Plastics Additives & Compounding May/June 2009

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NewsINDUSTRY

PolyOne and Zyvex to develop carbon-nanotube thermoplasticsUS-based PolyOne Corporation and Zyvex Performance Materials have been awarded a $4.9 million grant from the Ohio Third Frontier Commission to fund further development and production of carbon-nanotube compounds. The Third Frontier grant programme was created to increase Ohio’s high-tech capabilities by promoting collaborative innovation.

Dr. Cecil Chappelow, vice president, innovation, sustainability and chief innovation officer at PolyOne said: “We are honoured by this award and confident that our development efforts will yield a significant portfolio of next-generation thermoplastic materials based on carbon nanotubes.”Funding will be used to support ongoing development work initiated several months

ago under a joint development agreement between PolyOne and Zyvex Performance Materials to produce carbon nanotube-filled thermoplastics for structural and electrically conductive applications.Lance Criscuolo, president of Zyvex Performance Materials explained: “This grant underscores both companies’ commitment to the technology and our certainty that Zyvex

Performance Materials and PolyOne have the expertise needed to drive thermoplastic nanocomposites to the next level of performance. It will also allow us to accelerate our hiring plans and more rapidly introduce our technology commercially.”Contacts:PolyOne CorporationWebsite: www.polyone.comZyvex Performance MaterialsWebsite: www.zyvexpro.com

The HallStar Company has acquired two product lines from Dow Hyperlast, a global business unit of The Dow Chemical Company. DIOPLEX™ polymeric plasticizers and REZILUBE™ polymer additives are immediately available from The HallStar Company.“This is an exciting opportunity for our company to strengthen our global presence with DIOPLEX™ and REZILUBE™, two well-established and highly regarded product lines,” said John Paro, president and chief executive officer of The HallStar Company. “REZILUBE™ and DIOPLEX™ are natural additions to our speciality ester technology and manufacturing expertise.”DIOPLEX™ polymer additives are high molecular weight, long-chain polyesters used in a wide range of applications,

including food wrap, self-adhesive and electrical tape, and industrial hoses and tubing. REZILUBE™ polymer additives for lubricants provide valuable properties for formulators of biodegradable lubricant base stocks.“The product line divestiture is a positive step for our customers and for Dow,” explained Gordon Alderley, Systems House Director for Dow Hyperlast. “HallStar has years of experience in the development and manufacture of polymeric esters so they can serve customers effectively, and it permits us to focus on our core business of polyurethane systems and Elastomers.”Contacts:The HallStar CompanyWebsite: www.hallstar.comDow HyperlastWebsite: www.dow.com

HallStar acquires Dow Hyperlast product lines

Lanxess restarts plasticizer productionLanxess has completed de-bottlenecking operations of its Mesamoll and other alkyl sulphonic ester derivative plasticizer plants. Mesamoll and

its derivatives are produced in a continuous production process.“The Mesamoll family of products are an integral part of the polymer additives strategic

market approach and puts Lanxess in a solid position to respond to a rapidly growing market demand,’’ said Jorge Nogueira, senior vice president

and head of the functional chemicals business unit at Lanxess.Contact: LanxessWebsite: www.lanxess.com