Enhancing the South Africa Chemical and Polymer industry through nanotechnology

28th February 2020Breaking News

The South African Chemical Industry is strategic to the country’s economy owing to its huge contribution to the GDP and job creation capacity. However, the industry is currently under pressure from cheap imports.

Innovation can help improve the industry through the provision of better and cheaper goods and services; and expand economic opportunities through the introduction of disruptive technologies that can lower barriers to competition. Nanotechnology is a key enabling technology that can be utilised to develop new and/or enhance existing products, services and production processes thereby making the S.A. chemical industry competitive and have access to international markets.

The term nanotechnology describes a range of technologies that are performed on a nanometer scale with widespread applications as an enabling technology in various industries. Nanotechnology encompasses the production and application of physical, chemical and biological systems at scales ranging from individual atoms or molecules to around 100 nanometer, as well as the integration of the resulting nanostructures into larger systems.

What is different about materials on a nanoscale compared to the same materials in larger form is that, because of their relatively larger surface area to mass ratio, they can become more chemically reactive, change their strength, and other properties.

The global nanotechnology market is expected to reach $90.5 billion by 2021 from $39.2 billion in 2016 at a compound annual growth rate of 18.2%, from 2016 to 2021 (BCC Research Report Number NAN031G, February 2016).

In line with its mandate, the CSIR established the Nanomaterials Industrial Development Facility (NIDF) to support SMMEs as well as large companies and in partnership innovate, investigate and deploy technologies based on nanotechnology and have impact on industry and society.

The Nanomaterials Industrial Development Facility (NIDF)

The NIDF offers an integrated access to three key research and development components, namely scale-up facilities, well equipped characterization laboratories and multi-disciplinary researchers (comprehensive technical support). The facility was specifically designed to enable the transition from laboratory to industrial scale and ultimately industrialization of products and technologies.

The facility can support both SMMEs and large entities with product and process development needs as well as extensive chemical and materials characterization using state of the art equipment.

The NIDF is staffed, and has access to a team of chemical engineers, researchers, polymer chemists, nanotechnology specialists, project managers and formulation scientists who apply their knowledge to assist SMMEs and large entities from prototype to pilot scale production. The programme also assists with localisation of technologies developed or used outside of South Africa.

Support offered by the NIDF

The chemical processing plant is equipped with:

High temperature (180^oC) and pressure (14 bars) chemical reactors (autoclaves);
Stainless steel process tanks ranging from small (100l) to large (1 200l);
Filter press, dryers and a bag house; and
Other small processing equipment.

In the polymer formulation and processing plant we offer:

A 40 L/D co-rotating twin screw extruder: for compounding of polymer composites;
500kN injection moulding machine: for production of injection moulded products and test coupons;
A 5-layer cast sheet and blown film co-extrusion line: for production of multi-layered polymer films and sheets; and
Other smaller processing equipment.

Characterization facilities:

All typical polymer characterization and testing equipment including: Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Melt flow index (MFI), Tensile Strength, Impact Strength etc;
Specialized instruments such as scanning and transmission electron microscopes (TEM and SEM); and
X-ray diffraction (XRD), Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).

Summary of NIDF user benefits

Pilot scale production: nanomaterials, chemical and polymer processing pilot plants.

Characterization and testing of materials and products using state of the art equipment;
Application development for the products/materials by experienced researchers;
Optimization of your nanotechnology, chemical and polymer processes and technologies by experienced chemical engineers;
Proper processing costing based on scale up manufacturing;
Scale-up manufacture of materials for quality and market testing;
Technology/process safety risks assessments & mitigation measures; and
Defining the technology value chain and value proposition.

The facility is able to accommodate a wide range of advanced materials projects including:

Graphene synthesis and applications development
Nanoclays (organophilic bentonite and hydrotalcites) and applications development
Nano zinc oxide synthesis and applications development
Silver nano particles synthesis
Polymer composites

Product and technology localisation and import replacements are also key focus areas of this programme.

Success stories

Plastics Co (Pty) Ltd (not real name) approached NIDF to assist with the improvement of their polyethylene plastic formulation, which is used for the production of vegetable plant growing trays.

The NIDF assisted them with the development and optimization of a new formulation and the production of 100kg of the material. Tests samples were injection molded and in turn characterized for tensile and impact strength. Plastics Co used the material to run trial productions at their plant and provide 100 test trays to their customers resulting in substantial orders.

Accessing the NIDF

The CSIR issues regular calls for participation to invite companies to approach the NIDF for support.