Increasingly diverse sequence repositories can be accessed through advanced bioinformatics tools. Complementary screening assays accelerate the identification and engineering of improved amidases and urethanases that act on highly stable bonds in plastics such as polyamides and polyurethanes.

Innovations include recyclable polyurethanes, cleaner pharmaceutical manufacturing, sustainable crop protection, and more

BASF INOAC Polyurethanes introduces 'Formlight Eco NT-6600', an advanced insulation material that maximizes thermal performance while maintaining thin wall structures.

Heteroatom-containing plastics such as polyurethanes and nylons are produced at scale yet remain largely unrecycled. Biocatalysts offer a promising route to depolymerization under mild conditions. Here, we present a screening platform for the discovery of novel polyurethane- and nylon-degrading enzymes from environmental samples and demonstrate enzymatic cleavage of both soluble oligomers as well as thermoplastic and thermoset polymers. ABSTRACT Better enzymes are needed to develop sustainable methods to recycle plastics with C-X heterobonds such as polyurethane (PUR) and nylon, for which no industrial-scale solutions exist. Current methods rely largely on sequence mining based on a small number of known enzymes. Here, we expand the pool of PURases and nylonases by bioprospecting legacy plastic waste with fluorophore plastic mimics combined with fluorescence-assisted cell sorting (FACS). We identify 29 plastic-degrading bacteria, from which 12 enzymes are identified by mass spectrometry and homology searches. Compared to existing enzymes, these enzymes show higher thermostability and hydrolytic activities against different high-molecular weight PUR polymers and nylon textiles compared to previously described wildtype enzymes. To our knowledge, this is the first reported example of enzymes capable of hydrolyzing longer chains of untreated PUR and nylon as well as crosslinked PUR. This study significantly increases the number of known PURases and nylonases and provides starting points for optimization campaigns through protein engineering and for in silico discovery.

The fire protection of building structures with reactive (intumescent) coatings is a crucial aspect of commercial fire safety. Modern requirements to fire resistance demand improved rheological properties of coatings to enhance good performance.This study aims to investigate the effect of hydrophobically modified ethoxylated polyurethanes (HEUR), used as thixotropic thickeners, on the rheological properties of a fire-resistant intumescent composition based on ammonium polyphosphate/melamine/pentaerythritol/titanium dioxide/binder.

Exclusive: Environment Agency is considering whether to prosecute Huntsman Polyurethanes over emissions of carcinogenic benzene

Exclusive: Environment Agency is considering whether to prosecute Huntsman Polyurethanes over emissions of carcinogenic benzene

Exclusive: Environment Agency is considering whether to prosecute Huntsman Polyurethanes over emissions of carcinogenic benzene

Purpose Polymeric heart valves (PHVs) offer the potential to combine the durability of mechanical valves with the favorable hemodynamics of bioprosthetic valves; however, establishing clear relationsh...

La pochette de joints haute performance 42413 compatible avec le brise-roche hydraulique Rammer / Sandvik G120 est spécialement conçue pour restaurer l'étanchéité optimale et maintenir une pression hydraulique constante lors des travaux de démolition, de terrassement et de concassage les plus exigeants. Fabriquée par MERIT à partir de polyuréthanes et d'élastomères de première qualité, cette pochette de joints offre une résistance exceptionnelle aux températures élevées, aux crêtes de pression extrêmes et à l'usure abrasive.

Exclusive: Environment Agency is considering whether to prosecute Huntsman Polyurethanes over emissions of carcinogenic benzene

Exclusive: Environment Agency is considering whether to prosecute Huntsman Polyurethanes over emissions of carcinogenic benzene

Exclusive: Environment Agency is considering whether to prosecute Huntsman Polyurethanes over emissions of carcinogenic benzene

Exclusive: Environment Agency is considering whether to prosecute Huntsman Polyurethanes over emissions of carcinogenic benzene

Exclusive: Environment Agency is considering whether to prosecute Huntsman Polyurethanes over emissions of carcinogenic benzene

Exclusive: Environment Agency is considering whether to prosecute Huntsman Polyurethanes over emissions of carcinogenic benzene