In a previous blog post, I explained how the new technology of Exilva microfibrillated cellulose may improve the viscosity stability of starch adhesives. Here is the second blog post in the corrugated boards application series, and now I have entered the glue kitchen of a corrugated boards manufacturer to evaluate the robustness and stability effects of Exilva.
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You may have read about the issues related to lithium-ion batteries lately. Situations where the batteries have swelled or even caused a fire or an explosion. The question is, could cellulose fibrils be used to prevent these issues? Or would there be other functions in the batteries where the fibrils would be useful or even open new opportunities?
Paint formulators face many challenges in today’s market, and are continuously in search of new innovative raw materials to satisfy the needs of their customers. In an effort to reduce cost, improve technical properties, and fulfill more stringent environmental regulations, chemists have started to look toward a class of products known as microspheres.
A familiar problem for producers of coatings and polyolefins is what literature calls blocking. When blocking occurs, it is the coatings ability to create adhesion to itself that causes the problems. There are many available technologies for avoiding this, in which some are synthetically derived, and others are derived directly from nature. Could a bio-based alternative give you the effect you are looking for? If you are looking for some ideas, this is the blog post to read.
Cellulose fibrils have been written and talked about for years. A substantial amount of reports have been written prospecting all sorts of application areas. Based on its functionalities, it seems to be a good rheology modifier, a good stabilizer and it is showing substantial strength enhancement. But is there any proof to the pudding and where do we find the latest developments? I have tried to gather a couple of relevant examples for you, which to me are fairly new developments. Dig into this week’s blog post to find out what they are!
Shotcrete is concrete or mortar pneumatically projected at high velocity through a nozzle. Its components are aggregates, cement and water, and it can be complemented by fine materials, chemical additives and reinforcing fibers. Shotcrete can be applied with mechanized equipment or manually, using wet-mix or dry-mix spraying. The choice of the spraying method depends on the dimensions of the project, the quantity of concrete to be applied, as well as the logistical and environmental circumstances. Some important properties of shotcrete are the appropriate consistency and early strength development in its fresh state as well as compressive strength and durability in its hardened state. Let´s discuss some basic properties and functionalities.
Cellulose-based materials, like paper and board, are commonly used in packaging. They are light-weight, durable, bio-based and easily recyclable which have made them a popular packaging material. However, paper and board lack the necessary barrier properties for food packaging and therefore an additional barrier layer is often added on the paper. Today, this layer is made from polymers, like polyethylene terephthalate or polyethylene, or aluminum. There are efforts to replace these materials with bio-based, biodegradable films in order to reduce the dependency on crude oil as well as reduce the impact on the environment.
Our blog post of the week is today a really exciting one! We have been so fortunate to interview Peter Küker, who is a technical manager at Covestro in Germany. Peter has been working with cellulose fibrils in a project at Covestro for some time, and today he is sharing his views and experience on utilizing the fibrils in some of the Covestro formulations for adhesives. Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn more about the actual experience of utilizing the effect from the fibrils on rheology, dispersion and material handling.
Controlling rheology in very acidic or alkaline environments can be a tricky challenge. Different products ranging from examples like concrete to, your household cleaning products, are very different on pH. Extreme pH conditions can decrease the efficiency and functionality of some rheology additives, but there are some available alternatives. This post will try to give you some ideas on how the technology of cellulose fibrils can interact in your formulation and make sure you stay in control over your product´s rheology under difficult circumstances. And why is this ability from the cellulose giving you this benefit?
Bio-based is on everyone's lips these days, and there are a high number of initiatives going on in innovating new product systems with a bio-based background. In this post I will give you a sneak peak into the improvement of an organic solvent system, using a biobased addtive as an example. Cellulose fibrils is a green and environmentally friendly material that consists of a complex three dimensional network of cellulose microfibrils.
Are you looking for a new additive for controlling rheology? In this article if will give you an explanation of the typical and well known rheology additive, and the Exilva Microfibrillated cellulose.
