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elements35<br />
Quarterly Science Newsletter Issue 2| 2011<br />
Designing with Polymers<br />
Perfectly lubricated<br />
Green power made easy<br />
Catalysis<br />
Metathesis catalysts for oleochemical applications<br />
Biotechnology<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> BioTechDay
02 Contents<br />
08<br />
20<br />
26<br />
The cover photo shows sugar cane, a vital renewable<br />
raw material for white biotechnology<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011<br />
n e W s<br />
04 New plant for organic specialty surfactants in China<br />
04 Catalysts for biodiesel: plant in Argentina planned<br />
05 Fiscal year 2010: the best result so far in the Chemicals core business<br />
06 PEEK polymer capacity to be expanded<br />
06 First project house in Taiwan<br />
07 Plans for isophorone plants in China<br />
07 <strong>Evonik</strong> acquires the hanse chemie Group<br />
07 VESTAKEEP® enhances safety of automotive steering columns<br />
DesIGnInG WItH PoLYMeRs<br />
08 Innovative engine oil additives reduce fuel consumption and<br />
CO 2 emissions: perfectly lubricated<br />
CAtALYsIs<br />
14 Metathesis catalysts for oleochemical applications: robust and selective<br />
ResouRCe effICIenCY<br />
17 Almost 5,000 km across Australia: pioneering trip by the Wind Explorer<br />
n e W s<br />
18 Prize awarded in the 2011 nano+art competition<br />
19 Study verifies effectiveness of conditioning agent against<br />
hair breakage<br />
19 Nitrogen oxide reduction: Lines made from VESTAMID® compounds<br />
satisfy requirements<br />
DesIGnInG WItH PoLYMeRs<br />
20 PLEXIGLAS® stands up to glass in photovoltaics systems:<br />
green power made easy<br />
BIoteCHnoLoGY<br />
26 <strong>Evonik</strong> BioTechDay: on a growth course<br />
n e W s<br />
31 Robust, flexible, and fast drying:<br />
the new clear coating technology from <strong>Evonik</strong><br />
31 PLEXIGLAS® Mineral for extremely weather-resistant structural shells<br />
31 Credits
All set for the future<br />
If your car’s transmission and engine oils contain <strong>Evonik</strong>’s new comb polymers as<br />
viscosity index improvers, your average fuel savings will be 1.5 percent. You’re not<br />
impressed? Car makers see it differently. According to EU guidelines, average CO 2<br />
emissions per vehicle and kilometer must be reduced by about 20 grams by 2015—<br />
and our new comb polymers can account for up to 2.5 of those grams.<br />
Comb polymers are just one of about one hundred research projects in the field<br />
of resource efficiency, out of a total of 500 projects currently underway at <strong>Evonik</strong>. In<br />
2010, we increased spending on R&D by 13 percent to €338 million, having held it<br />
constant at €300 million, despite the economic crisis.<br />
This past financial year shows how high the demand has been for <strong>Evonik</strong>’s specialty<br />
chemicals: compared to most competitors our rebound was faster and stronger.<br />
In 2010, we increased sales revenues by 26 percent over the previous year to<br />
€13.3 billion, and even tripled net income to €734 million. We’ve generated the best<br />
result so far in our Chemicals core business—with an EBITDA margin that puts us<br />
at the vanguard of our industry.<br />
This demonstrates that in 2010 <strong>Evonik</strong> was more profitable than ever before. We<br />
already generate more than 80 percent of our chemical sales—a solid €10 billion—<br />
from significant market positions. We want to build on that in two ways. First, we’ll<br />
invest in high-margin businesses with above-average growth. To this end, we plan<br />
to spend a total of €6 billion by 2015 for projects that include expanding our capacities<br />
for isophorone, DL-methionine, precipitated silicas, and chlorosilanes.<br />
Second, through our innovative strength, we plan to tip the scales in our favor.<br />
Our research projects are allowing us to move further and further into the so-called<br />
emerging markets. The latest example is our new Light & Electronics Project House,<br />
which began its work on April 1. Located in Taiwan, this project house will expand<br />
our opportunities as we operate within one of the most important electronics markets<br />
in the world. And, as our first project house outside Germany, it enables us to<br />
intensify the global reach of our research activities and close ranks with our customers.<br />
At its core, <strong>Evonik</strong> is now a specialty chemicals company. To advance our alignment<br />
to the future-oriented markets of health and nutrition, resource efficiency,<br />
and globalization of technologies, <strong>Evonik</strong> has appointed three new members to its<br />
Executive Board: Dr. Yu, Dr. Haeberle, and me. My responsibilities include innovation<br />
management and international sales—a combination that underscores the vital<br />
connection between research and market proximity.<br />
eDItoRIAL 03<br />
Patrik Wohlhauser<br />
Member of the Executive Board of<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> <strong>Industries</strong> AG<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011
4 neWs<br />
New plant for<br />
organic specialty<br />
surfactants in China<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> is building an integrated production<br />
plant for organic specialty surfactants at its<br />
site in Shanghai (China). With an investment<br />
volume in the upper double-digit million<br />
range, the production network± is scheduled<br />
to begin operation in mid 2013. The various<br />
specialty surfactants based on renewable raw<br />
materials will be used primarily for cosmetics<br />
and laundry care products, as well as for industrial<br />
applications. <strong>Evonik</strong> is a leading supplier<br />
in these areas.<br />
By building the plant at the Shanghai site,<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> benefits from the infrastructure of the<br />
large Shanghai Chemical Industry Park (SCIP)<br />
and close proximity to its customers‘ production<br />
facilities. The integrated production network<br />
will feature state-of-the-art technology<br />
and meet correspondingly high environmental<br />
standards. Last fall, in its most recent project<br />
at SCIP, <strong>Evonik</strong> commissioned a plant for<br />
the production of plastics and plastics ingredients—a<br />
250-million-euro investment for<br />
the Group.<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011<br />
The new integrated production plant will<br />
produce ingredients for cosmetics and laundry<br />
care products, as well as specialty surfactants<br />
for industrial applications. The Chinese<br />
cosmetics industry accounts for the lion‘s<br />
share of production.<br />
„We are already well-positioned in the<br />
market for cosmetic ingredients in Europe<br />
and the United States,“ says Dr. Claus Rettig,<br />
Catalysts for biodiesel: plant in Argentina planned<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> <strong>Industries</strong> is planning to build a new<br />
facility to produce catalysts for the manufacture<br />
of biodiesel in Argentina. Basic engineering<br />
for this plant, which will have capacity of<br />
over 60,000 metric tons p.a., has now been<br />
completed and construction work is expected<br />
to start in July 2011. Following completion,<br />
which is scheduled for the end of 2012 at the<br />
latest, the plant will produce ready-to-use<br />
alcoholates for use as catalysts in the production<br />
of biodiesel from renewable raw mater<br />
ials. The project is still contingent on the approval<br />
of the relevant authorities.<br />
The plant will be located in Puerto<br />
General San Martin, in the Rosario region, at<br />
the heart of Argentina‘s biodiesel industry.<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> is planning to build the plant on the<br />
same site as Terminal 6 S.A., which operates<br />
a large biodiesel facility. „Locating the facility<br />
at the Terminal 6 site enables us to use the<br />
existing infrastructure and gives us excellent<br />
logistics connections. It could therefore be<br />
erected swiftly, enabling us to supply catalysts<br />
competitively to customers in South<br />
America,“ comments Jan Van den Bergh, who<br />
heads the Advanced Intermediates Business<br />
The Chinese market for cosmetic ingredients is<br />
growing by 10 percent annually<br />
Unit. The new plant will supply especially<br />
Argentina and Brazil.<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> has proven expertise in the production<br />
of biodiesel catalysts, backed up by<br />
many years of experience. In 2009 it started<br />
up a new production facility in Mobile (USA)<br />
with capacity of 60,000 metric tons p.a. This<br />
plant, which was built in just nine months,<br />
serves the growing North American market<br />
for biodiesel.<br />
Following the success of the new production<br />
technology at this US facility, the plan is<br />
to use the same technology for the new facil-<br />
head of the Consumer Specialties Business<br />
Unit. „Now we are following our customers<br />
to Asia, with state-of-the-art technology and<br />
correspondingly high-quality ingredients.<br />
This allows us to supply our customers at the<br />
accustomed high level of quality.“<br />
China is expected to be the biggest market<br />
for cosmetics in Asia short-term, leaving<br />
Japan behind to number 2 position. The market<br />
in China will account for 25 percent of the<br />
global absolute growth of the upcoming five<br />
years. The Chinese market for cosmetic ingredients,<br />
which is mainly driven by multinational<br />
corporations, is growing by 10 percent<br />
annually. The main reason for this<br />
growth is the developing middle class in<br />
China, whose consumption patterns have<br />
changed in favor of higher qual ity products.<br />
In Asia, the market for laundry care products<br />
is driven by a growing environmental<br />
consciousness. <strong>Evonik</strong>’s products are particularly<br />
eco-friendly. For industrial specialty<br />
surfactants, the market is growing based<br />
on improved technology standards and<br />
increas ing regulatory requirements. With<br />
the con struction of the new integrated production<br />
plant, <strong>Evonik</strong> is also increasing its<br />
local capac ities in technical service, marketing<br />
and sales.<br />
ity in Argentina. In the new process, alcoholates<br />
are produced by reacting alcohol with a<br />
lye.<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> is already a global market leader<br />
in biodiesel catalysts—a position it also holds<br />
in South America. „The planned new facility<br />
in Argentina strengthens our commitment to<br />
this region,“ says Van den Bergh. „In the midterm,<br />
we are anticipating strong double-digit<br />
growth in the biodiesel market.“ <strong>Evonik</strong> operates<br />
a facility in Niederkassel-Lülsdorf, near<br />
Cologne (Germany) as well as its facility in<br />
the USA.
