Waste Prevention

Membrane separation process in solvent lube dewaxing. Conventional solvent lube dewaxing processes are energy-intensive due to the need for refrigeration. This new process uses an exclusive polymeric membrane material to separate up to half of the dewaxing solvents from the solvent mixture, reducing the need for distillation, cooling, and refrigeration. This reduced waste generation and VOC emissions. The process increases the yield of lubricants while decreasing by-product generation, virgin material extraction, and equipment.

Long-lasting synthetic oils. Conventional oils are not long-lasting, which generates waste oil. Frequently disposing of large quantities of oil is hazardous to human health and the environment due to its composition of lead, nickel, and other heavy metals. AMSOIL's long-lasting oil extends its lifespan to 11 times longer than conventional oils; pairing this oil with an oil analysis program can further extend its life span. AMSOIL achieves this by removing impurities and allowing molecules to slip more easily over one another, reducing energy lost to friction and maximizing fuel economy.

Polyester polyols based on rPET and other recycled components. Resinate® is a product line that uses recycled and renewable materials for high-performance applications in coating, adhesives, and foams. The product, Resinate® EP1000-5.6, is based on rPET (recycled PET) and other recycled components, resulting in 66% recycled content. Resinate® C2051-50 is a modified polyol for the coatings marketplace and contains 50% renewable content. 

Synthesis of simvastatin with a biocatalyst. Simvastatin is a drug used to treat high blood pressure and cholesterol. The conventional synthesis of this drug is not atom-economic (<70% original mass) and utilizes toxic feedstocks. This new process from Professor Tang and his research group at UCLA uses a biocatalyst for regioselective acylation with safer and cheaper reagents in a high-yield, single-step process. 

Heavy metal-free anti-corrosion coating. This technology is a 2-3 layer system consisting of a unique conducting polymer nanodispersion (CPND) primer, a top layer, and an optional interlayer. The polymer covers the surface of the metal and transforms the top layer into a thin, dense metal oxide layer. This process protects the metal from corrosion without heavy metals such as chromate, lead, or zinc. This technology also outperforms existing anti-corrosion treatments in durability, lasting over 6 times as long. The coating is also thin, lightweight, self-sealing, and has good adhesion.

Marine antifoulant to control plant and animal growth on ship hulls. Traditional antifoulants are acutely and chronically toxic, bioaccumulate, decrease reproductive viability, and increase the shell thickness of shellfish. The Sea-Nine antifoulant (4,5-dichloro-2-n-octyl-4isothiazolin-3-one) degrades rapidly (one day in seawater and one hour in sediment) and has essentially zero bioaccumulation. 

Process to print labels directly on glass. Print labels directly on glass eliminates the need for paper labels, decals, or applied ceramic labeling (ACL). ACL prints the glass with ink containing heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and chromium. This alternative method uses inks that contain no heavy metals and little to no VOCs. They are biodegradable, replace ovens with ultraviolet light, save raw materials, and produce recyclable decorated glass. 

PFC free water-resistant down treatment. HyperDry is based in natural waxes that allow superior water-resistance performance and strength. Like conventional treatments, this technology uses hydrocarbon chains to decrease surface tension in order to make the down hydrophobic. However, HyperDry achieves this without the traditional use of PFC. Fluorinated compounds are toxic and have an extremely long half-life, making biodegradation almost impossible. This inability to biodegrade causes pollution in waterways and the ecosystem.

Decorative metallic coating for plastic parts. ePD™ is short for embedded PVD. Conventional metal coatings use chromium III and chromium VI, which are toxic to humans and the environment. This coating consists of three layers; the metallization effect is sandwiched between two layers of UV lacquer. The process is completely automated and is achieved by the INUBIA I6 and I12 systems. The first layer is the base coat. This base coat equalizes irregularities on the surface of the plastic. The inline PVD is placed on top of this base layer through magnetron sputtering in a vacuum chamber.

High-volume, non-toxic chrome plating technology for plastic parts. Interior and exterior plastic surfaces are often coated for decorative purposes. The Cromatipic® coating deposition process is free of toxic hexavalent chrome and VOCs, resulting in low emissions. Hexavalent chrome is highly toxic to humans and the environment. A CO2 cleaning process removes hydrocarbon and organic particles of various sizes. The spray lacquer does not contain any VOCs, making the VOC burn-off process unnecessary.