Toray develops hybrid bonding insulating resin

Toray Industries, Inc., announced that it has developed an insulating resin material for hybrid bonding (micro bonding), said the company.

The material is based on Semicofine and Photoneece. These are high-heat-resistant polyimide coatings for semiconductor and display devices. The new material combines a conventional polyimide coating agent with the company’s processing and bonding technologies. It can enhance the yields and reliability of semiconductor devices in the hybrid bonding process, which entails bonding semiconductor chips with metal electrodes. Toray will push ahead with prototyping and providing samples to customers. It aims to obtain materials certification in 2025 and start mass production by 2028.

A leading high-performance packaging technology applied in recent years is three-dimensional (3D) packaging. Hybrid bonding is particularly promising for high-performance semiconductor chips requiring fine structures with bump pitches (the spacing between adjacent electrodes joined by solder) of 10 microns or less. Toray markets resin bonding materials for 3D chip-to-chip packaging with fine bump pitches of about 20 microns. Hybrid bonding differs from conventional 3D packaging because it entails directly joining metal electrodes without using bumps, making it possible to further shorten electrode pitches.

In hybrid bonding, the chip-to-wafer technique has attracted considerable attention for high-density packaging of different types of chips. This technique involves processing one wafer substrate to the chip size and bonding it to another wafer substrate. Silicon dioxide and other inorganic materials are usually used as insulating materials for hybrid bonding. There are two key challenges, however, with applying the chip-to-wafer technique. The first is that silicon dust generated in chip dicing can be trapped during hybrid bonding, causing chip bonding defects and lowering yields.

Since 2020, Toray has carried out hybrid bonding experimental demonstrations with the Institute of Microelectronics, a semiconductor research unit of Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research. This work has tapped the company’s accumulated expertise in functional plastics design technology in employing sophisticated molecular design and pursues excellence to create insulating polymers offering high heat resistance and excellent mechanical properties (Figure 3). By collaborating with that entity and various semiconductor-related companies, Toray looks to apply this material to chip-to-wafer hybrid bonding. It seeks to boost the yields and reliability of chiplets and make it possible to integrate differing chips in a single package.

We remind, Toray Industries, Inc., announced it signed an agreement with Honda Motor Co., Ltd., to jointly develop a chemical recycling technology for glass-fiber reinforced nylon 6 parts recovered from end-of-life vehicles, said the company. The two have begun verifying this technology, which entails depolymerizing with subcritical water and regenerating the materials as caprolactam, a raw monomer.

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Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.has developed the industry’s first silicone resin that does not use emulsifiers — the water-based, fast-curing silicone resin "KRW-6000 Series.", said the company.

Silicone resins are used in such applications as paints and coatings because of their excellent performance with regard to weather resistance and heat resistance. In recent years, expectations for water-based silicone resins have been increasing.

Conventional waterborne silicone resins use emulsifiers. Compared to organic solvent-based silicone resins, water-based products to which emulsifiers are added tend to have inferior film properties. In addition, there were issues regarding the required time for drying and curing. The KRW-6000 Series does not use emulsifiers, and thus it has excellent film properties and can be cured quickly through heating. The main features of this newly developed silicone resin series are as follows:

1. Emulsifier-free, water-dispersible silicone resin
Because no emulsifier is used, it forms a superior water-resistant film. In addition, after curing, it becomes an inorganic silicone-only film, which provides excellent durability and weather resistance over the long term. For this reason, it is suitable as a binder for weather-resistant paints and various additives.

2. Non-inclusion of organic solvents contributes to a VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds)-free product
This resin is a water-solvent type that does not contain organic solvents, and the only substance generated in the curing reaction is water, which contributes to VOC-free products. In addition, the water evaporates to form a film with no tackiness, making it easy to work with.

3. Fast-curing at low temperatures in a short time contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
In addition to the curing process progressing at room temperature, curing is accelerated by heating to the 80-150°C level for several minutes. Compared to conventional organic solvent-based silicone resins, curing progresses at lower temperatures and in a shorter time, thus contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gases.

4. Formation of high-hardness film
It is possible to form a high-hardness film with a maximum hardness of 4H. Types with more flexible coatings are also available.

