilled at recycling multi-layer flexible colored plastics, including food packaging such as bags, pouches, wrappers, and films. These types of plastics typically consist of multiple special layers that prevent moisture, seal out oxygen, and increase strength. STRAP uses a series of solvent washes to dissolve each layer of plastic, which is then recycled and processed into near-virgin plastic. The films also contain various colored bodies for brand owners to use in marketing their products.Yellow 12 makes recycled plastic appear light yellow.In recent years, Huber's team has made improvements to STRAP. However, researchers found that the plastic films they ultimately produced often have a pale yellow tint. This hue significantly reduces the appeal of the recycled end product to manufacturers, diminishing the value of the plastic by more than half."For consumers, yellow might be a sign of aging or degradation," Granger said. "But that's not the case for these recycled plastics. It's just a matter of the pigment. Still, it looks disgusting."This is why Granger and Yan began investigating why recycled plastic films produced through STRAP appeared yellow and what they could do about it. They first tested dozens of pigments, adding them individually to polyethylene (the plastic most commonly used in flexible packaging) and then running them through the STRAP process to see if they caused the yellowing. Quickly, they narrowed the culprit down to Yellow 12, a common organic pigment used in printed packaging. Use a solvent with low pigment solubility.Most other pigments decompose during the STRAP processing and are removed through solvents or filtration. However, the elements of Yellow 12 survive during this process and remain in the solvent used to dissolve the plastic. In the final processing step, the recovered plastic is dried, and researchers found that the evaporated solvent leaves behind plastic pigments, resulting in a yellow sheen in the final product.With this knowledge, the team was able to devise a method for removing color. "Due to its chemical structure, yellow pigment has higher solubility in STRAP solvent compared to other types of plastic pigments," Huber said. "Therefore, the first step is to choose a solvent with lower solubility. Then, there are additional steps required to truly make the plastic crystal clear."The team collaborated with Reid van Lehn, an associate professor of chemical and biological engineering, and his students to find a solvent that could minimize the solubility of yellow pigments. They developed a complex solvent-polymer solubility database called SolventNet. Then, Yan and Granger added activated carbon to the process to bind the colorants and remove more of the yellow pigment. They also used an extractor to squeeze out as much solvent as possible from the recycled plastic. Through all these operations, they produced transparent plastic that is visually indistinguishable from黄色. It appears there is a repetition or an unintended trailing "黄色" at the end of your provided text. If you intended to end with "黄色," please clarify, or I will assume it was a mistake and provide the translation without it. Here is the corrected translation:The team collaborated with Reid van Lehn, an associate professor of chemical and biological engineering, and his students to find a solvent that could minimize the solubility of yellow pigments. They developed a complex solvent-polymer solubility database called SolventNet. Then, Yan and Granger added activated carbon to the process to bind the colorants and remove more of the yellow pigment. They also used an extractor to squeeze out as much solvent as possible from the recycled plastic. Through all these operations, they produced transparent plastic that is visually indistinguishable from yellow.Although making recycled plastics clearer might seem like just an aesthetic issue, Huber said it's a crucial step in making plastic recycling economically viable. "One of the biggest challenges in plastic recycling is contaminants, and one of the biggest issues is dealing with color," he said. "Clear plastic is worth two to ten times more than colored plastic. That's because every company wants to imprint its own special color or logo on the packaging. Clear plastic can have that color added. But color also makes recycling more difficult."Yan and Granger stated that they hope to use their method to remove other contaminants from recycled plastics, including other harmful pigments, dirt and debris, as well as chemicals such as bromine and PFAS.George Huber is the Richard L. Antoine Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Reid Van Lehn is an Associate Professor in the Hunt-Hougen Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. This work is partially supported by a donation from Ross Annable.Other authors from the University of Wisconsin–Madison include Kevin L. Sánchez-Rivera, Panzheng Zhou, and Styliani Avraamidou. Additional authors include Steven Grey and Kevin Nelson from Amcor in Neenah, Wisconsin, as well as Fei Long and Ezra Bar-Ziv from Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan.This work was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Bioenergy Technologies Office, under award numbers DE-EE0009285 (GWH award) and DE-EE0010294.  

