Page 6 - Climate Control News Magazine April 2022

News
Smart coatings in the pipeline
AN IMAGINATIVE APPROACH TO POLYMER SURFACE COATING
HAS PRODUCED A SUSTAINABLE WAY TO REMOVE MERCURY
FROM WATER – WHILE PROVIDING A WIDE RANGE OF PROTECTION INCLUDING THE PREVENTION OF METAL CORROSION AND SOLVENT DAMAGE TO PLASTIC PVC PIPES.
“This exciting new area of research extends fundamental chemistry to several practical ap- plications.”
University of Liverpool researcher Dr Bow- en Zhang said the method for making the coating is safer than those previously used for related coatings.
“The team developed a lower temperature process that prevented runaway reactions,” Zhang said.
Along with its protective powers against corrosion, solvent damage and acid and water damage, the research found the active coat- ing can capture toxic metals such as mercury.
The coating is repairable and scratches and damage can be prepared by the simple application of heat, the Flinders-Liverpool team found.
This process is possible because of the coat- ing’s chemical structure which allows sulfur- sulfur bonds to be broken and re-formed.
Flinders University chemistry Professor Justin Chalker said the research is a significant step forward in multi-functional coatings.
“The unique chemical composition of the smart coating enables protection of substrates, active removal of toxic mercury species from water and oil, and is repairable which ensures its sustainability,” he said.
“The coating is solvent resistant and can also remove mercury from oil and water mixtures, which is of importance to remediation in the pe- troleum and gas industry.”
Mann conducted part of this study in the UK on an exchange at Dr Tom Hasell’s Univer- sity of Liverpool lab as part of ongoing collabo- ration between the Chalker Lab and Hasell Lab in Liverpool.
THE SMART COATING, made from low-cost chemicals from oil refining and other sources, also can prevent acid and water damage of con- crete surfaces and be repaired in situ by a simple heating process, according to Flinders Universi- ty project leader Max Mann.
Project cover page.
“Made easily from elemental sulfur and dicy- clopentadiene (DCPD is a by-product of petrole- um refining), this new coating is multi-function- al which gives us wide scope to use it in a wide range of useful ways and for longer lasting indus- trial products and components,” he said.
Manufacturers cease trade with Russia
DAIKIN IS THE latest air conditioning manu- facturer to cease trade with Russia.
The announcement is in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine where Daikin Europe has more than 1,000 employees.
Daikin joins Mitsubishi Electric, Panasonic, Chemours, Johnson Controls, Viessmann, Alfa Laval and other organisations in the heating and cooling industry that have suspended busi- ness with Russia and are supporting humani- tarian relief efforts.
EU media reported that the Danfoss ware- house in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv was bombed. The warehouse, to the north of the city centre, had been closed due to the war, and 91 Danfoss
employees were moved to Poland and Romania. The Refrigeration Association of Ukraine is- sued a statement calling on refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) companies to cease the
supply of equipment to Russia and Belarus. With worldwide sanctions growing in con- demnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, chair of the association, Serhii Anashkin, said the RAC industry needs to completely interrupt supply chains to the Russian Federation and
the Republic of Belarus.
Anashkin said refrigeration technologies are
used in missiles to cool rocket fuel, missile war- heads (charges), on ships and military equip- ment to cool their engines and crews.
Daikin’s global headquarters in Japan where the decision was made to cease trade with Russia.
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