Latest news with #PEC
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists create skin-safe adhesive for wearables that grips harder with sweat
Wearable devices have revolutionized healthcare, helping people keep real-time updates on vital health metrics like blood sugar, heart rate, and sleep patterns. However, wearing glucose or heart monitors for hours can leave users with itchy, irritated Texas A&M University researchers have developed a skin-friendly adhesive that could change that experience for millions of people using wearable healthcare devices. When sweat helps stick The newly developed adhesive is based on polyelectrolyte complexes, or PECs—sticky, water-based materials that bond more gently to the skin compared to traditional solvent-based adhesives. Unlike commercial-grade adhesives that can trigger rashes, redness, and inflammation, this PEC formulation reduces irritation and could adhere better when exposed to moisture, including sweat. 'To our knowledge, no one has used a PEC as an adhesive for wearable medical devices,' said Dr. Jaime Grunlan, professor of mechanical engineering at Texas A&M University, who led the research. 'We were able to develop and patent a PEC that can match the adhesive strength of 3M Tegaderm adhesive, without the common skin discomfort.' Today's wearable medical devices, including glucose monitors, heart rate trackers, and sleep disorder monitors, typically rely on hydrophobic, pressure-sensitive adhesives. These adhesives are usually made from acrylates, methacrylates, or colophonium, which help keep sensors attached securely to the body. However, while effective, these materials are solvent-based and can irritate sensitive skin. Users frequently report side effects such as itchiness, rashes, and inflammation, especially with prolonged wear. Gentle grip, tough hold By contrast, PEC adhesives offer a rash-free alternative. Grunlan's team found that the salt content naturally present in sweat could actually improve the adhesive's grip over time, a property that makes PECs particularly well-suited for long-term wear in real-world conditions. 'What makes this discovery stand out is not just the comfort factor but also the adhesive's performance,' said Grunlan. 'Many people assume water-based adhesives would wash away or lose stickiness with moisture. In our case, sweat actually enhances adhesion.' The adhesive builds on Grunlan's earlier research, developing one-pot PEC coatings for flame-retardant treatments in materials like foam, fabric, and wood. Realizing that PECs' inherent stickiness could be useful beyond industrial materials, he and his team expanded their focus to include biomedical applications. The research is still in its early stages, but the team sees broad potential for applying PEC adhesives across a wide range of wearable biomedical devices, particularly for patients with conditions such as diabetes, heart problems, and sleep disorders who rely on skin-mounted sensors. Contributors to the project include formal doctoral students, Drs. Maya Montemayor and Ethan Iverson, along with Dr. Balakrishna Haridas from the Department of Biomechanical Engineering at Texas A&M and his lab, which conducted biocompatibility testing. The project was supported by the Precise Advanced Technologies and Health Systems for Underserved Populations (PATHS-UP) Engineering Research Center at Texas A&M and funded through an Army Phase II SBIR grant. The team's findings were published in the journal Macromolecular Rapid Communications. Solve the daily Crossword
The Star
09-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
ChemOne lands US$350mil takaful deal
KUALA LUMPUR: ChemOne Group has secured a US$350mil Islamic insurance cover from the Islamic Development Bank's unit, Islamic Corp for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC). In a statement yesterday, the Singapore-based petrochemicals, green energy and natural resources conglomerate said the cover is designed to support Islamic banks involved in the project financing of the Pengerang Energy Complex Sdn Bhd (PEC), highlighting strong institutional confidence and the project's long-term strategic value to Johor. The ICIEC cover is structured under a murabahah financing facility, providing 90% cover on both principal and profit -- significantly de-risking the transaction for participating Islamic banks, including the National Bank of Kuwait, the Qatar National Bank, Al Rajhi Bank Malaysia and Al Rajhi Bank Saudi Arabia. ChemOne chief financial officer Mayank Vishnoi said that ICIEC's support provides a strong validation of PEC's financial strength and its far-reaching development impact. 'PEC will drive regional industrial growth, create thousands of jobs and support regional value chains to all while adhering to global standards for sustainable and responsible financing,' he said. — Bernama
The Sun
08-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
ChemOne secures US$350m Islamic insurance cover for PEC
KUALA LUMPUR: Singapore-based petrochemicals, green energy and natural resources conglomerate ChemOne Group announced that the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), has approved an insurance cover of US$350 million (RM1.4 billion) for Pengerang Energy Complex (PEC) in Johor. This cover is structured to support Islamic banks participating in PEC's project financing, underscoring the strong institutional confidence in PEC and its long term strategic value to the region. 