Threaded components have flexible installation positions, standardized structural designs, and diverse functions, making them the most commonly used parts in screw extruders.This article uses finite element software to study the flow field characteristics of high-viscosity polymers in three types of threaded components: conventional threaded components, slotted threaded components, and meshing blocks. It analyzes the impact of different fluid parameters on the mixing performance of the three types of threaded components.  In order to facilitate calculations, the simulated working conditions are simplified as follows:1) The density of the polymer melt remains unchanged during the mixing process.2) Ignore the turbulent flow of the melt and consider only laminar flow.3) Ignore body forces such as gravity and inertial forces;The melt is in a completely filled state in the runner. Finite element model: Use preprocessing software to mesh the flow field and threaded components separately, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.  Boundary conditions for the aggregated flow field: both the inlet and outlet of the flow field are in a natural flow state (fn=fs=0), the screw rotation speed on both sides is 300 r/min, and there is no relative motion on the inner surface of the barrel. 01. Pressure in the flow field of threaded components  From Figure 4, it can be seen that: In the direction of rotation of the twin-screw extruder, the pressure near the exit side of the flow field is higher, with the highest pressure in the area where the screw elements mesh. Since the polymer is a non-Newtonian power-law fluid, the melt pressure suddenly increases as the screw flights advance, and gradually decreases after leaving the screw flights. The overall trend is that the pressure gradually increases from the inlet to the outlet. This is because during the extrusion process, the melt experiences a significant driving force at the screw flights, and while the extrusion pressure decreases after leaving the screw flights, the flow field pressure gradually increases as the melt continues to mix and compact.In addition, the outlet pressure of the flow fields for the three threaded components is greater than the inlet pressure, and the pressure gradient changes significantly, indicating that all three threaded components have the ability to build pressure. Type B has eight evenly distributed helical grooves on its outer wall, which leads to significant leakage and mixing phenomena of the material as it passes through the internal cavity. Therefore, the pressure field of Type B changes less, while the velocity field changes more, and the local shear rate changes less.Peak pressure of the flow field: Type A Type B Type C. 02. Local shear rate of threaded components From Figures 6 and 7, it can be seen that:The high shear stress is mainly concentrated in the meshing area of the two threaded components and between the threaded components and the inner wall of the cylinder.Along the extrusion direction, the peak local shear rate of Type A is the highest, followed by Type B, and Type C is the lowest. 03. Melt velocity of threaded component plane From Figures 8 and 9, it can be seen that:The speed of the three types of threaded components is relatively high near the screw edge, and the melt speed in the meshing area will suddenly increase. In the vicinity of the center of the barrel, there is a significant backflow of the melt, which is beneficial for the full mixing of the melt.Melt flow performance: Type A Type B Type C. 04. The Influence of Rheological Parameters on Mixing PerformanceSelect a typical A-type model and analyze the impact of different rheological parameters on the mixing performance. Figure 10 shows the sampling points of the A-type model, where the arrows indicate the extrusion direction, and points A and B are the sampling points. Figure 11 presents the parameter analysis for the A-type model.  Figure 11(a) shows that the local shear rate varies continuously with the position of the helical ridge and the supporting surface of the helical ridge. It increases sharply near the helical ridge, while the local shear rate is minimal at the inlet and outlet of the entire flow field region. The local shear rate at the first supporting surface of the helical ridge exceeds 2,750 s⁻¹, and the local shear rate at the groove position (axial position of 3 cm) is minimal, approaching 0.From Figure 11(b), it can be seen that when the screw conveys the material to the inlet side, the melt speed is relatively low. As the mixing progresses, the melt speed gradually increases, exceeding 0.12 m/s at the first screw ridge (z=0.015 m). After passing the first screw ridge, it quickly drops again. This is because the material is continuously conveyed forward in a spiral manner within the twin-screw extruder, and the material is subjected to friction between the two screws, causing the melt speed to decrease rapidly. When it approaches 0, it essentially stabilizes. When the material reaches the second screw ridge (z=0.05 m), the melt speed rapidly rises to 0.17 m/s, then quickly decreases again and tends to stabilize.As shown in Figure 11(c), the pressure variation characteristics during the extrusion process have been described. The trend of pressure changes is similar to that of local shear rate and melt flow rate, indicating that the three are positively correlated; that is, when the pressure increases, both the shear rate and melt flow rate also tend to increase.Shear stress increases with the increase of shear rate, while viscosity is inversely proportional to the former two. As shown in Figure 11(d), the trend of shear rate changes is opposite to that of viscosity changes. When the shear rate decreases, the viscosity distribution shows an increasing trend, and vice versa. Experimental verification Figure 12 shows the flow state of PP melt in three types of screw elements, with the screw speed set at 300 r/min. As can be seen from Figure 12, the PP melt achieves a steady flow in