Fiscal year 2010: the best result so far in the Chemicals core business<br />
„2010 was an outstanding year for us,“ commented<br />
Dr. Klaus Engel, Chairman of the<br />
Executive Board of <strong>Evonik</strong> <strong>Industries</strong> AG, at<br />
the financial press conference. The Group‘s<br />
core chemicals business reported by far the<br />
best performance in its history. In order to<br />
realize its focus on specialty chemicals, at the<br />
end of 2010 <strong>Evonik</strong> agreed to sell a majority<br />
stake in its energy business to a consortium<br />
of municipal utilities in Germany‘s Rhine-<br />
Ruhr region. As a result, the Energy Business<br />
Area has been reclassified to discontinued<br />
operations. In addition, further progress was<br />
made in amalgamating the residential real estate<br />
companies <strong>Evonik</strong> Immobilien GmbH and<br />
THS GmbH.<br />
„Our refocusing has almost been completed.<br />
In the future, the name <strong>Evonik</strong> will be<br />
synonymous with global leadership in specialty<br />
chemicals,“ said Engel. The focus is on the<br />
most important global megatrends. „We want<br />
to grow and increase our profitability further.<br />
To achieve that, in future the management of<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> will be geared to making us faster,<br />
leaner and more flexible, with an even stronger<br />
market focus,“ said Engel.<br />
Additional Executive Board<br />
members appointed<br />
for chemicals business<br />
The Executive Board has therefore been increased<br />
to six members effective April 1,<br />
2011. Patrik Wohlhauser (46) is the Executive<br />
Board member responsible for the Consumer,<br />
Health & Nutrition segment, Dr. Thomas<br />
Haeberle (54) is responsible for the Resource<br />
Efficiency segment and Dr. Dahai Yu (49) for<br />
the Specialty Materials segment. With an<br />
EBITDA margin of 18.3 percent, <strong>Evonik</strong>‘s core<br />
Chemicals Business Area: R&D spending [%]<br />
Development of new products 40<br />
Basic research for new key technologies 19<br />
Improved production processes for established products 24<br />
Improved applications for established products 11<br />
Other 6<br />
chemicals business ranks among the sector<br />
leaders as of 2010. „We want to remain<br />
among the best in class in the future as well,“<br />
said Engel.<br />
The Group has therefore embarked on<br />
key strategic investment projects. It is planning<br />
to invest €500 million in a new methionine<br />
facility in Singapore, which is scheduled<br />
to start producing feed additives in 2014. In<br />
addition, capacity for precipitated silicas in<br />
Asia and Europe is to be increased by 25<br />
percent by 2014. Further, <strong>Evonik</strong> is planning<br />
to build a new facility for isophorone chemicals,<br />
prefer ably in Asia, to come on stream<br />
in 2013. The Group already occupies significant<br />
market positions in all three of<br />
these businesses and now aims to strengthen<br />
them selectively in the relevant growth<br />
markets.<br />
Group sales and<br />
earnings considerably<br />
higher than last year<br />
Group sales advanced 26 percent to € 13,300<br />
million. Strong demand, high capacity utilization<br />
and improved margins lifted earnings<br />
before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization<br />
and the non-operating result (EBITDA)<br />
47 percent to € 2,365 million. The Group‘s<br />
EBITDA margin improved from 15.3 percent<br />
to 17.8 percent. Earnings before interest,<br />
taxes and the non-operating result (EBIT)<br />
surged 89 percent to € 1,639 million; net income<br />
tripled to € 734 million in 2010 (2009:<br />
€ 240 million).<br />
In response to the economic crisis, <strong>Evonik</strong><br />
introduced the „On Track“ efficiency enhancement<br />
program at the start of 2009. To bring<br />
a lasting improvement in competitiveness, the<br />
R&D in the Chemicals Business Area<br />
neWs 5<br />
Group aims to achieve a sustained reduction<br />
in costs of € 500 million p.a. from 2012. All<br />
key cost items were analyzed and structures<br />
and processes were examined with a view to<br />
attaining this goal. By the end of 2010, specific<br />
measures had been defined to meet all<br />
target savings and over three quarters of the<br />
savings (almost € 400 million) had already<br />
been achieved.<br />
Chemicals reported a<br />
record performance<br />
The Chemicals Business Area grew sales by<br />
a strong 29 percent to € 12,867 million (2009:<br />
€ 9,978 million). This was driven mainly by<br />
volumes and prices. In most business units<br />
demand was back at or even above the level<br />
seen in the first half of 2008, before the recession.<br />
As a result, many production facilities<br />
operated at full capacity.<br />
The effective action to cut costs and raise<br />
efficiency, together with a substantial rise in<br />
volumes, high capacity utilization, and increased<br />
margins boosted both EBITDA and<br />
EBIT to record levels. Earnings in all business<br />
units were well above the pre-recession level.<br />
EBITDA grew 47 percent year-on-year to<br />
€ 2,357 million while EBIT surged 83 percent<br />
to € 1,702 million.<br />
Spending on<br />
R&D increased<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> increased research and development<br />
spending by 13 percent to € 338 million in<br />
2010 (2009: € 300 million). Around 60 percent<br />
of this was spent on the development<br />
of new products and new technology platforms.<br />
R&D employees approx. 2,300<br />
Locations more than 35<br />
Total R&D projects approx. 500<br />
R&D projects focusing on resource efficiency approx. 100<br />
Cooperation with universities and scientific institutes approx. 300<br />
Number of new patent applications approx. 250<br />
Patents (granted and pending) more than 24,000<br />
Registered trademark (granted and pending) more than 7,500<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011
6 neWs<br />
PEEK polymer capacity to be expanded<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> <strong>Industries</strong> is significantly expanding<br />
its polyether ether ketone (PEEK) capacity in<br />
response to growing global demand. Along<br />
with a number of optimization measures, the<br />
company is modernizing an existing plant.<br />
The project at the Changchun site in China is<br />
scheduled to be completed by 3rd quarter<br />
2011. <strong>Evonik</strong> has been selling its highly temperature-proof<br />
and chemical-resistant PEEK<br />
polymers under the brand name VESTAKEEP®<br />
for a number of years. They are used for man-<br />
First project house in Taiwan<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> <strong>Industries</strong> is setting up its first project<br />
house outside Germany. Light & Electronics,<br />
a research and development unit established<br />
on April 1, is located in the Hsinchu Technology<br />
Park in Taiwan. The focus of its work<br />
is new products and technologies for the<br />
photovoltaics, display, LED, and lighting industries.<br />
The project house seeks partnerships and<br />
joint developments with Taiwanese institutes,<br />
and above all, with local electronics companies.<br />
This is another strategic step in the consolidation<br />
of the Group’s global position.<br />
“With the new project house, our goal is to<br />
move closer to one of the most important<br />
electronics markets in the world so that we<br />
can tap into the growth opportunities the<br />
region offers,” explained Patrik Wohlhauser,<br />
the member of <strong>Evonik</strong>‘s Executive Board responsible<br />
for innovation management. “The<br />
new site is a further development of our successful<br />
project house concept. With this,<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> is intensifying its focus on business<br />
development and customer loyalty and is<br />
adapt ing its innovation processes for custo-<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011<br />
ufacturing components that must withstand<br />
long-term use under the most severe end-use<br />
environments.<br />
„The capacity expansion not only reflects<br />
the continuous growth in all relevant industries,<br />
but is also the result of the successful<br />
commercialization of numerous new projects.<br />
This expansion testifies to the on-going commitment<br />
we are making to support our<br />
customer’s continued growth“, says Sanjeev<br />
Taneja, <strong>Evonik</strong>’s global business VESTAKEEP®<br />
mers’ innovation cycles, which are becoming<br />
progressively shorter.”<br />
Fast-growing electronics segments include<br />
displays, LEDs, portable communication and<br />
information devices such as navigation devices<br />
and tablet PCs, as well as photovoltaics.<br />
The key Asian regions are China, Japan,<br />
Korea, and Taiwan, where a number of important<br />
R&D companies in this field have<br />
their headquarters. According to the German<br />
Institute in Taipei, Taiwan stands out among<br />
these countries as the world market leader in<br />
such products as notebooks, scanners, monitors,<br />
and LCD monitors. <strong>Evonik</strong> already maintains<br />
partnerships with Taiwanese companies<br />
through the joint ventures <strong>Evonik</strong> Forhouse<br />
Optical Polymers manufacturing acrylic polymers<br />
in Taichung for TFT liquid crystal displays,<br />
and <strong>Evonik</strong> Cristal Materials Cor poration,<br />
which produces glass lenses for the<br />
next generation of LEDs.<br />
Additional contacts will be made and cultivated<br />
through the project house. “Elec tronics<br />
and lighting are extremely fast, dynamic<br />
markets, whose innovation and product life-<br />
manager. VESTAKEEP® PEEK polymers are<br />
used in demanding applications in medical as<br />
well as in the automotive, aerospace, semiconductor,<br />
and entertainment electronics industry<br />
and in the oil and natural gas sectors.<br />
Furthermore, thanks to the unique combination<br />
of mechanical, thermal and tribological<br />
properties VESTAKEEP® PEEK allows the<br />
replacement of metal in these and several<br />
other applications.<br />
VESTAKEEP® 5000G is the latest PEEK<br />
polymer in addition to <strong>Evonik</strong>’s product<br />
range. The material offers significantly<br />
higher impact resistance and a better fatigue<br />
profile under dynamic stress as compared to<br />
commercial available grades. It addresses the<br />
unmet needs of the customers. The company<br />
also introduced its VESTAKEEP® M and<br />
VESTAKEEP® I series for applications in medical<br />
and implant industry two years ago. The<br />
comprehensive product portfolio covers virtually<br />
all industrial applications and supports<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong>’s strategy of serving as a long-term,<br />
reliable partner in the PEEK market.<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong>´s Changchun<br />
site in China<br />
cycles are becoming shorter and shorter,”<br />
says Dr. Michael Cölle, head of the project<br />
house. “The task of this project house is to<br />
acquaint ourselves better with customers’<br />
processes and value chains, and consolidate<br />
our opportunities in these markets through<br />
joint developments.”<br />
In the project houses, <strong>Evonik</strong> works on<br />
medium-risk research topics involving multiple<br />
business units; the emphasis is there fore<br />
on medium- and long-term success. Project<br />
houses run for three years, during which time<br />
roughly 15 to 30 employees typically develop<br />
new products and technologies in collaboration<br />
with cooperation partners and universities.<br />
As a rule, the new developments of the<br />
project houses are marketed by a business<br />
unit or continued through an internal start-up.<br />
Light & Electronics is the ninth project<br />
house to be set up by <strong>Evonik</strong> and its strategic<br />
research and development unit Creavis<br />
Technologies & Innovation. The company’s<br />
long-term strategic goal is to make the project<br />
house the nucleus of another R&D competence<br />
center for the Group in Asia.
Plans for isophorone plants in China<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> <strong>Industries</strong> plans to construct new isophorone<br />
and isophorone diamine plants in<br />
Shanghai (China). Basic engineering at the<br />
Multi User Site China (MUSC), <strong>Evonik</strong>‘s production<br />
site in Shanghai, should be complete<br />
within the next few months, and the worldscale<br />
plants are scheduled to go onstream in<br />
2013. With this investment, <strong>Evonik</strong> is sending<br />
out a clear signal for further growth in isophorone<br />
chem icals, and is emphasizing the<br />
high signifi cance of the strategically important<br />
Asian region.<br />
Growing global demand from a large<br />
number of user industries is the driving force<br />
behind the decision to construct the new<br />
plants. The planned investment will allow the<br />
company to benefit from the future growth<br />
of the market and in particular to satisfy<br />
increasing demand from customers in the Asia<br />
region. <strong>Evonik</strong> currently produces isopho rone<br />
chemicals in Mobile (Alabama, USA), as well<br />
as in Marl and Herne (Germany).<br />
“<strong>Evonik</strong> is the only company globally that<br />
produces and markets the entire range of<br />
isophorone chemicals,” says Dr. Ulrich Küsthardt,<br />
head of the Coatings & Additives<br />
Business Unit. “And with the construction of<br />
the new world-scale, state-of-the-art plants,<br />
we plan to strengthen this position and at<br />
the same time extend our global production<br />
network into Asia.” Isophorone, isophorone<br />
diamine, isophorone diisocyanate, and their<br />
derivatives are important components in the<br />
production of industrial flooring, artificial<br />
leather, and paints and coatings, for example.<br />
They are also used in high-performance<br />
