(SERIS) at the National
University of Singapore in order
to explore less costly ways of
producing high-efficiency silicon
wafer solar cells.
The company’s High Purity
Metalorganics (HPMO) business is a
leading supplier of electronic materials
to the semiconductor and solar industries. Together with SERIS, they will now
investigate how to respond to the photovoltaic industry’s desire to reduce the
costs involved in moving towards more
efficient cell architectures.
“Given the amount of energy needed
to power our cities and society further
development of renewable sources at af-
fordable costs is high on AkzoNobel’s
Planet Possible approach to sustain-
ability and is driving much of the com-
pany’s innovation,” explained Werner
Fuhrmann, AkzoNobel’s Executive
Committee member responsible for
Specialty Chemicals.
Describing the partnership, Alberto
Allegro, Global Business Director for
AkzoNobel’s HPMO business, said:
“Solar cell manufacturers are constantly
balancing cost and performance. As a major supplier of some of the key raw materials involved, we’re eager to look into
The collaboration has been prompted by the growing expectation that the
photovoltaic industry will move towards higher efficiency silicon wafer
solar cell architectures.
“AkzoNobel has developed signifi-
cant knowledge in this field and together
with SERIS, will identify how to best re-
duce the total cost of ownership of solar
power,” added Dr Bram Hoex, director
of the Silicon Materials and Cells Cluster
at SERIS. “In particular, the partnership
aims to explore how to produce more
cost-efficient metalorganic precursor
grades that will offer the kind of long-
term benefits the industry is looking for.”
The new precursors should offer an
attractive alternative to the current com-
mercially available metalorganics, which
are designed for applications other than
high-efficiency silicon wafer solar cells.
AkzoNobel’s HPMO products are
used in a wide range of industrial and
consumer products, including lasers, solar cells, LEDs and mobile phones.
PPG & Weaber Lumber
Launch AQUALINK WB
Coating
PPG Industries’ industrial coatings business announced that Weaber Lumber
Company’s new line of Finish Coat interior trim products are protected by
AQUALINK coatings, a revolutionary,
engineered, baked-on coating developed
by PPG to bring exterior durability and
HMG Paints Gets Radio-Active with Ectoplasm Green
With hundreds of colors created on a daily basis finding a memorable and relevant name for a paint color can be a chore and
result in some unique and bizarre names. HMG Paints Ltd. of
Manchester, UK has more than 150,000 colors in its archive so
when it came to naming a new Green developed by their Advanced Color Styling team they enlisted the help of local radio
station XFM Manchester and their listeners.
The radio station presenters Tim Cocker and Jim Salveson
had discussed paint names during a show after their own color
dilemmas. The breakfast show hosts were enthusiastic to get involved naming the new color and getting their listeners involved
when offered the opportunity by HMG.
As usual the XFM Manchester listeners were full of fantastic
suggestions submitted via Facebook, Twitter and SMS. Some
of the leading suggestions had a musical theme including, Red
Hot Chilli Peppers’ Lukewarm Jalapeño, Radio(active) along with
some more unique names like Chippy Tea Pea, XF-Phlegm and
Nuclear Pesto. Eventually Ectoplasm was chosen as the winning
name inspired by the 1984 blockbuster Ghostbusters.
“Tim, Jim and the XFM listeners have done a cracking job
and had a tough job to choose the name. XFM Ectoplasm will
now be added to our Color Database, and will be featured in
our new Signature Finish range,” said Paddy Dyson HMG Paints
marketing manager. “With an overwhelming amount of colour
name suggestions we could easily launch a 50 Shades of Green
range. Our paints have been used on everything from vehicles
and buildings to movie sets and even been to outer space so it
will be interesting to see where XFM Ectoplasm ends up.”
XFM Ectoplasm, HMG Library Code 32054, is available in the
latest database update to HMG Paints’ innovative color soft-
ware ColourBase. ColourBase software is presented in an intui-
tive and user friendly way to allow distribution partners to mix a
range of end products. All information detailing the hardener,
thinner and colourant to binder ratios is very clear and perfectly
complements the UNIT tinting system.
