Radici Chemiefaser, formerly Dorix GmbH, has developed a new bio-based staple polyamide fibre suitable for the production of needle punched non – woven carpet tiles and similar products.
Dorix PA 6.10 has been developed using polyamide 6.10 produced at the Radici Chimica SpA chemical plant in Italy from sebacic acid (64% by weight), a derivative of castor oil and hexamethylenediamine, a chemical intermediate produced in the Radici Group.
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Researchers at the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology,Hyderabad has developed the polyurethane–clay nanocomposite foams by replacing part of the synthetic polyol with castor oil derivatives. Hydroxylated castor oil was converted into diethanol amide by transamidation and the resulting polyol was formulated into water-blown foams. Modified montmorillonite clay was used as nanofiller in different amounts viz. 0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0%, and 5.0% by total weight of the foam formulation. Rheological measurements on the polyol–clay mixtures indicated that up to 1% clay loading there is no significant change in the viscosity with shear rate and beyond 2%, shear thinning occurred. X-ray diffraction studies further substantiated these results. The effect of the modified clay on the density, mechanical properties such as compression strength, compression modulus, and microstructure of the foams were investigated. The filler thus added had a reinforcing effect on the foam as observed in the density and compression strength measurements. Differential scanning calorimetric studies on Tg and dynamic mechanical analyses on the modulus clearly indicated that 1% clay loading and above led to exfoliation and plasticizing effect. Exfoliated nanocomposites in compositions containing 1% clay and more yielded a much higher nucleation rate than intercalated ones leading to reduced cell size as observed by optical and scanning electron microscopy. Thus, castor oil, which is readily available, relatively inexpensive, and environmentally benign nonedible oil, has been successfully used to prepare filled semirigid foams which can find application in insulation and packing.
Source: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pc.22543/abstract
Nova Synthetix, an agricultural biotechnology start-up, based at US,is looking to bring to market a castor-oil plant variety that does not contain a toxin. The company is commercializing a non-toxic castor plant that produces a unique fatty acid in its seed oil which will be used as a high-value chemical feedstock. They are contracting with growers and developing downstream markets for their castor product.
Nova Synthetix, has recently received a $50,000 grant from a private, US based non-profit corporation, named North Carolina Biotechnology Center.
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Castor oil is one of the oldest drugs. When given orally, it has a laxative effect and induces labor in pregnant females. The effects of castor oil are mediated by ricinoleic acid, a hydroxylated fatty acid released from castor oil by intestinal lipases. Despite the wide-spread use of castor oil in conventional and folk medicine, the molecular mechanism by which ricinoleic acid acts remains unknown. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Germany have elucidated that the EP3 prostanoid receptor is specifically activated by ricinoleic acid and it mediates the pharmacological effects of castor oil. In mice lacking EP3 receptors, the laxative effect and the uterus contraction induced via ricinoleic acid are absent. Although a conditional deletion of the EP3 receptor gene in intestinal epithelial cells did not affect castor oil-induced diarrhea, mice lacking EP3 receptors only in smooth-muscle cells were unresponsive to this drug. Thus, the castor oil metabolite ricinoleic acid activates intestinal and uterine smooth-muscle cells via EP3 prostanoid receptors. These findings identify the cellular and molecular mechanism underlying the pharmacological effects of castor oil and indicate a role of the EP3 receptor as a target to induce laxative effects.
Read: http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2012/05/15/1201627109.full.pdf
Evogene, an Israel based plant genomics company , has recently released its second quarter and first half 2013 financial results. During which, the company stated that Evofuel, one of their subsidiaries, whose mission is the development of second generation feedstock for biodiesel, is in the process of completing the third year of field trials for the advanced castor varieties in northeast Brazil. Evofuel’s efforts to introduce a commercially viable alternative feedstock for biodiesel based on castor seeds in Brazil and Argentina seem to be strong on the track according to the press release.
In Germany, Worlee Cosmetics has developed castor oil based WorléeBeads HCO, which can be used as a cosmetic rinse-off product, replacing PE and PP plastic micro particles as an exfoliant. The product is designed for exfoliation in rinse-off products such as facial scrubs, body scrubs and shower gels.
Due to their low particle size, plastic micro particles (100 – 500 μm) used in cosmetic applications can pass through filter plants and finally end up in great quantities in the oceans and from there to marine life and finally into the human food chain. Plastic micro particles finding their way to landfill may still be potentially harmful for decades due to the very slow decomposition of plastics. The concentration of the toxic, carcinogenic and hormonally acting substances caused by these plastic micro particles will only increases over time and the total risk and impact on humans and the environment has yet to be realised.
WorléeBeads HCO hence offers a safe and environmental friendly alternative.
Source: http://www.worlee.de/kosmetik/en/press_news/press-releases/WorleeBeads_HCO.php
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The trend in castor seed futures for September delivery on India’s National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) is bearish.