composite materials and in chemical synthesis.<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> acquires the hanse chemie Group<br />
At the end of March 2011 <strong>Evonik</strong> <strong>Industries</strong><br />
closed a purchase agreement to acquire the<br />
hanse chemie Group. By acquiring the Group,<br />
which includes hanse chemie AG and nanoresins<br />
AG, <strong>Evonik</strong> will be able to enter additional<br />
markets for specialty applications in silicone<br />
chemistry. Both parties agreed not to<br />
disclose the purchase price. The sale is still<br />
VESTAKEEP® enhances safety of automotive steering columns<br />
The BMW Group has approved spindle nuts<br />
made from VESTAKEEP® PEEK, a polymer<br />
made by <strong>Evonik</strong> <strong>Industries</strong>, for use in elec trical<br />
steering column adjustment assemblies. The<br />
VESTAKEEP® L4000G-based spindle nuts do<br />
VESTAKEEP® based<br />
spindle nuts passed<br />
the stress tests<br />
subject to the approval of the corporate<br />
bodies.<br />
Based in Geesthacht, near Hamburg, the<br />
hanse chemie Group produces high-quality<br />
components and raw materials for the<br />
man u facture of sealants and adhesives,<br />
molding and casting compounds, for example.<br />
Hanse chemie AG’s products are used<br />
not break, even under the most severe conditions.<br />
In case of an accident, the spindle<br />
nuts will not break and thus prevent ing any<br />
plastic pieces from disabling the function of<br />
safety-relevant features such as airbags.<br />
neWs 7<br />
Isophorone derivatives<br />
are used in, among<br />
other things, composite<br />
materials for wind<br />
turbines<br />
by end-consumers in such markets as the<br />
construction industry, automotive manufacture,<br />
dental technology, and in photovoltaic<br />
systems. The silicate-based nanomaterials<br />
and other specialties by nanoresins AG are<br />
used in highly scratch-resistant coatings, adhesives,<br />
fiber composites, and embedding<br />
materials.<br />
The PEEK polymers that had been used in the<br />
past were unable to meet BMW’s stringent<br />
requirements and failed during stress tests.<br />
Thanks to its improved ductility and impactresistance,<br />
VESTAKEEP® PEEK passed the<br />
tests and also met the requirement of high<br />
dimensional stability at different temperatures.<br />
VESTAKEEP® spindle nuts are used in the<br />
electrical steering column adjustment assemblies<br />
that are manufactured by Solingen,<br />
Germany-based C. Rob. Hammerstein GmbH<br />
& Co. KG. Thanks to their exceptional characteristics,<br />
they may in the future also be used<br />
in mechanical steering column adjustment assemblies.<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong>`s PEEK polymers offer particu larly<br />
high resistance to temperatures and chemicals.<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011
8 DesIGnInG WItH PoLYMeRs<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011<br />
Innovative engine oil additives reduce fuel consumption and CO 2 emissions<br />
Perfectly lubricated<br />
Lubricants for engines and drives are all-stars: they function as well in heat as in<br />
ice cold, despite mechanical stresses, and remain stable for years. They owe these<br />
advantages mainly to high-performance additives. Specialists at <strong>Evonik</strong> in<br />
Darmstadt have developed comb polymers, which not only meet all the demands<br />
of advanced drives but also noticeably reduce consumption and emissions.<br />
[ text Boris Eisenberg, Dr. Torsten Stöhr, Dr. Michael Müller ]<br />
To ensure the engine<br />
runs smoothly: Engine<br />
oils should work reliably<br />
for about 30,000 kilometers.<br />
Gear oils, which<br />
are more complicated to<br />
change, should retain<br />
their lubricating action<br />
for roughly 20 years
no MACHIne, PLAnt, engine would be any use<br />
with out lubricant. Wherever moving metal surfaces<br />
come in contact with each other, a lubricant is vital.<br />
They reduce friction, muffle noise, prevent premature<br />
wear and tear. Lubricants work best when their<br />
viscosity is aligned to the application: if the oil is too<br />
thick, it prevents the parts from moving. If it is too<br />
thin, the metal surfaces can engage without any protection—machines<br />
and engines then break down very<br />
quickly.<br />
The effectiveness of lubricants depends on their<br />
viscosity, and the viscosity, in turn, depends on the<br />
temperature. The colder the temperature, the higher<br />
the viscosity, and the thicker the fluid. At high temperatures,<br />
viscosity decreases, and the liquid becomes<br />
thinner and more free-flowing. This is based<br />
on a simple molecular mechanism: particles of thick<br />
liquids are strongly bound to each other by mole cular<br />
interactive forces and, therefore, relatively immobile.<br />
This inner friction resembles the movement of two<br />
layers of molecules lying interlocked, one above the<br />
other. Force must be used to overcome the inter -<br />
l ocking. When the temperature rises, the interactive<br />
forces weaken, and the molecules glide across each<br />
other easier. The viscosity decreases as a result, and<br />
the liquid becomes thinner.<br />
The effect of temperature on polymer solubility.<br />
Because polymers swell with rising temperatures, they ensure that the viscosity<br />
of the solution stays as constant as possible compared to pure oil<br />
Poor<br />
Low<br />
Solubility in oil<br />
Temperature<br />
This principle applies to all fluids—whether honey,<br />
water or oils. The viscosity index (VI) is key to the<br />
evaluation of lubricants. It describes the temperature<br />
dependency of the kinematic viscosity of the oil—the<br />
force necessary to loosen the molecular interlocking<br />
and get the oil to flow. Oils with a low VI change their<br />
viscosity with the temperature more easily than oils<br />
with a high VI. As a rule, engines require oils that<br />
work reliably both summer and winter, which means<br />
oils with a high viscosity index. These kinds of oils<br />
provide adequate lubrication in summer, and are sufficiently<br />
free-flowing in winter.<br />
High standards for mineral oils<br />
Pure mineral oils are suitable to only a limited extent<br />
in applications with changing temperature ranges. At<br />
15 degrees Celsius, they are already as thick as butter<br />
and behave less like lubricants and more like brakes<br />
on the moving parts. Today, a conventional engine<br />
oil has to work reliably and efficiently between minus<br />
40 and plus 150 degrees Celsius. This is why existing<br />
engine oils normally consist of a low-viscosity base<br />
oil selectively thickened with additives.<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> has long produced polymer-based additives<br />
that increase and optimize the viscosity index. 333<br />
DesIGnInG WItH PoLYMeRs 9<br />
Good<br />
High<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011
10 DesIGnInG WItH PoLYMeRs<br />
Measuring kinematic<br />
viscosity, which indicates<br />
how much force is<br />
required to get a liquid<br />
to flow<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011<br />
At low temperatures, the comb polymers reduce the kinematic viscosity<br />
of the oil compared to PAMA by about one third. At high temperatures,<br />
they achieve the same good values as PAMA polymers. Bottom line: comb<br />
polymers reduce the temperature dependency of viscosity<br />
Log log (KV [cst+0.8])<br />
Contracted<br />
PAMA<br />
Collapsed<br />
comb<br />
Base oil<br />
333 The type of polymers and, above all, their molecular<br />
mass, is key to the effectiveness of these viscosity<br />
index improvers (adding 3 to 7 percent corresponds<br />
to an additive content of 2.5 percent): the<br />
larger the molecules, the more they swell with rising<br />
temper atures and keep the lubricant sufficiently<br />
thick, even at high operating temperatures.<br />
Large molecules do have one weak point, however:<br />
mechanical stress in the thin lubrication gap<br />
can easily tear the polymer chain. For this reason, the<br />
second key parameter for the suitability of a lubrication<br />
oil is the shear stability of the polymers used.<br />
High shear stability means that the molecular chains<br />
are split slowly, even with heavy mechanical loading,<br />
so the polymer breaks down only after several years<br />
of service. Gear oils are expected to retain their lubricating<br />
effect for about 20 years, while engine oils<br />
are supposed to work reliably for approximately<br />
30,000 kilometers.<br />
VI improvers ensure the viscosity<br />
stays as constant as possible<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> has supplied VI improvers based on polyalkyl(meth)acrylate<br />
(PAMA) for decades under the<br />
VISCOPLEX® trademark. The molecules consist of a<br />
long polymethacrylate chain with alkyl side chains<br />
that ensure solubility in the base oil. In solution, the<br />
PAMA chains form a ball, which wells up with increasing<br />
temperature. When this happens, the balls<br />
expand, thereby increasing the viscosity of the oil. To<br />
be more exact, VISCOPLEX® ensures that the viscosity<br />
of the solution remains as similar as pos sible compared<br />
to that of the pure base oil without additive.<br />
What the chemists are doing, then, is thwarting<br />
physics: The effect is contrary to the natural behav-<br />
Log T [K]<br />
Expanded<br />
PAMA<br />
Expanded<br />
comb<br />
Oil-insoluble<br />
PAMA backbone<br />
oil-soluble<br />
polyolefin arms
ior of a liquid, which always becomes thinner when<br />
the temperature rises. The additives reduce the loss<br />
in viscosity and expand the temperature window in<br />
which the oil displays optimal lubrication.<br />
In principle, the thinner the oil, the easier it is for<br />
an engine to run, and the less fuel it consumes. The<br />
art lies in keeping an oil‘s viscosity as stable as possible<br />
within the highest possible temperature range.<br />
Today’s engines and transmissions are becoming<br />
increasingly compact and powerful. This means<br />
increasing standards for lubricants. For this reason,<br />
the chemists at <strong>Evonik</strong> have searched for molecular<br />
structures that hold the flow properties of the lubricant<br />
nearly constant without becoming too thick in<br />
cold temperatures and thin in hot temperatures.<br />
Even more powerful: comb polymers<br />
The specialists from Darmstadt have developed a<br />
completely new architecture for the molecules of the<br />
polymers. The backbone consists of extremely long,<br />
polar molecule chains that carry non-polar polyolefins<br />
as side chains at regular intervals.<br />
Chemists refer to these as “comb polymers” because<br />
their structure resembles a comb. The building<br />
blocks of the long backbone consist of short-chained<br />
methacrylates, and other co-monomers. By varying<br />
the percentages of the monomer mixture, the polarity<br />
of the chain and the number of side chains can<br />
be selectively controlled during polymerization.<br />
About 100 monomers have an aver age of 0.8 to 1.6<br />
molecular teeth, each with some 400 carbon atoms.<br />
The modified structure results in completely new<br />
properties. The long side chains ensure extremely<br />
good solubility in the base oil over a broad temperature<br />
range. The stiffness of the backbone is designed<br />
in such a way that the large molecules „collapse“ at<br />
low temperatures by forming very small units, so that<br />
the lubricant remains adequately free-flowing. If the<br />
temperature rises, the long side chains push apart and<br />
the comb polymer wells up, which results in the desired<br />
thickening effect.<br />
Comb polymers have proven their outstanding<br />
properties as lubricant additives on a number of engine<br />
test stands. Compared to conventional PAMA additives,<br />
they show significantly better values for all key<br />
parameters. The shear stability of the molecules is<br />
many times higher, and the flow properties of the oil<br />
are optimized during cold start. The kinematic viscosity,<br />
measured at 40 degrees Celsius, is about one third<br />
lower. This means that the lubricant is easy to pump<br />
at relatively low operating temperatures, and the<br />
movement of the engine parts and gear wheels in the<br />
transmission slows only a little—an effect that has a<br />
direct and positive impact on fuel consumption.<br />
Lubricants must be precisely coordinated to operating<br />
conditions. Because thermal stress on the polymers<br />
is particularly high in the engine, comb polymers<br />
for engine oils contain fewer side chains than<br />
those for gear oils. Shear stability is the most 333<br />
ResouRCe effICIenCY<br />
DesIGnInG WItH PoLYMeRs 11<br />
Politicians demand<br />
economical vehicles with<br />
low CO 2 emissions<br />
Today, engine developers and car manufacturers not only focus<br />
their attention on the design and performance of their products but<br />
on fuel consumption and emissions. The pressure is coming primarily<br />
from the political arena: Over the next few years, the EU will be<br />
reducing the permissible fuel consumption of new vehicles in several<br />
stages. By 2015, manufacturers will have to reduce fuel consumption<br />
to the point that exhaust emissions are, on average, below 130<br />
grams of CO 2 per kilometer. In 2010, the average CO 2 value of<br />
newly registered cars in Germany was 151 g/km. Car manufacturers<br />
and importers who do not comply with EU limits in the future will<br />
have to shoulder millions of euros in fines.<br />
Engineers use an array of methods to reduce fuel consumption:<br />
lower vehicle weight, improved aerodynamics, more efficient engines<br />
and drive trains. Most of these methods are technical in nature.<br />
But the more sophisticated the component, the more expensive and<br />
time-consuming it is to increase its efficiency and performance even<br />
