solvay_live243_p02a04 somEdito

103495 104912
NANO-COMPOSITE TECNOFLON ® PFR
FOR SEMICON APPLICATIONS
PURELY COMPETITIVE
The demand for high quality
fluoropolymers entails the use
of compounds that meet the new criteria
of macromolecular chemistry. The resulting
challenge lies in the capacity to control the
macromolecular structures and to produce
compounds that combine the polymers and
highly dispersed fillers. That is the case of
our Tecnoflon ® perfluoroelastomers, which
have the highest chemical and thermal
resistance capacities of all the elastomers on
the market. They have been produced
through the combination of different
technologies held by Solvay Solexis. It is
important to point out that the nanoparticles
that have gone into the manufacture
of the Tecnoflon ® PFR 5910 and PFR 5920 are
effectively dispersed, thanks to a proprietary
co-coagulation technology, and not
agglomerated as is the case for several
materials unduly described as nanocomposites.
As is proven by their transparency. These
ultra-clean and ultra-resistant products are
used as joints in equipment earmarked for
the plasma etching of silicon wafers, which
necessitates the highest degree of purity,
the absence of metallic ions, good sealing
properties and exceptional chemical
resistance qualities. The first industrial sales
of Tecnoflon ® PFR started in 2005 in the semiconductor
sector. However, its performances
destine it for other segments such as the
pharmaceutical, food, medical and aerospace
industries, and for use in all processes that
call for a material of an extreme purity
combined with good mechanical properties.
> Vincenzo Arcella; Margherita Albano; Marco Apostolo;
Stefano Arrigoni; Giovanni Comino.
> SBU SPECIALTY POLYMERS
SOLV-X, A NEW STABILIZER FOR PULP BLEACHING
A PRODUCT THAT MAKES
LIFE EASIER
FOR THE PAPER INDUSTRY
The paper industry has long since been
using hydrogen peroxide as a pulp
bleaching agent. The bleaching process calls
for the use of stabilisers (silicates) to avoid
the decomposition of the peroxide under
the effect of the metallic ions (manganese
and iron) which come from the soil in which
the tree has grown. The action of these ions
not only reduces the quality of the bleaching
but also affects the characteristics of the
pulp. Sodium silicate is introduced into
the process in order to counter these
negative effects. But given that the silicate
precipitates in the presence of calcium,
industrialists who use hard water face other
problems, since they frequently have
to replace or clean the equipment and
are confronted with difficulties when using
recycled water in the process. To overcome
all these problems, Solvay has developed
a new product, the SOLV-X, based on
a polyhydroxyacrylate molecule. Two
variants of the product are proposed, one
which is highly active and another less
active, to meet as much as possible the needs
of the paper industries. The product is
biodegradable, which tangibly reduces the
environmental impact. With SOLV-X, Solvay
offers an alternative to silicate with a new
product. One single competitor is present on
this niche market. A partnership has been set
up with the chemical company Clariant
for the development and subsequent
world-wide production of SOLV-X. Research
is also currently underway to check whether
the SOLV-X can be also used for paper
de-inking.
> Rodney Soccombe; Pierre Dournel;Anna Mannaerts.
> SBU H 2O 2
New business
J U L Y 2 0 0 6
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