Shin-Etsu Chemical will strive to develop and supply high-value-added silicone products that take advantage of the technological expertise and know-how Shin-Etsu has cultivated over the years in order to help our customers solve various issues, as we continue our efforts to contribute to the realization of a sustainable society.

We remind, Shin-Etsu Chemical Co Ltd strived to make up for the loss in profit with the shipment of highly functional product groups, said the company. Net sales stood at Yen 255.3 bn and Yen 215.4 bn, respectively, a change of (16%). Operating income stood at Yen 73.5 bn and Yen 51.7 bn, respectively, a change of (30%). As for PVC, export pressures from Chinese manufacturers continued due to the weakness of construction and housing investment in China, but price levels were maintained. The caustic soda market was in a similar situation.

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Trinseo, a specialty material solutions provider, announced it has initiated an information and consultation process with the Works Council of Trinseo Deutschland Anlagengesellschaft mbH regarding the potential closure of its virgin polycarbonate (PC) production site in Stade, Germany, said the company.

The Company expects to seek board approval of the closure in 2024 following the Works Council consultation process. If an agreement is reached, Trinseo will no longer produce virgin PC and will obtain PC for its downstream businesses entirely via external purchases. In comparison to 2023 results, the action is expected to increase annual profitability by USD15 million to USD20 million.

“Unfortunately, we continue to see demand soften, and price declines due to the oversupply caused by offshore producers pushing material into the EMEA market. We anticipate these conditions to continue in 2024 and beyond. Additionally, our fixed operating costs at Stade are significant, placing a further strain on our financial viability at this location,” said CEO, Frank Bozich.

In the third quarter 2023 earnings call, the Company identified Stade as a potential location for a PC dissolution facility. The Company is committed to the integration and application of modern recycling technologies, such as PC dissolution and depolymerization, to help customers develop more sustainable product offerings. Trinseo is exploring numerous options for viable locations to ensure recycling plants are both resilient and adaptive to customer requirements. Developing commercial scale operations in recycling remains a key pillar of the business strategy moving forward as evidenced by the polycarbonate-dissolution pilot facility recently opened in Terneuzen, the Netherlands.

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Companies from across the flexible food packaging supply chain have partnered to launch a new snack packaging that contains 50 percent-recycled plastic and meets stringent food contact requirements, said Recyclingtoday.

The new packaging was launched in late 2023 in the United Kingdom and Ireland for Sunbites, a snack brand owned by PepsiCo. The packaging is made using an advanced recycling process—a complementary approach to mechanical recycling—that enables the recycled materials to satisfy the demanding European Union regulatory requirements for applications such as food-contact packaging, contact sensitive and medical devices.

A number of companies were involved in developing the circular packaging: Germany-based GreenDot ensured the procurement and supply of postconsumer plastic packaging scrap, which was converted into a pyrolysis oil called Tacoil using Plastic Energy’s technology.

London-based manufacturing company Ineos Olefins & Polymers Europe used the pyrolysis oil as an alternative to traditional fossil feedstock to first produce recycled propylene before turning this into virgin-quality recycled polypropylene (PP) resin at its plant in Lavera, France.

Italy-based Irplast S.p.A., a producer of biaxially oriented PP films (BOPP), used the new resin to turn existing plastic packaging designs into new packaging films containing 50 percent-postconsumer-recycled materials and meet the food contact and performance requirements.

Switzerland-based packaging developer Amcor transformed the films into printed packaging that delivers the same technical performance for PepsiCo.

Using the new PP films, PepsiCo launched the Sunbites packaging in the U.K. The partnership is part of PepsiCo Positive, the company’s program to eliminate virgin fossil-based plastic in crisp and chip bags in Europe by 2030.

“At PepsiCo, we are proud to work with our industry partners towards more sustainable packaging solutions,” says Archana Jagannathan, chief sustainability officer at PepsiCo Europe. “We are excited about the new Sunbites packaging in the U.K., and we look forward to learning from this pilot market and expanding it across more countries in the near future. Collaboration is key to progressing on our ambition to eliminate virgin fossil-based plastic in all our crisp and chip packaging in Europe by the end of 2030.”

According to Ineos, the recycled polymer content is certified under the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC Plus) scheme.