more. In addition to technical optimization, selecting a high-performance<br />
lubricant can also reduce a vehicle‘s fuel consumption and<br />
emissions. Thanks to their modified chemical structure, the new<br />
additives from <strong>Evonik</strong> each show optimal viscosity over a broad temperature<br />
range, and guarantee highly efficient operation of engines<br />
and transmissions. Test-stand results have shown that additives based<br />
on comb polymers achieve fuel savings of about 1.5 percent. The<br />
benefit corresponds more or less to that obtained through high-efficiency<br />
wheel bearings or an electronic start-and-stop system for<br />
the engine. For engine developers and car manu facturers, then, this<br />
margin is a giant leap.<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011
12 DesIGnInG WItH PoLYMeRs<br />
333 important factor in transmissions—in a fast turning<br />
transmission, extremely small toothed gear flanks are<br />
subject to strong forces and significantly higher pressures<br />
than in the engine. Consequently, comb polymers<br />
have to stand up to high shear forces while<br />
retaining optimal viscosity values over a wide range<br />
of temperatures.<br />
Fuel consumption reduced once again<br />
After many years of development work, chemists at<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> have developed four comb-polymer-based<br />
high-performance additives that meet all the demands<br />
of today’s engines and transmissions. Most importantly,<br />
these developments also help reduce fuel consumption<br />
and emissions. In a comparison with a standardized<br />
reference oil (RL 191), conventional PAMA<br />
additives have been shown to reduce fuel consumption<br />
by 3.5 percent—comb polymers in the engine oil,<br />
on the other hand, lower fuel consumption by 4.4<br />
percent. In combination with gear oils, which also<br />
contain comb polymers, the savings increases to a<br />
total of about 1.5 percent.<br />
At first glance, a 1.5 percent reduction in fuel consumption<br />
does not seem particularly high. Comparison<br />
in absolute figures reveals the actual weight of<br />
this relatively small percentage: the International<br />
Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that, worldwide, road<br />
traffic emits about five billion metric tons of carbon<br />
dioxide per year. Of this figure, 1.5 percent corresponds<br />
to a savings of 75 million metric tons. According<br />
to EU standards, average CO 2 emissions per<br />
vehicle and per kilometer must be reduced by about<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011<br />
Additives are supposed to keep<br />
the viscosity of lubricating oils<br />
constantly within an optimal<br />
range over the widest possible<br />
range of temperatures. The<br />
viscosity index (VI) plays a<br />
decisive role. Changing temperatures<br />
have a greater impact<br />
on the viscosity of oils with a<br />
low VI than on the viscosity of<br />
oils with a high VI
Influence of the engine oil on gas consumption. The measurement<br />
was taken on the engine test stand in Darmstadt, and a<br />
standardized reference oil (RL 191) was used for comparison.<br />
Compared to PAMA, oils with comb polymers can reduce<br />
gas consumption by another 0.9 percent<br />
Comb PAMA<br />
Advantage vs. RL191 [%]<br />
5.0<br />
4.5<br />
4.0<br />
3.5<br />
3.0<br />
2.5<br />
2.0<br />
1.5<br />
1.0<br />
0.5<br />
0<br />
4.4<br />
3.5<br />
20 grams by the year 2015—and the new comb polymers<br />
can eliminate up to 2.5 of those grams.<br />
This shows how the chemists at the Oil Addi tives<br />
Business Line are translating the ideas and wishes of<br />
engine developers and lubricant manufacturers into<br />
a chem ical structure of the required additives. They<br />
act as mediator between the growing technical challenges<br />
of engines and drive trains, and the practical<br />
experience of lubricant manufacturers. This requires<br />
close cooperation with formulators in setting the very<br />
specific properties of the lubricant and a continuous<br />
exchange with customers and suppliers.<br />
Every engine in the world is the same in this way:<br />
They all have to run, and run as long and as troublefree<br />
as possible. But this alone is not enough anymore.<br />
Traffic is increasing dramatically worldwide, and is<br />
considered the problem child of climate policy because,<br />
thus far, it has been unable to noticeably curb<br />
traffic-related greenhouse gas emissions.<br />
This is why future vehicles will also be assessed<br />
based on whether engineers and suppliers have<br />
exhausted all potential for the lowest possible fuel<br />
consumption and low emissions. Against this backdrop,<br />
chemically custom-designed additives can help<br />
ensure that advanced engines not only function<br />
optimally but also consume as little fuel as possible.<br />
Doing so is not only in the interest of the driver but<br />
also car manufacturers, engine developers, and the<br />
oil industry—all of whom must ensure that, in the<br />
future, vehicles offer substantially lower emission<br />
levels and greater environmental compatibility. Only<br />
then will traditional drive technologies continue to<br />
be relevant. 777<br />
Influence of the gear oil on gas consumption, measured as torque<br />
loss on the drive shaft. Here, too, comb polymers can help reduce<br />
gas consumption by another 0.5 percent compared to PAMA<br />
PAMA: 20 °C; 44 °C; efficiency = 95.2%<br />
Comb: 20 °C; 44 °C; efficiency = 95.7%<br />
Torque loss [Nm]<br />
5<br />
4<br />
3<br />
2<br />
●<br />
●<br />
●<br />
●<br />
DesIGnInG WItH PoLYMeRs 13<br />
1<br />
0 25 50<br />
75 100 125 150<br />
Applied torque [Nm]<br />
Boris eisenberg joined <strong>Evonik</strong>‘s Oil Additives<br />
Business Line in 1995, and currently works in product<br />
development in the Innovation Management unit.<br />
Since 2008, he has been responsible for product development<br />
with a focus on defined polymer architecture.<br />
Eisenberg holds a degree in chemical engineering from<br />
the University of Darmstadt (Germany) and is author<br />
of more than 20 patents and scientific publications.<br />
+49 6151 18-3028, boris.eisenberg@evonik.com<br />
Dr. torsten stöhr studied chemistry with a focus on<br />
polymer science at Johannes-Gutenberg University<br />
Mainz (Germany) and the University of Massachusetts<br />
at Amherst (United States). He earned his PhD at the<br />
Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz, at<br />
IBM Almaden Research Center in San Jose (California,<br />
USA), and at Stanford University in Palo Alto (California).<br />
He joined <strong>Evonik</strong> <strong>Industries</strong> in 2000, and came to<br />
the Oil Additives Business Line in 2002, where he<br />
worked on defined polymer architectures. Since 2008,<br />
he has been in charge of global product devel opment<br />
of all viscosity index improvers and pour point depressants<br />
of the business line.<br />
+49 6151 18-4743, torsten.stoehr@evonik.com<br />
Dr. Michael Müller is responsible for strategic marketing<br />
in the Oil Additives Business Line. After studying<br />
chemistry at the University of Freiburg and earning<br />
his doctorate there at the Institute for Macro molecular<br />
Chemistry in the working group of Prof. Gerhard<br />
Wegner, Müller started his career in 1984 at <strong>Evonik</strong><br />
Röhm GmbH. He held different positions in research,<br />
application engineering and technical service in the<br />
Acrylic Polymers and Oil Additives Busi ness Lines, including<br />
most recently Global Business Man ager Engine<br />
Oil and Driveline for Oil Additives, before moving to<br />
his current position.<br />
+49 6151 18-4573, michael.mueller.mm@evonik.com<br />
●<br />
●<br />
●<br />
●<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011
14 CAtALYsIs<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011<br />
Robust and selective:<br />
metathesis catalysts for<br />
oleochemical applications<br />
Metathesis plays a key role in oleochemistry to make renewable resources<br />
usable for the chemical industry. The metathesis catalysts used for this<br />
purpose must be robust and highly active to convert the raw material<br />
qualities, which are subject to frequent fluctuations and occasional contamination.<br />
The <strong>Evonik</strong> portfolio features two catalysts, catMETium® RF2<br />
and catMETium® RF3, that can solve this difficult task.<br />
[ text Dr. Renat Kadyrov ]<br />
MetAtHesIs Is A chemical reaction in which four<br />
atoms receive new bonding affiliates in a single step.<br />
Depending on the sub strate combination, it is distinguished<br />
between ring-closing metathesis (RCM),<br />
cross-metathesis (CM) and ring-opening metathesis<br />
polymerization (ROMP). The development of well<br />
defined catalytic systems for metathesis reactions<br />
won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2005.<br />
Today, metathesis is a highly significant method<br />
of the chemical industry, for instance in the development<br />
and production of modern plastics or of active<br />
pharmaceutical ingedients (fig. 1). Ring-closing metathesis<br />
is an elegant method for construction of macrocyclic<br />
ring systems and therefore is an indispensable<br />
reaction step in the synthesis of modern active pharmaceutical<br />
ingredients for the treatment of hepatitis<br />
C or cancer. Ring-opening metathesis polymerization<br />
is an effective method to produce specialty polymers<br />
for large, complex and corrosion-resistant components<br />
for automotive applications or chemical containers.<br />
In oleochemistry, metathesis reactions are<br />
used for functionalizing unsaturated fatty acid derivatives.<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> markets metathesis catalysts under the<br />
name of catMETium® RF (fig. 2). All catalysts are<br />
based on unsaturated N-heterocyclic carbene Ru<br />
complexes (Ru-NHC). The catalysts all share the<br />
characteristics of high temperature stability, high<br />
turn-over numbers (TON), and high selectivity.<br />
The metathesis of olefins plays a particularly important<br />
role in oleochemistry, since this technology<br />
allows for direct access to renewable resources and<br />
for their efficient use without creating any by-products.<br />
For example, metathesis turns triglycerides and<br />
unsaturated fatty acid derivatives (from palm, soy,<br />
canola or sunflower oil) into fine chemicals, functionalized<br />
monomers, polymers, biodegradable lubricants<br />
and specialty chemicals such as cosmetics.<br />
Cross metathesis of unsaturated fatty acids and<br />
acid esters with functionalized olefins, allow for accessing<br />
a diversity of double-functionalized olefins.<br />
These represent interesting raw materials for creating<br />
macrocyclical compounds, polyesters, polyamides,<br />
lubricants or surfactants for example. On the<br />
other hand, the non-functional olefins that are generated<br />
in the same process can be further converted to<br />
α-olefins, oil field chemicals, lubricant additives and<br />
waxes.<br />
Highly prized robustness and stability<br />
at high temperatures<br />
Metathesis catalysts for oleochemistry applications<br />
must have special properties for operating economically.<br />
catMETium® RF2 and catMETium® RF3 meet<br />
these requirements. They stand out for high tolerance<br />
for a variety of raw material qualities, fulfill ing an<br />
essential prerequisite for the use of renewable resources<br />
in oleochemistry.<br />
The thermal stability of catMETium® RF catalysts<br />
represents another advantage, which is especially important<br />
in equilibrium-limited cross-metathesis<br />
333
Figure 1<br />
Application areas of<br />
olefin metathesis<br />
Figure 2<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong>´s catMETium® RF<br />
product family<br />
Mes N N Mes<br />
Cl<br />
Cl<br />
Ru<br />
PCy 3<br />
Ph<br />
Pharma<br />
Ring-closing metathesis Cross metathesis<br />
Mes N N Mes<br />
Cl<br />
Cl<br />
Ru<br />
PCy 3<br />
S<br />
n<br />
+<br />
Ring-opening metathesis<br />
Me<br />
Mes<br />
N N<br />
Mes<br />
Cl<br />
Cl<br />
A A<br />
Ru<br />
PCy 3<br />
Me<br />
+ +<br />
S<br />
Y Y<br />
Cl<br />
Cl<br />
KAtALYse 15<br />
Oleochemistry<br />
n<br />
Antiviral active ingredients Functionalized oligomers<br />
Dosing of active<br />
ingredients<br />
Polymer<br />
Dental materials Coatings<br />
Bulk and<br />
special polymers<br />
Ph<br />
Ph N<br />
N<br />
N Ph<br />
catMETium® RF1 catMETium® RF2 catMETium® RF3 catMETium® RF4<br />
Ru<br />
PCy 3<br />
S<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011
16 CAtALYsIs<br />
Figure 3<br />
Homo metathesis of methyl oleate<br />
O<br />
O<br />
O<br />
O<br />
O<br />
O<br />
Figure 4<br />
Comparison of yield in C18 diester and C18 olefin<br />
in the homo metathesis of methyl oleate<br />
(catalyst loading 3 ppm, reaction time 2h)<br />
Theoretical conversion in case of thermodynamic<br />
equilibrium of homo metathesis<br />
catMETium® RF2<br />
Yield [%]<br />
60<br />
50<br />
40<br />
30<br />
20<br />
10<br />
0<br />
Yield in by-products/isomers<br />
Yield in C18 diester and C18 olefin<br />
Saturated Ru-NHC complex<br />
Yield [%]<br />
60<br />
50<br />
40<br />
30<br />
20<br />
10<br />
0<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011<br />
●<br />
●<br />
●<br />
●<br />
●<br />
+<br />
●<br />
●<br />
●<br />
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100<br />
Temperature [°C]<br />
● ●<br />
0 10 20<br />
●<br />
30 40<br />
●<br />
50 60<br />
●<br />
70 80 90<br />
●<br />
100<br />
Temperature [°C]<br />
●<br />
●<br />
333 or homo-metathesis. The high thermal stability of<br />
the catalysts allows for combining the catalytic metathesis<br />
step with thermal separation and to return<br />
non-converted starting materials to the process.<br />
The high thermal stability of RF catalysts is evident<br />
in the homo metathesis of methyl oleate, in<br />
which octadec-9-ene and dimethyl-9-octadec-9-ene-1,<br />
