Transmaterial » plastic

Bio-Based Foams

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 14:00:41 +0000

The Center for Composite Materials has synthesized flexible/rigid polyurethane foams from soybean oil polyols. The advantage of these foams is that they can replace petroleum-based materials (synthetic polyols) and can be used for many applications. The morphology of the foams can be controlled by several factors: the type and functionality of the soybean oil polyols, the type of curing agents, the amount of water, and the amount of catalyst. Both flexible and rigid foams can be developed from vegetable oils by implementing different processes. The biocontent of the foams varies from 33 to 96 weight percent. The use of this biodegradable, locally harvested, and renewable source has economic and environmental advantages that make it an attractive alternative to petroleum-based materials.

Contact: Center for Composite Materials, University of Delaware, Newark, DE.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.

Flowerfall

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:00:19 +0000

Michelle Brand designed Flowerfall specifically to address our ever-growing amount of plastic thrown away each year. Flowerfall is an eco-contemporary “curtain” made of the bases of discarded PET bottles and articulated tagger ties, the plastic ties typically used to connect a price tag to an item. In her construction of the soft screens, Brand pays great attention to minimizing processing, and uses no melting, reforming, or molds in her handmade fabrication process. Flowerfall celebrates both form and function in sculptural installations that are decorative without being overly fussy. The material has an unexpected softening quality that can counter hard surfaces or spaces, and its translucent properties harness and filter light in dramatic ways.

Contact: Michelle Brand, UK.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.

Terocore

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 14:00:19 +0000

Henkel’s series of Terocore foams consist of heat-activated or two-component epoxy foam products for structural applications such as reinforcement, durability and crashworthiness. They are effectively being used in automotive and other industries to achieve competitive, lightweight and high-performance products made from a wide variety of materials.

Terocore foams are applied onto metal or plastic carriers by extrusion or injection molding and provided as preformed parts to both OEM and sub-suppliers. The preformed parts can easily be integrated into the constructions of the customer. Henkel also provides full engineering and design support.

Contact: Henkel AG, Heidelberg, Germany.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.

Living Surfaces

Blaine Brownell — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 15:00:54 +0000

With the aim of developing interactive environments, Gianfranco Barban and Gregg Brodarick of B.lab have created a series of tabletop surfaces and floor tiles, which are made of layers of plastic sheets encapsulating nontoxic liquids. These liquids move and bubble in various ways based on touch, depicting constantly changing patterns.

The bichromatic floor tiles generate colorful forms in continuous evolution, so walking on the tiles leaves a trail of footprints. These tiles are comprised of two shock resistant layers of PVC, and the upper layer is treated with a nonslip surface. Welded together, the layers create a rigid tile.

Contact: B.lab Italia, Gallarate, Italy.
Find more information in Transmaterial.

Adaptive Fritting

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:00:40 +0000

Hoberman Associates developed Adaptive Fritting in order to imbue an established architectural treatment with expanded functionality. Similar to standard fritted glass, this invention utilizes a graphic pattern surface treatment in order to control heat gain and modulate light, while allowing sufficient transparency for viewing.

However, while conventional fritting relies on a fixed pattern density, Adaptive Fritting provides a variable density that can modulate the amount of light transmittance. This performance is achieved by shifting a series of transparent fritted layers such that the graphic pattern can transition between a fully aligned state (minimal coverage) and an offset state (maximum coverage).

The panels pictured here are programmed to demonstrate the dynamic responsiveness of a field where light transmission and views can continuously adapt and change. As the Adaptive Frits transform, the visual effect is of sparse dots blossoming into an opaque surface.

Contact: Hoberman Associates, New York, NY, USA.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.

Plug.table

Blaine Brownell — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 15:00:27 +0000

Matthias Demacker’s design for the Plug.table represents the ultimate reduction of an object to its essence. The table is made of three parts, a high-pressure laminate tabletop and two stainless steel legframes, and it may be assembled and modified without any tools. Plug.table may be configured to be either counter or coffee table height based on the insertion orientation of the legframes.

Plug.table utilizes the postforming process of compact forming HPL, and the table surface may be produced in a variety of colors. The table is suitable for interior or exterior use, and multiple tables may be connected by interlocking the legframes.

Contact: Habit, Kuerten-Engeldorf, Germany.
Find more information in Transmaterial.

Origins

Blaine Brownell — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:51:22 +0000

Origins one hundred percent postconsumer recycled polyethylene panels provide an alternative to virgin polyethylene versions. Origins panels possess virtually identical properties compared with virgin panels, and they are available in numerous colors and patterns, including custom patterns.

Origins material is primarily comprised of translucent one gallon milk jugs, which are collected locally and processed by grinding, washing, and forming the plastic into pellets. These pellets are transformed into plastic resin, which may be further processed or directly pressed into panels.

Contact: Yemm & Hart Ltd., Marquand, MO, USA.
Find more information in Transmaterial.

Bella Rifatta

Blaine Brownell — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:00:11 +0000

Designed by William Sawaya, Bella Rifatta is a stackable chair made of recycled PET. It is available in white, gray, and black with a matte finish. The chair is appropriate for outdoor as well as indoor use and is stackable up to twenty pieces. The Bella Rifatta is also available in semitransparent polycarbonate and white propylene versions.

Contact: Sawaya & Moroni, Milan, Italy.
Find more information in Transmaterial.

Algues

Blaine Brownell — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:38 +0000

Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec’s Algues (French for “algae”) is a biomimetic sculptural system based on a multibranched plastic module that can be attached to other modules with plastic pegs through its nineteen ringlets. Algues may be used to create flexible room partitions, curtains, sculpture, etc.

Contact: Vitra GmbH, Weil am Rhein, Germany.
Find more information in Transmaterial.

Veritas ResinArt

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:00:48 +0000

Veritas ResinArt is a fully interchangeable system of colors, patterns, textures, and materials within a multilayered, translucent PETG resin. Designed by Maybeth Shaw and manufactured by Schneller, Veritas is a customizable resin-based panel system—designers can create and order custom samples using a special tool on the Veritas website.

Veritas ResinArt is ideal for a broad range of vertical and horizontal applications, such as doors, ceilings, desktops, and privacy screens. The material may be bent, cut, and fabricated with standard woodworking tools, is Class A fire-rated, and may be a lightweight and cost-effective alternative to glass. Veritas is made with recycled content and is fully recyclable. Moreover, the product is food safe, nontoxic, and manufactured at a solar-powered facility in Florida.

Contact: Robin Reigi, Inc., New York, NY, USA.
Find more information in Transmaterial 2.