Design

Sustainable textiles additive that creates biodegradable spots in the matrix of plastic by combining it with polyester and nylon at the beginning of the fiber-making process. The biodegradation process is non-toxic to marine life. Process is easy to implement in existing manufacturing. Integrity, durability, and performance of fibers are maintained. Fibers and yarns are traceable through the CiCLO® Certificate of Authenticity program. CiCLO® is only activated in conditions where biodegradation can naturally occur.

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. 

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. 

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.

Yttrium-based metal primer to resist corrosion in automobiles. Cationic electrodeposition primers provide corrosion resistance, high transfer efficiency (low waste), reliable automated application, and very low organic emissions in the automobile industry. Traditional electrocoats utilize lead salts or lead pigments to enable their high corrosion resistance properties. Using yttrium is 100 times safer than lead at typical levels of use and is more effective in preventing corrosion. Yttrium is a common element in the environment and more plentiful than lead and silver.

Chrome plating with trivalent chromium. Conventional chrome plating uses hexavalent chromium. Hexavalent chromium is the most toxic form of chromium due to its carcinogenic properties. This technology uses trivalent chromium, which is much less toxic and non-carcinogenic. This company uses a new electrodeposition process alternating between a cathodic pulse followed by an anodic pulse and a relaxation period. This process allows for thicker coatings of trivalent chromium and allows the structure and properties of the coating to be adjusted.