On 20th August , support for NCDEX castor seed is seen at 3360 and 3310 levels while resistance is seen at 3440 and 3500 levels at Commodity Online. NCDEX castor seed for September delivery was seen trading down by 1.42% at Rs.3400 per 100 kgs.
As of now, NCDEX castor seed is seen exhibiting bearish trend despite weak INR. Generally depreciation of INR against USD supports the commodities in the futures market.
Read More at: http://www.commodityonline.com/news/india-castor-seed-futures-bearish-despite-weak-indian-rupee-55970-3-55971.html
Royal DSM, a Dutch life sciences and material sciences firm, has used the castor oil for its aluminium windows manufacturing.
Royal DSM says its new EcoPaxx polyamide 410, which has a bio-based content of 70%, can help reduce the environmental footprint of aluminium window profiles. The material, used in insulating profiles, is made from a material derived from the castor plant
According to DSM, EcoPaxx polyamide 410 also offers mechanical advantages over other engineering plastics, including a high melting point of 250°C, good hydrolysis and chemical resistance, and lower moisture absorption than PA66.
Read More: http://www.prw.com/subscriber/headlines2.html?cat=1&id=3355
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In July, the National Spot Exchange Ltd (NSEL) announced that it will not offer contracts where settlement and delivery of commodities is done beyond 11 days, a move that came after the Centre ordered the bourse not to launch new contracts following violation of certain rules.
Earlier in July , the Consumer Affairs Ministry had asked the exchange not to launch any new contracts till further instructions and also sought undertaking from the NSEL in this regard.
NSEL reduces delivery, payment and settlement period of all contracts traded on the exchange to less than 11 days (T+10 or less), wherever settlement schedule was extending beyond 11 days,” the exchange said in a statement.
The exchange has banned ‘intra—day trading and intra—day squaring off of transactions’ It means every trade executed in all existing contracts (such as e-gold, e-silver, e-copper, e-zinc, e-lead, e-nickel and e-platinum) will result into delivery.
Besides, the exchange “also strictly prohibited short sale,” the statement said. Short-selling is the sale of commodities that one does not own at the time of a contract with the hope of buying them at a lower price before the delivery time.
In existing contracts, such as castor kadi and castor oil, the funds and commodity settlement will take place after two days.
NSEL, which has seen huge drop in turnover following the government orders, has decided to reduce the cost of transaction for all contracts by whooping 80 per cent to boost volumes on its platform.
“The cumulative cost of transaction, delivery and warehouse receipt transfer was earlier Rs 100 per 1 lakh of turnover, which has been brought down to Rs 20 per Rs 1 lakh of turnover,” the statement said.
Last year, the Consumer Affairs Ministry had issued a show—cause notice to Financial Technologies—promoted NSEL after it found violation of some conditions set by the government for operating the exchange.
NSEL had allowed short sales by members and offered contracts for delivery exceeding 11 days.
In India, the ministry of consumer affairs is looking into the alleged conflict of interest issues and claims of huge castor seed and cottonseed oil stocks, in NK Proteins, a key debtor of beleaguered National Spot Exchange Ltd (NSEL).
NK Proteins, run by relatives of NSEL chairman , owes the exchange around Rs 930 crore. According to the latest stock position filed by the exchange on August 6, the company had 7,553 tonnes of castor oil, 96,581 tonnes of castor seed and 84,766 tonnes of cotton wash oil.
The ministry has received complaints from people who claimed to have visited the facilities of the company. They say the storage capacity of NK Proteins, which makes the Tirupati brand of cooking oils, “is far less than what is claimed.
NK Proteins is one of the 13 processors which have sought 20 weeks’ time to settle the dues with NSEL. Last week, NSEL said that here are 13 members/ processors, who have offered to pay five per cent of their total dues every week, if the same is agreed upon. Total amount comes to Rs 3,107 crore approximately.”
NK Proteins’ dues amounted to 25 per cent of this lot and 16 percent of the overall due of Rs 5,500 crore.
“The complaint also raised the issue of whether indeed there was stock and why do the processors need five months. The commodities can be easily sold within a month. In the worst case scenario, they would face a loss in price difference only was the argument put out by complainants,” the ministry officials said.
It would be extremely naïve on NSEL’s part to have had the confidence of storing such a huge quantity of stock within the premises of NK Proteins, the complainants are said to have suggested.
“Anyone who has visited the factory will laugh on hearing that there is a stock of 84,766 tonnes of cottonseed oil in there. This is because the total storage capacity of this factory is just 5,000 tonnes, let alone two tanks which NSEL claims to be storing this stock,” one of the complaints said.
According to the NSEL stock position dated August 6, the cotton oil stock, which is worth Rs 530.63 crore, was stored in two tanks in an NK Proteins facility in Thor in Mehasana district of Gujarat. NK Proteins officials were not available for comment.