18-dioate are obtained in an equilibrium reaction (fig. 3).<br />
While saturated Ru-NHC complexes quickly degrade<br />
at temperatures just above 70 °C and therefore<br />
produce a wide range of by-products, the catalysts of<br />
the catMETium® RF technology show unparalleled<br />
thermal stability and robustness, even at temperatures<br />
above 100 °C.<br />
As a result, reaction speed and productivity significantly<br />
increase at high temperature (fig. 4). Even<br />
at high reaction temperatures, the catMETium® RF2<br />
catalyst achieves a turnover number of > 200,000<br />
with a selectivity of > 98 percent. With an integrated<br />
thermal separation of the products, the reaction equilibrium<br />
can be shifted toward higher volumes and<br />
yields without the risk of destroying the catalyst by<br />
thermal stress.<br />
Simple business model<br />
In addition to the excellent activity, selectivity, and<br />
robustness of the catMETium® RF technology in vari<br />
ous application areas, <strong>Evonik</strong> offers further added<br />
value with a clear, independent IP position that is also<br />
reflected in the business model. <strong>Evonik</strong> uses a simple<br />
proven business model to market the catMETium® RF<br />
catalysts that makes license agreements superfluous<br />
and allows for transparency. The total kilogram price<br />
for the catalysts includes all license fees for the use<br />
of intellectual property; customers have no further<br />
obligations.<br />
This business model is also reflected in the name,<br />
since the acronym RF stands for Royalty Free. This<br />
allows customers to make use of the new catalysts<br />
without any restrictions. 777<br />
Dr. Renat Kadyrov deals with synthesis,<br />
up-scaling and production of homogeneous<br />
catalysts at <strong>Evonik</strong>´s Catalysts<br />
Business Line. He received his PhD from<br />
Kazan Sate University in 1984 under<br />
direction of Professor Boris A. Arbuzov.<br />
Over the next ten years he worked at<br />
the University of Kazan. He was as postdoctoral<br />
fellow at the University Halle/<br />
Saale (West Germany, 1986/87) and<br />
in the Max-Planck-Group at Rostock<br />
University (1993/94). From 1994 he<br />
worked at the University of Greifswald<br />
and at the Institute of Catalysis at Rostock<br />
University before in 1999 he joined<br />
Aventis R&T. Since 2001 he has been<br />
an employee of <strong>Evonik</strong>.<br />
+49 6181 59-8710<br />
renat.kadyrov@evonik.com
Almost 5,000 km across Australia<br />
Pioneering trip by the Wind Explorer<br />
„We’Re InCReDIBLY proud. A dream has come true,“ comment<br />
ed German extreme sportsmen Dirk Gion and Stefan Simmerer<br />
at the end of their two-and-a-half week pioneering trip<br />
across Australia. The two piloted the Wind Explorer, a lightweight<br />
electric vehicle, from Albany on the Indian Ocean to Corpor<br />
ation in 17 days and set three new records during their roughly<br />
4,900 km trip: The first time a continent had been crossed by a<br />
vehicle power ed by wind and lithium-ion batteries, the longest<br />
overall distance covered by an exclusively wind-powered land<br />
vehicle, and the longest distance covered in 36 hours. „What‘s<br />
more it was resource-efficient and had virtually no impact on<br />
the climate,“ said Simmerer. The Wind Explorer was powered<br />
by lithium-ion batteries, recharged by a portable wind turbine<br />
whenever wind conditions permitted. The 200 kg vehicle therefore<br />
only notched up electricity costs of around €10 for the almost<br />
5,000 km trip.<br />
Gion and Simmerer came up with the idea for this recordbreaking<br />
trip last summer. Just weeks later they found the<br />
necessary partners in German industry, led by <strong>Evonik</strong> <strong>Industries</strong><br />
AG. <strong>Evonik</strong> provided the materials for the lightweight bodywork<br />
and the high-performance lithium-ion batteries. The battery<br />
pack with power of 8 kWh enabled the Wind Explorer to run<br />
for about 400 km in demanding temperatures of 60 °C. Dr. Klaus<br />
Engel, Chairman of <strong>Evonik</strong>‘s Executive Board, congratulated the<br />
team: „This was a tremendous achievement by Dirk Gion and<br />
Stefan Simmerer. It shows what pioneering spirit and German<br />
high-technology are capable of.“<br />
The special feature of the Wind Explorer is that it is an electric<br />
vehicle with its own mobile power supply. When the battery<br />
is empty, the pilots can recharge them via a portable wind turbine,<br />
if wind conditions allow, or via the conventional power network.<br />
It takes half an hour to erect the turbine and six-meter high<br />
ResouRCe effICIenCY 17<br />
The Wind Explorer pilot vehicle is a two-seated<br />
electromobile that weighs just 200 kilograms and<br />
with a range of 400 kilometers per battery charge.<br />
The bodywork consists mainly of a carbon fiber<br />
composite with ROHACELL® structural foam from<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong>. Its lithium-ion batteries, based on yet<br />
another <strong>Evonik</strong> technology, are charged by a mobile<br />
wind turbine or—in exceptional cases—in the<br />
conventional way from the power grid<br />
telescopic mast made of bamboo. In addition to wind power, the<br />
Wind Explorer can be driven by kites. In this way, the lightweight<br />
vehicle reached speeds of around 80 kph as it crossed the states<br />
of Western and South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales.<br />
The pilots started in Perth. Having carried out various tests<br />
during the first 500 km, the real trip began in Albany. For the<br />
first 800 km to Nullarbor Plain the Wind Explorer was driven<br />
entirely by electric power. Strong winds then enabled the pilots<br />
to use the kites. Finally the Wind Explorer achieved its best performance<br />
within 36 hours at the south coast, covering 493 km.<br />
„It‘s great to see how lightweight construction and lithium-ion<br />
technology can provide a response to the problem of global warming,“<br />
said Simmerer.<br />
The record trip from Albany to Sydney was not the first feat<br />
by Gion and Simmerer. Gion made headlines in 2004/2005 with<br />
the „Earthflyer“ kiteboard project in Australia and in 2006 as a<br />
water-skier towed by the “MS-Deutschland” cruise liner. In 1997<br />
Simmerer was the first person to cross Chang Tang, the Tibetan<br />
high plateau, and climb Zangser Kangri (6,551 meters). He has<br />
since led expeditions in South America, Africa and Kamchatka.<br />
Pioneering projects like the Wind Explorer are a good opportunity<br />
for German industrial companies to test their technology<br />
under extreme conditions and extend their technical edge.<br />
Competition is particularly tough in the automotive sector, which<br />
is increasingly turning its attention to electric and hybrid vehi -<br />
cles. New lightweight materials such as ROHACELL®, which was<br />
used in the Wind Explorer, and smart tire technologies that reduce<br />
rolling resistance are in great demand. However, the race<br />
for tomorrow‘s technology to power electric vehicles will be<br />
won principally by expertise in batteries. „Through our sub -<br />
sid iary Li-Tec we aim to become the European market leader in<br />
battery cells,“ said Engel. 777<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011
18 neWs<br />
Prize awarded in the 2011 nano+art competition<br />
What happens when art and science enter a dialogue, when space is<br />
given to the tensions and synergies between both disciplines? This<br />
year’s presentation of the prizes for the nano+art competition provided<br />
at least a visually impressive answer to these questions. In his<br />
speech at the presentation ceremony, Dr. Harald Schmidt, head of<br />
the strategic R&D unit Creavis Technologies & Innovation, stressed<br />
the importance of nanotechnology for <strong>Evonik</strong> and highlighted the<br />
great potential for development of new products and improved processes.<br />
2<br />
Second place and a check for €500 went to Aruna Ivaturi<br />
from the Nanoscience Centre of Cambridge University<br />
for her „Floral Bouquet“ (top right): „The multi-colored<br />
‘dandelions’ in this floral bouquet represent women all over the<br />
world—various shades of personality, character and identity,“<br />
explains Ivaturi. Her Floral Bouquet is a scanning electron micrograph<br />
of tin oxide nanorods grown by a hydrothermal method.<br />
The dominance of the homogeneous nucleus formation during<br />
growth leads to the formation of dandelions. The stunningly<br />
unusual architecture of these „flowers“ makes them promising<br />
candidates for electrode material in such products as low-cost<br />
batteries and solar cells for the energy storage and conversion<br />
markets.<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011<br />
3<br />
Third prize, which carried an award of<br />
€250, went to Claudia Mattheis for<br />
her “Dancer” (bottom right), a digital<br />
micrograph of electrospun polymer composite<br />
nanofibers. The thickened parts, and<br />
their interplay with the fibers, were interpreted<br />
as a pas sionate dancer, whose spirited<br />
movements can vibrate the surrounding<br />
area. This image addresses the theme of<br />
„Woman.“<br />
The competition invited entries from female students, graduates and<br />
young scientists working in the field of nanotechnology at universities,<br />
research institutes and other organizations in Germany and<br />
Europe. Entrants were asked to submit images from their research<br />
work on the themes of „Woman“ and „Man,“ with the ultimate goal<br />
of raising awareness of nanotechnology among the broader public<br />
and making it more understandable. This is why the Employer<br />
Branding unit of <strong>Evonik</strong> <strong>Industries</strong> has organized the event for the<br />
last six years.<br />
1With her entry “Opera Ball” (left), Julia Lambrecht<br />
from Kassel was the grand prize winner of this<br />
year’s nano+art competition, and grateful recipient<br />
of the €1,000 prize money. The winning image shows a<br />
photomicrograph of a crystallized organic semiconductor<br />
material. Some of the crystals formed on the surface<br />
of the substrate during preparation of an organic transistor.<br />
In this process, the development of the visible<br />
crystallites is an undesired side effect of the intended<br />
generation of organic semiconductor nanowires.
Study verifies effectiveness of conditioning agent against hair breakage<br />
Shampoos and conditioners that contain the<br />
new silicone conditioning agent ABIL® T Quat<br />
60 from <strong>Evonik</strong> significantly reduce hair fiber<br />
breakage. This is the result of a joint study by<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong>‘s Care Specialties Business Line and<br />
TRI/Princeton of Princeton (New Jersey,<br />
USA), a leading independent research institute<br />
largely devoted to the study of human<br />
hair. ABIL® T Quat 60 also provides outstanding<br />
conditioning features, such as easy combing<br />
and a superior feel in both wet and dry<br />
states. The conditioning agent is universally<br />
suitable for all shampoos and conditioners.<br />
Broken hair fibers are brittle, fray, and<br />
lead to the formation of unsightly split ends.<br />
As a result, they reduce the perception of hair<br />
smoothness, lower shine, and hinder a fluid,<br />
flowing motion. Because consumers rely on<br />
hair care products to solve this problem, improving<br />
the anti-hair breakage functionality<br />
of shampoos and conditioners is an important<br />
issue for the manufacturers of these products.<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> always substantiates its hair prod uct<br />
solutions through many hair performance<br />
tests. As the experts from <strong>Evonik</strong> and TRI/<br />
Princeton have proven, ABIL® T Quat 60<br />
reduces hair breakage in both shampoos and<br />
conditioners. Their joint study examined the<br />
breakage of hair that was treated with a<br />
shampoo and a conditioner containing ABIL®<br />
T Quat 60. The treated hair underwent defined<br />
tests that are often used to make claims<br />
regarding anti-breakage, strengthening, or<br />
Nitrogen oxide reduction: Lines made from<br />
VESTAMID® compounds satisfy requirements<br />
Illustration of catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> offers a variety of VESTAMID® polyamide<br />
12 compounds that help automobile<br />
manufacturers develop systems for reducing<br />
nitrogen oxide in diesel vehicles. All the grades<br />
offered by <strong>Evonik</strong> have performed excellently<br />
in tests, and some are already in use.<br />
A 32.5-percent aqueous solution of urea<br />
serves as the reducing agent in systems developed<br />
today by car makers for the selective<br />
catalytic reduction (SCR) of nitrogen oxides<br />
Hair breakage, as revealed by a<br />
scanning electron microscope<br />
from diesel engines. The VDA (German<br />
Association of the Automotive Industry) has<br />
registered this solution under the brand<br />
AdBlue®.<br />
At temperatures above 60 °C, water decomposes<br />
AdBlue®, yielding carbon diox ide<br />
and ammonia; the latter in turn reacts with<br />
nitrogen oxides, forming water and nitro gen<br />
and thus reducing the emission of nitrogen<br />
oxides by about 90 percent.<br />
neWs 19<br />
smoothness. All testing was performed on<br />
hair damaged in the standard way, and in -<br />
volved repeated combing with a custom-built<br />
automated grooming device, followed by<br />
counting the number of broken fibers. To ensure<br />
statistical relevance, the experts evaluated<br />
eight tresses per treatment. The results of<br />
the experiment show that the shampoo and<br />
conditioner formulations containing the new<br />
conditioning ingredient ABIL® T Quat 60 provide<br />
a dramatic anti-breakage benefit by 60%<br />
for shampoo and 88% for conditioner.<br />
The extreme effectiveness of ABIL® T<br />
Quat 60 against hair breakage is a result of<br />