'ICIEC's support is a powerful validation of PEC's financial strength and far-reaching development impact. PEC will drive regional industrial growth, create thousands of jobs, and support regional value chains, all while adhering to global standards for sustainable and responsible financing. We are honoured to lead one of Asia's most impactful private-sector led financings,' said ChemOne chief financial officer Mayank Vishnoi. The ICIEC cover is structured under a Murabaha financing facility, providing 90% cover on both principle and profit—significantly de-risking the transaction for participating Islamic banks including National Bank of Kuwait, Qatar National Bank, Al Rajhi Bank Malaysia and Al Rajhi Bank KSA. Al Rajhi Bank KSA plays the role of lead Islamic bank and a coordinator to ICIEC as well as investment agent for the Islamic financing tranche. In addition, the IsDB Group—through IsDB and the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD)—has reinforced its commitment through a direct investment of US$150 million via Istisna-Ijara structures. The IsDB Group's total support for PEC—combining direct investments and credit enhancement—now stands at over US$500 million, marking one of the group's most substantial engagements in Southeast Asia. ICIEC is backed by AA- and Aa3 credit ratings from S&P and Moody's respectively, highlighting its strong financial fundamentals and key multilateral mandate to promote investment within member states. The PEC is envisioned as one of Southeast Asia's most advanced and sustainable energy and petrochemical facilities. Upon completion, the project will significantly boost regional supply capabilities in aromatics, clean fuels, and related products, all while adhering to international environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards. The strong support from multilateral institutions reflects PEC's strategic role in supporting energy resilience and sustainability. The project is also aligned with Malaysia's ambitions to enhance downstream capabilities and increase the value-add in its hydrocarbon sector. Located in Johor's Pengerang Integrated Petroleum Complex (PIPC) in Johor, PEC is set to be one of the world's largest and most competitive integrated condensate splitter and aromatics facilities. It will utilise UOP Honeywell's latest LD Parex technology to maximise energy efficiency, reduce emissions, and enhance feedstock flexibility, allowing the PEC plant to become one of the most advanced energy and carbon facilities in its class. During construction, PEC will create approximately 7,000 jobs, with 300 operational roles post completion of which 80% of which will be filled by Malaysians. Local SMEs are expected to benefit from US$1.2 billion in contracts in the areas of fabrication, erection, civil work, and bulk supplies. With a projected annual export turnover of US$5 billion, PEC is poised to position PIPC as a regional oil and gas hub and propel Malaysia's position in the regional oil and gas value chain.
The Star
08-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
ChemOne secures US$350mil Islamic insurance cover from IsDB'S unit
KUALA LUMPUR: ChemOne Group has secured a US$350 million (US$1 = RM4.23) Islamic insurance cover from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB)'s unit, Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC). In a statement today, the Singapore-based petrochemicals, green energy and natural resources conglomerate said the cover is designed to support Islamic banks involved in the project financing of the Pengerang Energy Complex Sdn Bhd (PEC), highlighting strong institutional confidence and the project's long-term strategic value to Johor. The ICIEC cover is structured under a Murabahah financing facility, providing 90 per cent cover on both principal and profit -- significantly de-risking the transaction for participating Islamic banks, including the National Bank of Kuwait, the Qatar National Bank, Al Rajhi Bank Malaysia and Al Rajhi Bank Saudi Arabia. ChemOne chief financial officer Mayank Vishnoi said that ICIEC's support provides a strong validation of PEC's financial strength and its far-reaching development impact. "PEC will drive regional industrial growth, create thousands of jobs and support regional value chains to all while adhering to global standards for sustainable and responsible financing," he said. Additionally, ChemOne said that the IsDB Group, through the IsDB and the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), has committed a direct investment of US$150 million via the Istisna-Ijara structures. "With this, the IsDB Group's total support for PEC, including both direct investment and credit enhancement, exceeds US$500 million, making it one of the group's most significant engagements in Southeast Asia. "ICIEC's involvement is underpinned by strong financial fundamentals, backed by Standard & Poor's AA- and Moody's Aa3 credit ratings and reflects its core mandate to promote investment across member states," it said. - Bernama
New Straits Times
08-07-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
ChemOne secures US$350mil ICIEC cover for Pengerang project
KUALA LUMPUR: Singapore-headquartered petrochemicals company ChemOne Group has obtained US$350 million in insurance coverage from the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC) to support the financing of its Pengerang Energy Complex (PEC) in Johor, Malaysia. ChemOne said the insurance cover is designed to facilitate the involvement of Islamic banks in the project's financing, reflecting strong institutional confidence in the PEC's long-term strategic value for the region. ICIEC is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB). According to the company, the ICIEC insurance cover is structured under a Murabaha financing facility, offering 90 per cent coverage on both the principal and profit. This significantly reduces the risk for the participating Islamic banks, which include the National Bank of Kuwait (NBK), Qatar National Bank (QNB), Al Rajhi Bank Malaysia, and Al Rajhi Bank KSA. "In addition, the IsDB Group, through IsDB and the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), has reinforced its commitment through a direct investment of US$150 million via Istisna-Ijara structures. "The IsDB Group's total support for PEC, combining direct investments and credit enhancement, now stands at over US$500 million, marking one of the group's most substantial engagements in Southeast Asia," it added. ChemOne chief financial officer Mayank Vishnoi said ICIEC's backing serves as a strong endorsement of PEC's financial robustness and its broad developmental significance. "PEC will drive regional industrial growth, create thousands of jobs, and support regional value chains, all while adhering to global standards for sustainable and responsible financing. "We are honoured to lead one of Asia's most impactful private-sector-led financings," Vishnoi said.