all three screw elements, and there are basically no large clumps of material adhering to the inner wall of the cylinder or the screw elements, indicating that all three types of screw elements have good self-cleaning performance, demonstrating good mixing and shearing effects. Type A has the best shearing ability, followed by Type B, and Type C has the weakest.In the early stages of the experiment, the designed screw combination only included threaded components and engaging blocks. However, the mixing performance of the entire reaction was relatively good, and the filling degree of the melt inside the barrel was high, but the back-mixing ability was weak.Later, through simulation analysis, the position of the threaded components was adjusted by adding a slotted threaded component on the side of the engagement block closer to the feeding end, which improved the back-mixing capability of the entire flow field.At the same time, the pressure-building capacity and conveying capacity of the grooved threaded elements are weak, resulting in a high degree of filling in the internal flow field, which can prolong the residence time. The experimental verification results are highly consistent with the simulation results. In addition, the length-to-diameter ratio of the screw has been reduced from 52:1 to 44:1.  

Recently, the project team of the national key RD program "Green Biotechnology Manufacturing" under the key special project "Key Technologies for Efficient Biodegradation of Plastics" jointly published a review article titled "State-of-the-art advances in biotechnology for polyethylene terephthalate bio-depolymerization" in Green Carbon. The article summarizes the significant breakthroughs achieved during the execution of this project and the international cutting-edge progress in the field of PET biodegradation. It discusses the challenges and potential solutions for promoting enzymatic depolymerization of PET and realizing the recycling of waste PET polymers. Researcher Liu Yajun from the Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Associate Professor Zhou Jie from Nanjing Tech University, and Professor Li Yanwei from Shandong University are the co-first authors of the paper. Academician Tan Tianwei from Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Professor Jiang Min from Nanjing Tech University, and Professor Cui Zhongli from Nanjing Agricultural University are the co-corresponding authors. A total of 15 experts and scholars from 8 research institutions contributed to the guidance and writing of this paper, reflecting the interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative synergy among various topics, units, and members during the execution of the project.The "Key Technologies for High-Efficiency Biological Depolymerization of Plastics" project is led by Professor Cui Zhongli from Nanjing Agricultural University, in collaboration with 10 institutions including Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Nanjing University of Technology, Shandong University, and Tsinghua University. The project focuses on the national major demand for the recycling of carbon resources from waste plastics, addressing key scientific issues and technical bottlenecks in plastic biological depolymerization. Research is conducted on the interfacial control mechanisms of plastic deconstruction, the catalysis fundamentals of biological depolymerization at the interface, the natural evolutionary laws and molecular mechanisms of plastic biodegradation, and the establishment of a biocatalyst system with high depolymerization activity and stability towards plastics. A new enzymatic depolymerization process and pilot demonstration for treating tons of PET plastic monthly has been developed, achieving green manufacturing from polyester plastics to monomer raw materials and from polyolefin plastics to biodegradable plastics. The key technologies achieved by this project can effectively promote the resource utilization of waste plastics, aligning with major national scientific and technological application needs, and providing significant social, ecological, and economic benefits. It is reported that the project completed its performance evaluation on January 24, 2025, with the expert group unanimously agreeing that the five sub-projects met the established assessment criteria and the pilot validation of enzymatic depolymerization of tons of PET waste plastics, and it has now entered the performance evaluation phase by the Ministry of Science and Technology.The Nanjing University of Technology - Petrochemical Association Key Laboratory for Biodegradation and Conversion of Waste Plastics, led by Professor Jiang Min, is the undertaking unit for project topic one. Professor Chen Xiaoqiang, as the project leader, is mainly responsible for the efficient screening and intelligent mining of plastic depolymerizing microorganisms/enzymes. Associate Professors Zhou Jie, Zhou Xiaoli, and Xu Anming are the sub-project leaders, respectively undertaking key tasks such as high-throughput screening and identification of plastic-degrading microorganisms, process and pilot study research on plastic biodegradation, and de novo design of biodegradation pathways for polyolefin plastics. This project relies on the earlier research methods and systems established under the National Natural Science Foundation of China’s international (China-Europe) cooperation project “Key Scientific Issues and Technologies for Efficient Biodegradation and Conversion of Waste Plastics” (MIX-UP) in areas such as the biodegradation and high-value conversion of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyurethane (PUR), and polylactic acid (PLA). It further develops the construction of a germplasm resource bank for plastic-degrading microorganisms/enzymes and conducts pilot demonstration research on enzymatic depolymerization of plastics. Professors Jiang Min and Dong Weiliang provide important technical guidance and academic support for the smooth implementation of this project.  