its excellent substantivity to hair keratin. This<br />
silicone conditioning agent also provides<br />
impressive heat protection properties, longlasting<br />
color protection, and a clean, silky skin<br />
feel. It is highly suitable for use in conditioning<br />
shampoos, dandruff shampoos and conditioners,<br />
and even leave-in formulations and<br />
body washes.<br />
AdBlue® places heavy demands on lines in<br />
SCR systems. They must be resistant to urea<br />
and ammonia as well as any gas mixture flowing<br />
back from the catalyst. Because the urea<br />
solution is heated to up to 60 °C, but freezes<br />
with expansion at –11 °C, good hydrolytic<br />
resistance and bursting strength at higher<br />
temperatures are essential, along with high<br />
impact resistance and elasticity at low temper<br />
atures.<br />
Various VESTAMID® polyamide 12 compounds<br />
satisfy all these requirements. <strong>Evonik</strong><br />
helps car makers develop their individual systems<br />
by offering them a variety of products.<br />
All VESTAMID® compounds have been subjected<br />
to a recirculation test with AdBlue® at<br />
60 °C and 80 °C (with external air temperatures<br />
of 40 °C and 50 °C respectively) over<br />
a period of 5,000 hours, to check for any<br />
changes in their mechanical properties. All of<br />
the grades tested have excellent values for<br />
strain at break, bursting strength, and, in particular,<br />
low-temperature impact strength at<br />
–40 °C.<br />
Of all the grades tested, VESTAMID®<br />
LX9008 best satisfied all the requirements;<br />
VESTAMID® L2140 and X7293 are already<br />
being used in SCR systems.<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011
20 DesIGnInG WItH PoLYMeRs<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011<br />
PLEXIGLAS® stands up to glass in photovoltaics systems<br />
Green power made easy<br />
PLEXIGLAS® is transparent and formable, UV- and weather-resistant—an<br />
ideal material for manufacturing ultra-lightweight solar modules in shapes<br />
and colors that are in tune with design. Experts from <strong>Evonik</strong> and Sunovation<br />
are working together on lightweight-module solutions that open up completely<br />
new avenues to climate-friendly power generation in architecture,<br />
vehicle construction and city planning.<br />
[ text Peter Battenhausen, Markus Krall, Uwe Löffler, Andreas Wöll ]<br />
It is slated for mass-production this year: the SUNOVATION<br />
ECO TECHNICS carport. Developed by Sunovation and<br />
partners, the carport combines design with functionality. Its<br />
8-square-meter photovoltaics surface can generate about one<br />
kWp of electricity and cover the consumption needs of an<br />
electric urban vehicle driving about 40 kilometers a day.<br />
The power generated is fed into the network, and withdrawn<br />
again, when needed, via the integrated power plug. Specially<br />
fabricated for <strong>Evonik</strong>, the prototype shown in the photo has been<br />
installed in May 2011 on the premises of the Darmstadt site. To<br />
meet the design standards of this upscale carport, developers<br />
used PLEXIGLAS® materials in both the cover and carrier sheets
PLAstIC oR GLAss? This is the question that<br />
countless car manufacturers, architects, packaging<br />
designers, and city planners have racked their brains<br />
over. Often, the answer is pretty simple: Plastic wins<br />
out whenever weight or formability is a pivotal factor.<br />
Or put another way, plastic is the first choice if<br />
the focus is on fulfilling and implementing the design<br />
plans of the architect or designer.<br />
Interestingly enough, however, this question has<br />
played a minor role in photovoltaics (PV). The glasson-glass<br />
modules currently in use consist of a carrier<br />
sheet and a cover sheet made of glass. Depending on<br />
the structural specifications for the glass strength,<br />
these standard systems have one grave drawback:<br />
Each square meter of glass module weighs at least<br />
20 kilograms. In comparison, PV modules based on<br />
PLEXIGLAS® weigh half as much. Indeed, this is why<br />
many construction projects fail to exploit the potential<br />
of photovoltaics. A case in point is renovating<br />
existing buildings to make them more energy-efficient.<br />
The existing substructure is unable to bear the<br />
additional static loads of the glass modules.<br />
Lightweight construction: an<br />
attractive niche in photovoltaics<br />
Conventional glass modules are, therefore, of limited<br />
use on account of their weight. Obviously, then, the<br />
glass has to be replaced with a transparent, resistant,<br />
but above all lightweight material. This is where Elsenfeld,<br />
Germany-based Sunovation GmbH began its<br />
work. The company has been devoting itself to lightweight<br />
construction modules for over 15 years and<br />
has been successful at carving a niche for itself 333<br />
DesIGnInG WItH PoLYMeRs 21<br />
The Alstersonne, a solar<br />
catamaran that has sailed<br />
the Alster since the year<br />
2000. Sunovation has<br />
installed its modules on a<br />
total of four of these<br />
catamarans, which are<br />
operated in Heidelberg,<br />
Hannover, and on Lake<br />
Constance, in addition<br />
to Hamburg. The<br />
PLEXIGLAS® solar<br />
modules form a curved,<br />
partially transparent roof<br />
on the catamarans.<br />
Their low-weight, high<br />
weather resistance,<br />
and formability make<br />
them especially useful for<br />
overhead applications<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011
22 DesIGnInG WItH PoLYMeRs<br />
The world‘s largest lightweight solar module with a cover sheet made of<br />
PLEXIGLAS®. The module measures 1.58 meters by 4 meters and has a maximum<br />
power of about 880 Wp. The true record, however, is its low weight. The<br />
SUNOVATION® module weighs only 80 kilograms, which makes it over 60<br />
percent lighter than a glass-glass module of this size for overhead use. In addition,<br />
with a U-value less than 1 W/m²K, the module boasts excellent heat-insulation<br />
properties. The module exhibits outstanding structural properties, can withstand<br />
high mechanically applied loads, and excels with its durable, highly transparent<br />
and scratch-resistant surface<br />
Schematic structure of a SUNOVATION® module<br />
●<br />
Base sheet<br />
Transparent<br />
plastic<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011<br />
Cell-connector<br />
technology<br />
Solar cells<br />
(crystalline or<br />
thin-film<br />
technologies)<br />
333 in the photovoltaics market. Currently, Sunovation<br />
is the only company that produces lightweight solar<br />
modules from plastic, keeps advancing their development,<br />
and has gained a wealth of experience in the<br />
field worldwide. A host of applications—bus stops,<br />
golf carts, and solar portholes for boats, the solar catamaran<br />
Alstersonne in Hamburg, the solar butterfly<br />
in Freiburg, which supplies energy to a radio tower,<br />
and the largest lightweight solar module in the world,<br />
measuring 1.5 meters by 4 meters—testify to the<br />
company‘s success.<br />
The best possible material for the lightweight<br />
mod ules is poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA), which<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> <strong>Industries</strong> has sold for over 75 years under the<br />
PLEXIGLAS® trademark. PLEXIGLAS® stands out<br />
from other plastics by virtue of its longevity, high<br />
UV- and weather resistance, high light transmission,<br />
and its outstanding surface hardness. As a thermoplast,<br />
it can be handled and processed by all shaping<br />
methods and is completely recyclable.<br />
PMMA for freedom of design<br />
In addition to its low weight, PMMA has another key<br />
property that makes it superior to glass as a carrier<br />
sheet for solar cells. The modules can be produced in<br />
any shape desired. They can be easily bent into a roof<br />
over a bus stop or into a gently arching roof construction<br />
on solar boats, and they can be used in noise<br />
barrier constructions over express train and subway<br />
tracks, individually shaped for high-tech, power-<br />
generating façades. The lightweight modules are installed<br />
either cold-formed, in which the module is<br />
clamped into an existing space, or following treatment<br />
in a heating furnace, in which it is shaped into<br />
its final three-dimensional form with the help of<br />
forming tools.<br />
With its lightweight modules, Sunovation has<br />
opened up new areas of application in photovoltaics.<br />
Permanently<br />
elastic multicomponent<br />
gel<br />
●<br />
Cover sheet<br />
Transparent<br />
plastic<br />
SS =^ Solid sheet<br />
MWS =^ Multi-wall sheet<br />
4 mm<br />
approx. 3 mm<br />
SS: 2 – 30 mm<br />
MWS: 6 – 32 mm<br />
GRAPHIC: SUNOVATION
The façade of the Photovoltaics Information<br />
Center (PIZ) in Gelsenkirchen. The vertical<br />
shading “gills” are made of holographic mirrors<br />
that focus the sunlight onto the interior<br />
SUNOVATION® modules. Another unique<br />
feature is that the gills can be adjusted to the<br />
sun’s position and aligned accordingly. This<br />
allows regulation of shade for the interior<br />
spaces behind them<br />
The substructures of buildings can be designed to<br />
weigh less and use fewer materials. When existing<br />
buildings are modernized, a relatively weak substructure<br />
is no longer a problem. Vehicles can be designed<br />
with curved roofs or interior constructions<br />
that supply power to the on-board system or battery<br />
and add no weight to the vehicle.<br />
Advanced technology from Sunovation<br />
Sunovation modules basically consist of three layers.<br />
The upper cover sheet and the lower carrier sheet<br />
are both made of transparent plastic, but the carrier<br />
sheet can be a solid or a multi-wall sheet. Between<br />
these layers is a special permanently elastic multicomponent<br />
silicone-based gel in which the photoactive<br />
solar cells are embedded. The solar cells float,<br />
as it were, in the gel and are decoupled from the<br />
carrier sheet and cover sheet. 333<br />
stRenGtHenInG sALes<br />
DesIGnInG WItH PoLYMeRs 23<br />
Plastic modules for the<br />
international market<br />
Photovoltaics is a global business. This is why small, innovative<br />
companies do well to look for internationally active partners to<br />
strengthen their marketing position. Sunovation has therefore<br />
established a joint venture with MAGE AG to market polymerbased<br />
lightweight modules more effectively in other countries<br />
with great potential for photovoltaics. A subsidiary of MAGE<br />
AG, MAGE Solar GmbH, headquartered in Regensburg, specializes<br />
in marketing OEM-produced mono- and polycrystalline<br />
standard modules. Another subsidiary of MAGE AG produces<br />
for the systemic completion of solar panels on the substructures<br />
and installation systems designed for PV modules. The company<br />
is active throughout Germany and eleven other countries, including<br />
France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Slovakia, and the<br />
United States, the key market of the future.<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011
24 DesIGnInG WItH PoLYMeRs<br />
Built by the Venturi<br />
company in 2007, the<br />
car with integrated<br />
solar roof made of<br />
SUNOVATION®<br />
modules can be<br />
marveled at in Monaco.<br />
The monocrystalline<br />
solar cells supply<br />
maximum power of<br />
150 Wp<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011<br />
333 The gel not only holds the solar cells in place but<br />
plays a central role in the forces that occur during<br />
forming. It consists of several components, and can<br />
be adapted to the shearing forces that occur during<br />
forming through formula modification—depending on<br />
how strong the sheets should be and whether the carrier<br />
is designed to be solid or hollow. The forces are<br />
evenly distributed over the gel, which transfers the<br />
mechanical load to the cells. Both crystalline and<br />
amorphous silicon is used for the solar cells, but thinfilm<br />
and dye cells are also possible.<br />
The first PLEXIGLAS® roofs with integrated solar<br />
cells by Sunovation were installed more than thirteen<br />
years ago. But back then, photovoltaics was still not<br />
a generally accepted form of renewable power generation.<br />
The only people interested in using PV modules<br />
were committed environmentalists and a few trailblazers.<br />
Since then, the times have changed dramatically.<br />
An increasing number of architects and developers<br />
have now gone in for “green building”—the idea of<br />
building private and public buildings as sustainably<br />
and ecologically as possible. A vital component of<br />
green building is recyclable modern construction materials<br />
and environmentally and climate-friendly<br />
energy supply. This also applies to energy-efficient<br />
renovation and modernization of existing buildings,<br />
which plays an important role in the energy concept<br />
of the German federal government.<br />
In green building, lightweight modules not only<br />
generate energy, but play additional roles: they pro-<br />
The latest version of PLEXIGLAS® Solar (0Z023) is even better<br />
adapted to the absorption spectrum of solar cells. It blocks<br />
sunlight below 350 nanometers, which damages the solar cells<br />
and cannot be converted into electricity anyway. At a wavelength<br />
of 350 to 400 nanometers, however, it allows more high-energy<br />
photons to pass through than other transparent plastics, thereby<br />
increasing the electricity yield of the solar module<br />
Transmission [%]<br />
100<br />
90<br />
80<br />
70<br />
60<br />
50<br />
40<br />
30<br />
20<br />
10<br />
vide roofing, thermal insulation and sound insulation,<br />
and create shade. To put it another way, why produce<br />
expensive roofs or façades that you have to equip with<br />
modules and thermal protection systems when all of<br />