Ineos says the upcoming EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is expected to set out ambitious targets for recycling packaging waste for 2025 and 2030 across a range of materials and recycled content targets for plastics. The company adds the development of the new packaging demonstrates that advanced recycling technologies can play a critical role in meeting the growing demand for the safe, circular use of recycled materials in food contact products, helping the EU achieve its 10 percent-recycled content objective for contact-sensitive plastic packaging by 2030, as well as help to reduce total emissions.

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Radius Recycling Inc., headquartered in Portland, Oregon, has announced preliminary results for the second quarter of its 2024 fiscal year, which ended Feb. 29, said Recyclingtoday.

The company is anticipating net losses to be approximately $35 million, with the loss per share from continuing operations to range from $1.19 to $1.24. Its adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) are expected to be nearly $2 million, with the adjusted loss per share ranging from $1.05 to $1.10.

Radius says tight supply flows for recycled metals and unusually wet winter weather affected sales volumes and metal spreads for recycled metals and finished steel during its second quarter. Ferrous sales volumes are expected to decrease sequentially by 15 percent given the lower supply flows, including delays of certain bulk shipments at quarter-end. Nonferrous sales volumes are expected to be down 3 percent sequentially but up 7 percent year-over-year, supported by additional production from the company’s advanced nonferrous recovery technologies and expansion of its platform.

“Without question, current market conditions remain challenging as cyclical headwinds are creating tighter supply flows and compressing metal spreads,” Radius CEO Tamara Lundgren says. “We have navigated effectively through these periods of tight scrap availability before, and we are focused on what we can control: costs, operating efficiencies and execution of our strategic priorities to increase our nonferrous production and expand our recycling services platform.”

Lundgren says scrap supply flows should improve with normal seasonality and as U.S. interest rates decline and global manufacturing activity recovers.

“On the demand side, decarbonization trends continue to be a positive driver for our products and services,” she says. “Many low-carbon technologies are more metal-intensive than the technologies they are replacing, and recycled metals require less carbon to produce than mined metals.

"With our 100-plus operating facilities producing recycled ferrous volumes of over 4 million tons and nonferrous volumes of over 700 million pounds annually, our low-carbon and net-zero carbon emission GRN finished steel products, and our 3PR [third party recycling] service and supply chain solution that enables our customers to increase their recycling rates, we are well-positioned to benefit from market improvements and these positive structural demand trends.”

Finished steel sales volumes are expected to increase by 5 percent year-over-year and steel mill use is expected to be 81 percent versus 75 percent in the prior-year period, Radius says, noting this reflects the continued strength of nonresidential and infrastructure demand in the western U.S. Sequentially, finished steel sales volumes are expected to decrease by 11 percent from seasonally lower construction demand exacerbated by a prolonged period of rain on the West Coast.

Radius expects average net selling prices for ferrous scrap to be up 8 percent sequentially, benefiting from strengthening global prices in the early part of the quarter driven by restocking. However, prices softened later in the quarter from lower demand and continued elevated levels of Chinese steel exports. Average net selling prices for nonferrous scrap are expected to increase by 3 percent sequentially and to be flat for finished steel products. Results for the second quarter are expected to include a benefit from average inventory accounting of approximately $2 per ferrous ton, the company adds.

During its second quarter, Radius says it implemented a plan to reduce selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses by 10 percent and increase production cost efficiencies to deliver $40 million in aggregate annual benefits, which are in addition to the $30 million in annual benefits previously announced that were implemented in the second quarter. The new measures include reductions in headcount and other employee-related expenses, as well as decreases in nontrade procurement spend, transportation and logistics and other outside services.

Approximately half of the targeted quarterly run-rate benefits from these initiatives are expected to be achieved in the third quarter, with substantially all the remainder by the end of its next fiscal year. The company says it expects to incur related restructuring charges and other exit-related costs in the range of $6 million, of which $3 million are expected to be incurred during the second quarter.

Radius will report its financial results for the second quarter of its 2024 fiscal year April 4.

We remind, Armando Alvarez Group (AAG), a Spain-based global solutions provider with a focus on sectors including packaging, containers and agriculture, has collaborated with Irving, Texas-based ExxonMobil Corp. to develop silo bags primarily made with polyethylene (PE) resin the companies say improves their recyclability in locations where film is accepted.

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