Effect of Modified Silica Nanoparticle on the Properties of Bio-Based Polyurethane

Posted on January 2, 2015 by Anitha

Researchers developed bio-based polyurethane (BPU) using a castor oil/poly (ε-caprolactone) hybrid polyols and hydrophobic BPU ultrafine fibres containing modified silica (m-silica) by electrospinning process. The rheological analysis of the network structure between the BPU and m-silica showed improved mechanical properties and thermal stability. The average fibre diameter of the hybrid ultrafine fibres decreased with increasing m-silica content. Moreover, the m-silica nanoparticle provided an effective surface wettability to BPU ultrafine fibres, thus making it a hydrophobic molecule. All these improved properties makes BPU/m-silica ultrafine fibres, a better replacement for petroleum-based polyurethane membrane, thus allowing its application in the field of bio filters, eco-friendly textiles, and biomedical engineering.

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Growing Castor Oil Industry

Posted on December 17, 2014 by Anitha

Castor oil manufacturing is similar to that of other oil seeds and hence it can be manufactured by utilizing the existing equipments that are locally available. The castor seeds contain about 48 – 50% oil by weight. After extraction, the oil can be further processed to get a number of derivatives which can be used in various industrial applications. The average seed yields range from 900 – 1000 kg/ha under irrigation.

India is the leading producer of castor seeds followed by China. Fuerst Day Lawson is pioneering in castor oil supply in Europe, with over 40 years’ experience buying directly from the producers of India, China and Brazil.

Castor oil, is not only as a lubricant, but also play a vital role in the polymer industry as it is gives polyamide-nylon 11.

The global market for generation II castor oil derivatives is estimated at about $300 million. Some of the high yielding varieties of castor oil in India are NPH-1 (Aruna), GAUCH-4 and TMVCH.

Know more from Comprehensive Castor Oil Report

Castor Seed Price Weekly Report: December 01-05, 2014

Posted on December 9, 2014 by Anitha

Castor seed price had been moving ahead gradually during the week in concern. Yet there was a mild deflation at the end of the week, which is quite an usual scenario.

Check out the table and the graphical data.

Price Date	Rupees per Quintal
01 Dec	4518.9
02 Dec	4572.95
03 Dec	4612.85
04 Dec	4593.75
05 Dec	4591.45

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Gujarat Farmers’ Urge to Ban Castor Seed Futures Trading

Posted on December 5, 2014 by Anitha

Gujarat farmers have urged the commodity derivatives regulator the Forward Markets Commission (FMC) to ban futures trading in castor seed due to high volatility in the past few weeks.

Average castor seed price jumped 17.83% in October 2014 to 44,000 a tonne in Gujarat spot market, compared to 37,553 a tonne in November 2013, data compiled by the Solvent Extractors’ Association showed.

During the week to November 28, however, castor seed price declined 3.28 per cent to Rs 44,250 a tonne. Castor seed for delivery in April 2015 jumped 2.4 percent on 3^rd December to trade at Rs 4,812 a quintal on the NCDEX.

Therefore, the farmers want to ban futures trading in castor seed in case excessive speculative activities are witnessed in this counter on commodity exchanges.

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Castor Seed Price Weekly Report: November 24-28, 2014

Posted on December 1, 2014 by Anitha

CastorOil.in brings you the weekly report of castor seed price at NCDEX.

Check out the table and the graphical data.

Price Date	Rupees per Quintal
24 Nov	4714.18
25 Nov	4635
26 Nov	4670.25
27 Nov	4654.15
28 Nov	4601.6

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Castor Meal to Replace Soybean Meal as Lamb Feed

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Anitha

Researchers at Brazil conducted a study to understand the effect of replacement of soybean meal by wet or dry castor bean meal in diets of feedlot lambs. They assessed animal performance, carcass traits, intake, digestibility and hepatic function.

Control animals were fed with soybean meal while lambs for test were fed with dry or wet castor meal treated with calcium hydroxide for 70 days. Lambs were slaughtered and evaluated at the end of 70 days. Dry matter intake and digestibility, final body weight, average daily gain and carcass weights were not affected by the substitution of soybean meal by castor source.

Serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase enzymes did not differ among treatments indicating no effect of treated CM on hepatic function.

The results show that the castor meal can completely replace soybean meal in the diet of finishing lambs without negative impacts.

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Castor Seed Price Weekly Report: November 10-14, 2014

Posted on November 18, 2014 by Anitha

The weekly report of castor seed price at NCDEX from CastorOil.in

There was an instability in the price of castor seed during the week. For more details, check out the table and the graphical data.

Price Date	Rupees per Quintal
10 Nov	4697.30
11 Nov	4734.50
12 Nov	4778.80
13 Nov	4751.45
14 Nov	4732.75

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100% Biobased Polymer as Food Contact Substance

Posted on November 10, 2014 by Anitha

Evonik, German-based specialty chemicals company, has received approval for its food contact substance ‘VESTAMID Terra DS16 natural’. VESTAMID Terra DS16 is a biobased polymer belonging to the family of PA1010 polyamides.

The polymer is based on renewable feedstock. The starting material is the castor bean and its oil derivatives. VESTAMID Terra DS is based on polyamide 1010, which is the polycondensation product of 1, 10-decamethylene diamine (D) and 1, 10-decanedoic diacid (sebacic acid – S). Both of these are derived from castor oil, which means that Terra DS is 100% Bio based.

Another polymer named Terra HS, based on polyamide 610, contains polycondensation product of 1, 6-hexamethylene diamine (H) and 1, 10-decanedoic diacid (sebacic acid – S) and is 63% biobased. Terra HS is already being approved in the EU and USA for food contact with non-alcoholic food materials.

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Learn more about Polyamides