The 11th Pacific Polymers Conference was held at the Cairns Convention Centre from 6-10 December 2009. As part of QMI Solutions mission to identify new technologies applicable to Queensland industry, its Technology Specialist attended to hear about the latest developments in polymer materials, processing and applications. Over 850 Australian and international delegates attended the 4-day conference, which contained over 900 presentations and posters. Some of the key presentations are summarised below.
A number of authors, including Professor Karen Gleason from MIT, discussed the use of modified vapour deposition processes to produce thin polymeric films. The low temperature nature of the process means that a highly controlled, conformal coating can be applied to many different substrates, including flexible materials such as paper. Coatings with different functionalities can be produced including biocompatibility and reactions to pH and water.
Many researchers are working on the inclusion of carbon nano-tubes (CNTs) to enhance the strength of plastics, although dispersion is a major factor. Even dispersion is required to produce homogeneous properties throughout the polymeric material. Applications under consideration include orthopaedic, automotive and aerospace. For these areas the addition of nano-clay materials to epoxy nano-composites is of great interest and the researchers at Deakin University have investigated the optimal processing parameters to ensure even dispersion in combination with carbon fibre preforms. Queens University in Belfast are also investigating CNT addition to orthopaedic bone cement to reduce the number of knee revision surgeries that are currently required.
Tomiki Ikeda from the Tokyo Institute of Technology described a novel form of light-actuated polymers in which mechanical behaviour is induced by the influence of a light source. This is achieved by modifying the base material such that a bending phenomenon occurs which can be controlled and reversed. To demonstrate the effect, polymer "motors" have been built
where the pulleys are turned by belts which react in accordance with applied light. Other demonstrations include a single piece of material which exhibits an "inchworm-walk" and a light activated robotic arm.
Professor Michele Edge of Manchester Metropolitan University describes a new class of paints and coatings containing Titanium Dioxide which are designed around a base chemistry (nano TiO2 + CaCO3 + pigmentary TiO2) platform to offer designer properties in:
self-cleaning
air purification
self-sanitising
The material has been tested as part of an EU collaborative research project in urban environments in Italy and the UK and has been shown to significantly reduce particulate levels when applied to walls, tunnels and floors. By painting one external wall at a London school, the incidence of asthma attacks reduced by 50%. Even in internal application, reduction in NO2 by 37% was measured. The paints are now available under the name of Ecopittura.
Researchers at the Queensland University of Technology are also using Titanium Dioxide to provide controlled degradation of agricultural films used for crop protection. This ensures that once their job is finished, they will degrade and not cause subsequent pollution or unsightly and environmentally damaging litter.
In the area of the environmental impact of polymers, researchers are looking at manufacturing methods which reduce energy inputs by investigating no-heat manufacturing processes for bulk polymers, the re-use of low value polymeric products such as PET bottles which are used to manufacture glass fibre reinforced panels, and the recycling of old train flooring materials to produce weed suppressing mats. Methods for recovering and re-using cellulosic material from Tetrapak containers was also described by researchers from the ITCP in Italy.
Natural fibres in a polymer matrix can be used to produce low-strength automotive parts such as bonnet and door liners, as described by Peter Hornsby from Queens University in Belfast. Cellulose materials from flax is currently being investigated and an application of a fishing rod made using carrot fibres was also described.
An exciting commercial application of polymeric materials was described by Dax Kukulj from RPO, who has developed next-generation touch screen interfaces for mobile and computing devices based on multi-channel precision waveguides which are projected across the top of a touch screen surface. This has the potential to provide increased functionality and greatly reduced cost and energy requirements than current touch screen technologies such as those used in the iPhone.
Two other home grown areas of interest were presentations on the use of the new Australian synchrotron to provide new insights into polymer morphology using advanced imaging techniques such as NEXAFS.
CSIRO also described their work in printable low-cost organic photovoltaics and their aims that this technology will be used to cover working surfaces with systems that will generate energy. The use of polymeric materials to produce photovoltaics and other components for solar power was a very strong theme of the conference and an indication that this is a major research area for polymer researchers around the world.
Polymer science and processing is a vibrant research field, with new applications constantly being investigated. These new applications required enhanced functionality in the materials, whether it is a resistance to a particular stimuli or required behaviours such as controlled degradation or bending. To determine the success of new research activities, enhanced testing and visualisations methodologies are required.