your key requirements can be met with multi-functional<br />
solar modules?<br />
High potential in<br />
the automotive industry<br />
A revolution similar to that in the construction industry<br />
can be observed right now in the automotive<br />
industry. The vehicles of the future are no longer<br />
being developed and marketed based solely on technical<br />
and aesthetic criteria. To reduce traffic emissions<br />
and allow the industry to meet its climate obligations,<br />
the fleet of the future will have to consist of<br />
ultra-light and eco-friendly (electric) vehicles. A<br />
higher plastic content and regenerative energy supply<br />
will be key features.<br />
Because the components have to meet the high<br />
standards of safety, durability, and quality exacted by<br />
mobile applications, the use of photovoltaics in vehicles<br />
poses a special challenge. Several renowned<br />
automakers are currently experimenting with solaractive<br />
roofs. Integrative plastic-based PV solutions<br />
have already been realized multiple times in concept<br />
cars.<br />
But electromobility covers far more than just the<br />
vehicle alone. Eco-friendly driving also goes handin-hand<br />
with today’s charging stations. Together with<br />
PLEXIGLAS® Solar 0Z023/PLEXIGLAS® Solar IM20—3mm<br />
UV blocking standard PMMA grade—3mm<br />
III-V cell spectral response<br />
0<br />
250 300 350 400 450 500<br />
Wavelength [nm]
its partners, Sunovation has developed the SUNOVA-<br />
TION ECO TECHNICS carport, a carport with integrated<br />
LED lighting that generates emissions-free<br />
electricity, thanks to curved PLEXIGLAS® modules<br />
that are a part of the roof. With a total surface measuring<br />
approximately eight square meters, the modules<br />
have maximum power of over 1 kWp. Compared to<br />
glass-glass modules, PLEXIGLAS® leads to weight<br />
savings of over 60 percent and allows delicate, aesthetically<br />
pleasing construction. A prototype of the<br />
carport has begun operation in May 2011 on the<br />
grounds of <strong>Evonik</strong> in Darmstadt.<br />
With Solar Carport, Sunovation and its roughly<br />
20 employees are planning to take the plunge into<br />
mass-production. There is every reason to believe<br />
the carport will be a success. Its modular construction<br />
makes it easily expandable for large-scale applications,<br />
and installing it is incredibly simple. It can be<br />
set up on any even, stable substrate without a foundation<br />
and without a construction permit. Sunovation<br />
will even take back used solar modules and recycle<br />
them.<br />
As these examples show, efficient products and<br />
systems tailored to a specific application are possible<br />
only through close cooperation between customers<br />
and material manufacturers. <strong>Evonik</strong> and Sunovation<br />
are currently studying the effect of various plastics<br />
on the performance of solar cells. For this purpose,<br />
nine modules are being measured and compared for<br />
their endurance on a test bench under real outdoor<br />
weathering conditions. The plastics used in the panels<br />
include conventional PLEXIGLAS®, polycarbonate,<br />
and PLEXIGLAS® Solar, which is optimized for modules.<br />
The latter is a newly developed PMMA that<br />
shows improved transmission in the short-wave UV<br />
range. It allows high-energy radiation of between 350<br />
and 380 nanometers to pass through far better than<br />
other plastics. Consequently, more high-energy photons<br />
reach the solar cells and can be converted into<br />
electricity.<br />
Low weight, optimal transmission, and high UV-<br />
and weather resistance are the main reasons why<br />
PLEXIGLAS® Solar was used as the cover sheet for<br />
the world‘s largest lightweight design module, which<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> presented at the K trade fair for plastics in the<br />
fall of 2010. The module is 1.58 meters wide, four meters<br />
long, and weighs only 80 kilograms.<br />
In the future, renewable power generation could<br />
become as commonplace as today‘s coal- and gas-fired<br />
power plants. Cars would be refueled with climatefriendly<br />
green electricity, buildings would be designed<br />
with power- and heat-generating façades and<br />
roofs, and in cities, emissions-free public transport<br />
would be the norm. But visions of this kind can become<br />
a reality only if high-tech and design are intelligently<br />
combined, that is, when material and function<br />
interact closely with one another.<br />
For this to happen, materials manufacturers, developers<br />
and customers along the entire value-added<br />
chain must cooperate and promote innovations to-<br />
gether. Freely formable PLEXIGLAS® based solar modules<br />
are opening up a highly promising but challenging<br />
new field of application. The modules have to do<br />
more than just generate power efficiently and reliab ly.<br />
They must also fulfill the aesthetic expectations of<br />
architects, developers and customers, and as hightech<br />
products, withstand the influences of wind and<br />
weather over many years. The partnership between<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> and Sunovation is one example of how to leverage<br />
the potential of advanced materials both economically<br />
and ecologically, while simultaneously<br />
meeting the demands of aesthetics, performance and<br />
sustainability. 777<br />
DesIGnInG WItH PoLYMeRs 25<br />
Peter Battenhausen,<br />
business development manager<br />
for the Acrylic Polymers<br />
Business Line, works primarily<br />
with solar applications for<br />
PLEXIGLAS®.<br />
+49 6151 18-4519<br />
peter.battenhausen@<br />
evonik.com<br />
Markus Krall<br />
is founder and shareholder<br />
of Sunovation GmbH. In 1997,<br />
Krall developed the current<br />
SUNOVATION® module in<br />
cooperation with <strong>Evonik</strong> Röhm<br />
GmbH based on a feasibility<br />
study.<br />
+49 60 22 70 99-13<br />
mk@sunovation.de<br />
uwe Löffler<br />
is responsible for the International<br />
Market Segment Solar<br />
in <strong>Evonik</strong>’s Acrylic Polymers<br />
Business Line.<br />
+49 6151 18-3010<br />
uwe.loeffler@evonik.com<br />
Andreas Wöll<br />
is general manager of<br />
Sunovation GmbH and has<br />
extensive experience in photovoltaics<br />
and solar thermal<br />
technology. He is primarily responsible<br />
for the rebuilding<br />
of the company, further development<br />
of Sunovation technology,<br />
and the development of<br />
a more efficient and powerful<br />
production process.<br />
+49 6151 18-3010<br />
aw@sunovation.de<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011
26 BIoteCHnoLoGY<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> BioTechDay<br />
On a growth course<br />
White biotechnology has become an indispensable part of the chemical industry.<br />
But experts agree: the field is still in its infancy. High double-digit growth rates<br />
and key strategic decisions show that industrial biotechnology will replace even<br />
more conventional petrochemical processes. At <strong>Evonik</strong>’s BioTechDay in March,<br />
some 200 participants discussed the opportunities this will create.<br />
[ text Dr. Thomas Haas, Dr. Jan Pfeffer ]<br />
Biofuel, cosmetics or<br />
biopolymers: The desire<br />
to replace fossil raw<br />
materials has dramatically<br />
increased demand for<br />
renewable carbon sources
foR YeARs, It was impossible to imagine how a chemical industry<br />
could get along without oil. But because of finite deposits,<br />
political uncertainties, and technological advancement, the industry<br />
has given more and more thought to new approaches, and<br />
for some applications, has already developed competitive or even<br />
better alternatives to petrochemical products. Thanks to microorganisms<br />
and enzymes, biotechnological processes increasingly<br />
enable the development of products such as biofuels, polymers<br />
and solvents based on renewable raw materials.<br />
“About ten percent of the world market for chemical products<br />
is now produced with the help of biotechnologically produced<br />
substances,” said Patrik Wohlhauser, the member of the Board<br />
of <strong>Evonik</strong> <strong>Industries</strong> AG with responsibility for innovation management,<br />
at the opening of BioTechDay, which was held March<br />
9–10 in Marl. “<strong>Evonik</strong> now generates about eight percent of its<br />
sales from white biotechnology, with high growth rates.”<br />
Nearly 200 participants at the event learned about the potential<br />
of biotechnology for the chemical industry. There was also<br />
a Product Marketplace, featuring classical biobased products,<br />
such as amino acids and cosmetic active ingredients, as well as<br />
new developments from <strong>Evonik</strong>, which are already established<br />
in this market. The Group has special expertise in developing<br />
strains, fermentation, and in processing bioproducts.<br />
With its Biotechnology Science-to-Business Center (S2B Bio),<br />
Creavis strategic research and development unit for basic<br />
research activities, and its Biotechnology Area of Competence,<br />
in which <strong>Evonik</strong> bundles its cross-business-unit biotechnological<br />
know-how, the Group has positioned itself well in these areas.<br />
“The dream of creating a product in a single cell is impossible in<br />
classical chemistry. But thanks to biotechnology, it is becoming<br />
a reality,” said Dr. Thomas Haas, head of the S2B Bio and organizer<br />
of the convention.<br />
With biotechnology <strong>Evonik</strong> has expanded its technology portfolio<br />
to foster the growth fields of resource efficiency, nutrition<br />
and health, as well as the globalization of technologies. “Our innovation<br />
projects are allowing us to move further and further<br />
into the so-called emerging markets,” said Dr. Peter Nagler, head<br />
of Innovation Management Chemicals & Creavis at <strong>Evonik</strong>.<br />
Biotechnology requires patience<br />
It took longer for biotechnology to get where it is now than<br />
consultants predicted ten to 15 years ago, when a 25 or even 40<br />
percent share of the world market in 2010 seemed possible. Technological<br />
hurdles, radically altered industrial value-added chains<br />
that called for new partnerships, and market mechanisms for<br />
raw materials meant that companies had to design highly targeted<br />
and flexible biotechnology strategies.<br />
“Theoretically, hundreds of chemicals and plastics can be<br />
man ufactured from renewable raw materials, but up to now,<br />
only a small number actually have,“ added Dr. Hanns Martin<br />
Kaiser, consultant at McKinsey & Company. He described the<br />
reasons for this, and the situation in industrial biotechnology in<br />
his presentation. In the past, bio-related sales were generated<br />
The Product Marketplace at the <strong>Evonik</strong> BioTechDay<br />
provided material for discussion<br />
BIoteCHnoLoGY 27<br />
mainly in biofuels, plant extracts and natural rubber. “Bio-based<br />
chemicals may be relevant to a broad spectrum of market participants,“<br />
says Kaiser. “But right now, virtually no manufacturer<br />
can cover the value chain alone. This means that partnerships<br />
are essential.“ Kaiser cited five forces driving continued growth<br />
in this sector: cost competitiveness, flexible use of raw materials,<br />
consumer demand, technological innovations, and pressure<br />
from public authorities.<br />
Trend in raw material prices means<br />
substantial planning uncertainty<br />
The costs for biotechnologically manufactured products are increasingly<br />
competitive with those of classical petrochemistry.<br />
“Until now, the prices of crude oil and raw sugar, for example,<br />
haven’t had much to do with each other,” said Kaiser. But this<br />
also means that it is hard to predict when a biotechnological<br />
process will be cheaper than a petrochemical process, 333<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011
28 BIoteCHnoLoGY<br />
According to estimates, the chemical industry generates about 7 percent of its sales revenues<br />
in biotechnology. Major segments are biofuels, plant extracts, and natural rubber<br />
€ billions<br />
1,745<br />
(100%)<br />
Sales chemical industry 2008 Bio-dependent sales 2008<br />
1,619<br />
(93%)<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011<br />
126<br />
(7%)<br />
Share in biotechnology<br />
sales in € billions<br />
1 In 2008 only selected regions of world markets available; updated based on 2010 split<br />
1<br />
3<br />
2<br />
5<br />
4<br />
7<br />
9<br />
18<br />
37<br />
40<br />
Product class<br />
Biofuels<br />
Plant extracts 1<br />
Natural rubber<br />
Food/feed ingredients<br />
Pharmaceutical ingredients<br />
Oleochemicals<br />
Polyols<br />
Enzymes<br />
Bioplastics<br />
Others<br />
‘The Pull’ of the U.S. Renewable Fuels Standard<br />
‘The pull’ has advanced worldwide technology innovation that continues to evolve and improve through<br />
government funding and led to increase venture capital and public and private company funding<br />
Mrd. Liter<br />
140<br />
120<br />
100<br />
80<br />
60<br />
40<br />
20<br />
0<br />
2006<br />
Examples<br />
Ethanol<br />
Biodiesel<br />
Hydrocolloids (gums, industrial starches, etc.)<br />
Essential oils<br />
Flavors and fragrances<br />
Rubber (isoprene, etc.)<br />
Organic acids (citric acid, lactic acid, etc.)<br />
Amino acids<br />
Vitamins<br />
Enzymatic APIs<br />
Biologics<br />
Natural fatty acids<br />
Fatty alcohol<br />
Surfactants<br />
Sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol<br />
Glycerol<br />
Detergent enzymes<br />
Grain processing enzymes<br />
PLA, PHA<br />
Starch based plastics, etc.<br />
Other specialties<br />
R&D services<br />
Renewable fuels 1 (unclassified) – 1st generation<br />
Advanced biofuels 2 – 3rd & 4th generation Biomass-based biodiesel 3 Cellulosic biofuels 4 – 2nd generation<br />
Source: SRI, F.O. Licht, Frost & Sullivan, Press search<br />
