New coating for biomedical applications
International. A new nanotechnology application for coatings was developed to enable the water solubility of quantum dots, making it possible to use these nanoparticles in biomedical equipment applications.
International. A new nanotechnology application for coatings was developed to enable the water solubility of quantum dots, making it possible to use these nanoparticles in biomedical equipment applications.
International. The company RMB Products, specialized in the manufacture of thermoplastic solutions for industrial applications, announced the use of Arkema's high-performance powder coating, Rilsan, in some of its products.
Argentina. A new station for the testing of protective paint for steel sheets was installed in the Argentine province of Misiones, characterized by being one of the wettest environments in the south of the American continent.
The main objective of the project is to develop and test new treatment schemes for the protection of metal sheets intended for industrial use and involves the Centro de Investigaciones y Desarrollo en Tecnologías de Pinturas, Cidepint, and the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research, Conicet.
During the duration of the research, the performance of the new formulations in the environment of Misiones will be evaluated, whose subtropical climate without dry season and the composition of its soil make it an environment conducive to the premature degradation of metals and coatings.
In total, eight protection schemes will be tested by combining surface preparation and painting, whose evolution will be evaluated and analyzed periodically by Cidepint researchers.
The project also contemplates the future installation of another similar station in the Mar del Plata area that has a different climate, in order to compare the performance and establish the behavior of the coatings in different environments.
International. With a general increase in sales, several of the main paint manufacturers, as well as suppliers of raw materials, closed the third quarter of 2011, according to corporate reports released during the second week of October.
The supplier of raw materials DuPont recorded a 32% increase in net sales that reached US $ 9,240 million. Thus, the company's net profit increased by 23%, equivalent to US$452 million.
Part of that increase is due to the 15% increase in the prices of its product portfolio, as well as the growth in the demand for pigments, especially titanium dioxide whose prices continue to skyrocket.
Paint maker Sherwin Williams closed the third quarter with a 10% growth in sales of the architectural line, which helped minimize the impact of continued increases in the cost of raw materials.
The corporate report indicates that the firm recorded an increase in net profit by 2.6%, to US$179.9 million and that its revenue increased by 14%, to $2.48 billion.
The segment of technologies for finishes was one of those that presented better results, with an increase of 31% thanks to the readjustments in the price, the increase in the volume of sales and the exchange rate variation in some of the main markets.
The situation varied in Akzo Nobel, where the drop in profits reached 37%, implying that the company's profit only reached up to US$205 million. The company's CEO, Hans Wijers, acknowledged that adverse economic conditions and the continued rise in the price of raw materials had an impact on the financial results.
According to the executive, the company plans to execute a restructuring that will save 500 million euros each year and whose execution will take at least three years and an investment of 425 million euros.
International. Because safety standards have increased around the world, the fire retardant sector is gaining more importance. This was assured by the research institute Ceresana Research, which estimates that the global market for this type of chemical compound will generate profits of US $ 5,800 million in 2018.