solvay_live243_p02a04 somEdito

Dossier SolvayInnovationTrophy2006
103515
28
SOLVERA ® : NEW PRODUCTS
FOR GREASE PROOF PAPER
AN END TO TOXIC
ACCUMULATION
Fluorochemicals are used to make paper
greaseproof, mainly in the food packaging
industry. In 2000, 3M withdrew from
this international market following the
discovery of a persistent degradation product
that was also bio-accumulative and toxic.
Suddenly, bright new opportunities arose
for newcomers. Using PFPE (perfluoropolyethers),
the chemists at Solvay Solexis designed
a new molecular structure capable of meeting
the following demands :compatibility with
existing paper chemistry and application
methods, the capacity to homogeneously cover
the porous substrate without any pin holes,
a toxicological profile sound enough to fulfil
the demands of the Food and Drug Administration
and proven safety of the degradation products.
All these properties had to be combined
with impermeability to oil and water, in line
with the needs of the market. Three products
were thus developed under the Solvera PT
range. At the same time, the industry needed
new testing methods that would allow them
to quickly evaluate the real resistance
of the paper during the production process.
Solvay Solexis developed these new test
methods and they have since been adopted
by the main players in the sector.
These innovative products give Solvay Solexis
a decisive competitive edge thanks
to its inimitable technological platform
and the high degree of process integration.
The innovations have allowed this type
of paper to escape the vicious cycle
of toxic bio-accumulation. .
> Piero Gavezotti; Fiorenza Daprile; Antonella Di Meo;
Padigala Mahesh; Claudio Tonelli; Tania Trombetta.
> SBU SPECIALTY POLYMERS
104425
HIGH PURITY BARIUM CARBONATE COATED
WITH TITANIUM DIOXIDE : A NEW APPROACH
TO THE SYNTHESIS OF ELECTRONIC MATERIALS
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
FOR CAPACITORS
The innovation covers a powder known as
BaCO3 HP FC, which includes a core of high
purity barium carbonate and a shell of titan
dioxide, and also its method of production.
This powder is used as a basic ingredient for
the solid state production of high crystalline
barium titanate. The traditional procedure
involves mixing and grinding of mixtures
of barium carbonate and titanium dioxide
followed by an high temperature calcination.
The new procedure strongly improves
the mixing of the reactants, which
subsequently triggers a better and faster
reaction. With the BaCO3 HP FC, the
electronic industry can manufacture better
performing barium titanate and, in turn,
better ceramic capacitors. This approach
permits a more cost effective production
of high end ceramic capacitors, extending
their market share against other types
of capacitors. Finally, this innovation leads
to an increase in the barium titanate market
and broadens the scope of the barium
carbonate. The Institute of Energetics and
Interphases at the Italian National Research
Council participated in the project in 2004 and
2005. The product will be manufactured
in a specially adapted plant. Production is set
to be launched in 2006 and sales in 2007.
> Rocco Alessio; Maria Teresa Buscaglia;Vincenzo Buscaglia;
Arianna Daquino; Sara Trombella.
> SBU BARIUM-STRONTIUM
104530
MULTIPURPOSE PLANT FOR FLUORINATED
CF3 AND CF2-SPECIALTIES
THE SWISS KNIFE
OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL
INDUSTRY
It is a broadly accepted fact that one in every
three new pharmaceutical or agronomic
projects contains a fluorine atom. Solvay has
earned an envied reputation and leadership
position on the fluorinated specialties market
but it is a cost conscious and competitive
market. To increase cost-effective flexibility
and reduce the financial risk associated with
the construction of dedicated new plant, Solvay
had the idea of designing a multipurpose plant
for fluorinated specialties. This called for the
pooling of a broad spectrum of skills. The plant
was built in Bad Wimpfen (Germany),
a wine-growing region that imposes strict
environmental protection rules. All these
regulations were respected and the relationship
with the plant’s neighbours and the local
authorities is constantly nurtured. Built in 2002
the plant sets out to make a contribution
of around MEUR 3.5 to the sales of the SBU
now in 2006. This figure should reach MEUR 20
in 2010 if we take into account the projects
currently under development. Several
compounds have already been delivered from
this multi-purpose installation: intermediate
fluorinated products for Pfizer, Eli Lilly,
Sanofi-Adventis, Esteve, Cenral Glass, Lonza,
Dow and others and more recently, a new
herbicide was developed in cooperation with
Dow Agro.
> Ern Edmonds; Max Braun; Francine Delplanque;
Johannes Eicher; Ralf Herkelmann; Matthias Lipp.
> SBU MOLECULAR SOLUTIONS
New business