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022<br />
1 Includes all types of biofuel<br />
2 Biofuels other than corn-based ethanol with GHG savings >50%<br />
3 Biodiesel with GHG savings >50%<br />
4 Lignocellulosic biofuel with GHG savings >60%<br />
GRAPHIC: MCKINSEY & COMPANY<br />
GRAPHIC: CARGILL<br />
Quelle: U.S. Renewable Fuels Standard
333 particularly since the situation could change several times<br />
over the course of the years, depending on the trend in raw<br />
mate rial prices. Moreover, biotechnologically produced chemicals<br />
are not necessarily superior when it comes to reducing CO2 emissions. It depends on the method of production.<br />
On the other hand, the legislation enacted in recent years and<br />
government subsidies have unquestionably favored advancement<br />
of biotechnology. “Because of these measures, there is a good<br />
chance that the scope of industrial production will double in the<br />
next few years,“ said Kaiser. Nevertheless, this should not give<br />
people false hope. Aside from the high investment required, the<br />
long time-to-market, and society’s skepticism regarding sustainability,<br />
so far very few products based on biotechnology that<br />
enable new functionalities have successfully been placed on the<br />
market.<br />
Martin Todd, managing director of LMC International, illustrated<br />
just how complex the decision for or against a certain raw<br />
material for a biotechnological process can be. The British company<br />
is a consultant to companies in agribusiness all over the<br />
world. “The demand for renewable carbon sources is increasing<br />
rapidly, thanks to fast economic growth and the desire to replace<br />
fossil sources.” As a result, raw material prices have climbed because<br />
arable land has had to be expanded to create „more expensive<br />
areas,“ the rising cost of crude oil has increased the production<br />
costs of farmers, and because of the widespread use of<br />
biofuels, whose prices directly correlate with rising crude oil<br />
prices.<br />
“This is why the prices for renewable carbon sources will<br />
follow those of fossil carbon sources,” said Todd. The dynamics<br />
vary, however, for reasons that include energy content (when<br />
compared to crude oil, vegetable oils have a 1 to 1 content, while<br />
ethanol is 0.7 to 1 in the same comparison), the pricing politics<br />
of the Brazilian government, which mean that fuel prices in that<br />
country can differ greatly from world prices, and economically<br />
attractive byproducts (such as glycerin) that occur in the production<br />
of biofuels. “Because of their high energy content,<br />
vegetable oils are likely to be more expensive than carbohydrates,<br />
especially because they are many times more land intensive<br />
and their potential crop areas are geographically limited,”<br />
BIoteCHnoLoGY 29<br />
The technology demonstra<br />
tion facility of Butamax,<br />
a joint venture of<br />
BP and DuPont, with a<br />
specified nominal capacity<br />
of 37,000 liters<br />
biobutanol per year<br />
said Todd. “When it comes to carbohydrates, a resource like sugar<br />
cane is a less obvious topic for the ‚Food vs. Fuel‘ debate, but<br />
it also requires arable land, obviously.”<br />
Simplified production processes,<br />
thanks to biocatalysts<br />
Jack Staloch does not believe that there is a food shortage currently,<br />
but does believe that “food is lacking in the right places.”<br />
Staloch is a vice president of the agricultural multinational Cargill,<br />
and worldwide head of the Biotechnology Development<br />
Center. For the last four years, there has been a law in the United<br />
States that stipulates a threefold increase in the use of biofuels<br />
as a share of fuel consumption by 2022. Fifty billion liters were<br />
produced in the United States last year—half of the world‘s production,<br />
and more biofuel than ever before.<br />
Owing to its biotechnological expertise, Cargill is also active<br />
in this segment, though it is far from its only field of activity.<br />
“Biotechnology accounts for about four percent of our sales,”<br />
said Staloch. The company has core competencies in fermentation,<br />
enzymes, separation and engineering. “Thanks to biotechnology,<br />
we can develop new products and processes, or<br />
lower production costs,” said Staloch.<br />
A good example is the production of lactic acid. To extract<br />
lactic acid following bacterial production, lime and sulfuric acid<br />
had to be added to the fermentation broth. But with Cargill’s<br />
newly developed yeast bacteria, sugar can now be fermented to<br />
lactic acid without the same amount of additional chemicals—and<br />
at the same production rates and yields. To find the right biocatalyst,<br />
Cargill researchers tested about 1,200 yeast strains.<br />
They then modified the best candidates before ultimately transferring<br />
the fermentation to the production level. “We also recognized,<br />
however, that this yeast strain makes a good fermentation<br />
platform for other applications,” said Staloch, “such as<br />
organic acids for plastics and synthetic fibers.”<br />
Ray W. Miller, Global Business Development Manager in the<br />
Applied Bio Sciences Division at DuPont, stressed that chemical<br />
companies operating in the field of biotechnology have to have<br />
a lot of patience. A pioneer in industrial biotechnology,<br />
333<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011
30 BIoteCHnoLoGY<br />
Butamax‘ de novo pathway to produce biobutanol<br />
with a modified yeast strain<br />
2 NAD +<br />
2 NADH<br />
2<br />
2 NADH<br />
2 NAD +<br />
Sugar<br />
X<br />
2 Ethanol + 2 CO 2<br />
333 Miller made no secret of the fact that it took some time before<br />
the decision-makers of his own company were ready to commit<br />
to biotechnology. “Today, even the American consumer is<br />
demanding green products,” said Miller with a touch of selfderision.<br />
Technology platforms expand<br />
the fields of application<br />
Citing the example of 1,3-propandiol, a glycol produced biotechnologically<br />
from glucose, he explained that sales remained low<br />
from 2000 to 2006 but then rose dramatically in 2007. “Our annual<br />
growth rates now average 50 percent,“ said Miller. Moreover,<br />
DuPont is building its Sorona® polymer platform on biopropandiol—a<br />
business that used to be the domain of petrochemistry.<br />
These kinds of polymers enable highly dimensionally<br />
stable clothing, durable car seat covers, as well as plastic resins<br />
that protect against moisture and odors. DuPont supplies other<br />
biotechnologically produced materials in such indus tries as<br />
cosmetics, packaging, polymers and biofuels. Together with<br />
the energy company BP, DuPont has established the joint venture<br />
Butamax, which is now developing a second-generation<br />
biofuel.<br />
Dr. Elke Hofmann, Commercial Director Europe at Butamax<br />
Advanced Biofuels, stressed the importance of such biofuels,<br />
which have a higher energy content than bioethanol. “One of<br />
the biggest weaknesses of bioethanol is its 30 to 40 percent<br />
lower energy content compared to conventional fuels,” said Hofmann.<br />
“The energy content of biobutanol, on the other hand, is<br />
closer to the values of conventional fuels.” So Butamax embarked<br />
on a quest for the right butanol molecule. After intensive<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011<br />
O O O<br />
ALS KARI<br />
O<br />
Pyruvate<br />
OH<br />
CO 2<br />
OH<br />
OH<br />
Acetolactate<br />
Biomass<br />
HO<br />
HO<br />
O<br />
OH<br />
O<br />
DHAD<br />
2 e<br />
O O<br />
– , 2 H +<br />
H2O OH<br />
OH<br />
Dihydroxyisovalerate<br />
O<br />
OH<br />
KivD<br />
CO 2<br />
© Butamax TM Advanced Biofuels LLC<br />
research, isobutanol was selected in 2004. “We tested hundreds<br />
of different molecules,” said Hofmann. Butamax produces the<br />
butanol with a modified yeast strain. Biobutanol shows advantages<br />
along the entire value-added chain including the ability to<br />
be more easily blended than ethanol at the refinery.<br />
In 2007, butanol successfully passed a fleet test that included<br />
vehicles from model years as early as the 1990s. So in 2009, the<br />
company began construction on a pilot plant in Hull (England),<br />
with a specified nominal capacity of 37,000 liters per year. The<br />
plant is currently in the start-up phase. “We plan to start<br />
marketing the biobutanol in the United States in 2013 with plans<br />
to expand to Europe,“ announced Hofmann. 777<br />
O<br />
ADH<br />
2 e<br />
H<br />
– , 2 H +<br />
α-Ketoisovalerate Isobutanal Biobutanol<br />
OH<br />
Dr. thomas Haas<br />
heads <strong>Evonik</strong>´s Biotechnology<br />
Science-to-Business Center<br />
which is under the direction of<br />
Creavis Technologies &<br />
Innovation.<br />
+49 2365 49-2004<br />
thomas.haas@evonik.com<br />
Dr. Jan Pfeffer<br />
works as Project Manager<br />
Research and Development<br />
in the Biotechnology Scienceto-Business<br />
Center.<br />
+49 2365 49-5457<br />
jan.pfeffer@evonik.com
Robust, flexible, and<br />
fast drying: the<br />
new clear coating<br />
technol ogy from <strong>Evonik</strong><br />
Two-component (2K) PUR coatings were formerly<br />
regarded as the global benchmark for high-grade<br />
coatings. They are particularly weather and chemical<br />
resistant, and the hardness-to-elasticity ratio is right.<br />
Another advantage is that they cure at room temperature.<br />
In certain applications, however, the abrasion<br />
resistance of the coating films leaves much to be desired.<br />
The new polysilane system developed by <strong>Evonik</strong><br />
offers many of the advantages of 2K PUR coatings,<br />
and it is at the same time especially tough.<br />
With this development, <strong>Evonik</strong> has solved a problem<br />
that persisted for a long time. In the past, many<br />
silane-based coatings lacked the desired flexibility,<br />
due to their high crosslinking density and high SiO 2<br />
content. <strong>Evonik</strong>‘s new coatings show none of the<br />
unwanted brittleness. This result was achieved by<br />
developing a resin concept based on oligomeric silane<br />
resins in combination with acrylate polyols with a<br />
balanced ratio of organic and inorganic components.<br />
An important feature is that, because of the high<br />
reactivity of polysilanes toward water and polyols,<br />
these coatings are processed as two-component<br />
systems.<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> has also developed a novel catalyst concept<br />
for its new coatings. Thanks to this development, the<br />
polysilane coatings cure rapidly even at room temperature.<br />
The new coatings thus provide a genuine alternative<br />
to the current standard.<br />
Credits<br />
Publisher<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> Degussa GmbH<br />
Innovation Management<br />
Chemicals & Creavis<br />
Rellinghauser Straße 1–11<br />
45128 Essen<br />
Germany<br />
scientific Advisory Board<br />
Dr. Norbert Finke<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> Degussa GmbH<br />
Innovation Management<br />
Chemicals & Creavis<br />
norbert.finke@evonik.com<br />
editor in Chief<br />
Dr. Karin Aßmann<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> Services GmbH<br />
Konzernredaktion<br />
karin.assmann@evonik.com<br />
Contribution editors<br />
Christa Friedl<br />
Michael Vogel<br />
Design<br />
Michael Stahl, Munich (Germany)<br />
Photos<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> <strong>Industries</strong><br />
Karsten Bootmann<br />
Dieter Debo<br />
Tim Wegner<br />
Stefan Wildhirt<br />
Sunovation (p. 21, 23, 24)<br />
Butamax (p. 29)<br />
Stuwil/Fotolia (title)<br />
Pinnacle Pictures/Getty Images<br />
(p. 4 top)<br />
Stefan Richter/Fotolia (p. 8)<br />
Nazira/Fotolia (p.11)<br />
slobo/iStockphoto (p.12 bottom)<br />
Mauritius Images/Phototake (p.19)<br />
Printed by<br />
Laupenmühlen Druck<br />
GmbH & Co.KG<br />
Bochum (Germany)<br />
neWs 31<br />
Demanding façade<br />
design with<br />
PLEXIGLAS® Mineral<br />
PLEXIGLAS® Mineral for extremely<br />
weather-resistant structural shells<br />
Individual façade design depends on the interplay of touch, shape and light.<br />
PLEXIGLAS® Mineral provides new options for this purpose. This mineralfilled<br />
acrylic is homogeneously colored, can be thermoformed in two or three<br />
dimensions and shows unique reflection behavior.<br />
„PLEXIGLAS® Mineral makes it possible to achieve story-high, formed,<br />
individually routed or printed façade elements,“ says Ralf Nettner, Product<br />
Manager for PLEXIGLAS® Mineral at the Acrylic Polymers Business Line of<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> <strong>Industries</strong>. „Our material paves the way for creative ideas.“<br />
But PLEXIGLAS® Mineral not only has a stylish look, it is also exceptionally<br />
tough and defies all winds and weathers. The façade material offers high impact<br />
strength and UV stability. It can be fastened to all conventional supporting<br />
structures. It combines a velvety reflective surface with high brilliance and<br />
durable color stability. PLEXIGLAS® Mineral is available in many standard<br />
colors as well as individual shades.<br />
PLEXIGLAS® Mineral is extremely flame-retardant and emits very little<br />
smoke. Its combustion gases are neither corrosive nor toxic. The material is<br />
rated Class D, s2, d0 to EN 13501-1. PLEXIGLAS® Mineral NF is rated in Class<br />
C, s1, d0.<br />
Reproduction only with permission<br />
of the editorial office<br />
<strong>Evonik</strong> <strong>Industries</strong> is a worldwide<br />
manufacturer of PMMA products sold<br />
under the PLEXIGLAS® trademark<br />
on the European, Asian, African, and<br />
Australian continents and under the<br />
ACRYLITE® trademark in the America<br />
elements35 Issue 2|2011
Forget about gloss that fades.<br />
Create your world of wow.<br />
Visit us at www.plexiglas.net and www.plexiglas-polymers.com and<br />
find out more about PLEXIGLAS® and its high-gloss surfaces that last.