On March 25, BoHua Engineering's Party Secretary and Chairman, Zhan Hongzhi, led a delegation to attend the launch ceremony of the "Qingyang Tongxin 500,000 tons/year light hydrocarbon deep processing project 100-day攻坚competition activity" and conducted on-site supervision and inspection of the project progress and safety production work. Changqing Tongxin's Chairman and General Manager, Liu Hongtao, Deputy General Manager and Trade Union主席Wang Hong, Qingyang Tongxin's Chairman and General Manager, Wang Chunhui, as well as leaders from all participating construction units and project team members attended the event.At the reactor manufacturing site, Zhan Hongzhi briefed the owner on the project progress. Currently, the civil engineering of the 150,000 tons/year maleic anhydride main unit has reached "±0," all individual units have commenced construction, steel structure installation has begun, underground pipeline construction is nearing completion, the welding pass rate has reached 100%, and the core equipment oxidizer for the maleic anhydride unit is planned to be manufactured by April 25, with installation scheduled for May 15. The owner expressed great satisfaction with the project quality and progress.Wang Chunhui stated that the 500,000-ton/year light hydrocarbon deep processing project of Qingyang Tongxin is of great significance to the construction of an integrated energy and chemical industry base in eastern Longdong and the promotion of local socio-economic development in Qingyang City. Everyone should focus on three aspects: First, focus on the competition goal - "intensive work for 100 days, with foundations emerging from the ground", achieving the scheduled completion of the first and second batch of civil engineering foundations by May 30th and June 30th respectively. Second, focus on comprehensive management, coordinating, managing, and completing the six control objectives of this phase: "safety, quality, progress, investment, compliance, and integrity". Third, focus on the effectiveness of the activities.On March 21, China Kunlun Engineering Co., Ltd. announced the tender for the construction general contracting of the 30,000 tons/year PBS unit in the 500,000 tons/year light hydrocarbon deep processing project in Qingyang Tongxin. The project is scheduled to start on April 25, 2025, and be handed over on December 30, 2025.Project OverviewProject Name: Qingyang Tongxin 500,000 Tons Light Hydrocarbon Deep Processing ProjectConstruction Unit: Qingyang Tongxin Petroleum Technology Co., Ltd.Project Nature: New ConstructionConstruction Location: Xifeng Industrial Park, Qingyang CityArea: The project covers an area of approximately 696 mu.Project Overview: The total investment is 6.315 billion yuan. The main construction includes a 500,000-ton/year liquefied gas desulfurization unit, a 600,000-ton/year liquefied gas separation unit, a 150,000-ton/year maleic anhydride unit, a 20,000-ton/year succinic anhydride unit, a 120,000-ton/year BDO unit, a 30,000-ton/year PBS unit, a 300,000-ton/year alkane dehydrogenation unit (including 120,000-ton/year MTBE), as well as newly built supporting storage and transportation facilities, utility facilities, safety and environmental protection facilities, and auxiliary facilities. The main products include propylene, maleic anhydride, succinic anhydride, BDO, PBS, MTBE, etc.