Fujitsu Uses Castor Oil to Create New Bio-Based Polymer
Fujitsu has developed a novel polymer with a high bio-content that uses castor oil.
Fujitsu Bio-polymer PA-11, Courtesy of Fujitsu
Fujitsu and its Laboratories announced this month that they have developed a novel polymer with a high bio-content that uses castor oil extracted from the castor bean. As seen in the accompanying image, the new bio-based polymer features advanced flexibility and is able to withstand repeated bending. “We have succeeded in obtaining sufficient flexibility that is a major requirement for smaller parts of electronic equipment,” Mr. Kouichi Kimura, Senior Researcher, Fujitsu Laboratories, tells NWN. While this is an exciting development for the company, he notes that “more work needs to be done in order to assure good appearance and mass-production, in addition to more expertise in coloring and molding of the material.”
Mr. Kimura of Fujitsu tells NWN that they are considering using the new bio-based polymer for “small components such as connector covers of PCs and mobile phones.” In addition to enhanced flexibility, another benefit of this bio-based polymer is that it is environmentally friendly; “reducing the burden on the environment is also an important “function” of industrial goods,” notes Kimura.
