Earthly Gains

⁰¹ Inspirations for infrastructure

In 3M’s Industrial Mineral Products Division, marketing manager Carrie Niezgocki shares some of 3M’s latest inventions to transform roofing. 3M’s roofing granules convert polluting, nitrogen-oxide gases into plant-nurturing nitrogen, improving air quality by pulling smog out of the atmosphere. These granules are integrated into residential roofing shingles. On an average-sized home, they’re doing the climate-change-fighting work of two trees. “My little roof can make a difference, when I step back and think of it as one contribution to a larger whole. If a full community is adopting this, you could be looking at 10,000 trees,” says Niezgocki.

According to John Rabung, a vice president of sales at Portland, Oregon-based roofing materials supplier Malarkey Roofing Products, since the company started working with 3M to use these “smog-reducing” granules in its asphalt roofing shingles in 2018, they’ve installed the equivalent of one million trees. Malarkey Roofing Products also has found cost-effective ways to use recycled polymers in its roofing shingles, making an average-sized residential roof “the equivalent in recycled materials of 5 rubber tires and 3,200 plastic bags — plus planting two trees,” Rabung says.

In 3M’s Industrial Mineral Products Division, marketing manager Carrie Niezgocki shares some of 3M’s latest inventions to transform roofing. 3M’s roofing granules convert polluting, nitrogen-oxide gases into plant-nurturing nitrogen, improving air quality by pulling smog out of the atmosphere. These granules are integrated into residential roofing shingles. On an average-sized home, they’re doing the climate-change-fighting work of two trees. “My little roof can make a difference, when I step back and think of it as one contribution to a larger whole. If a full community is adopting this, you could be looking at 10,000 trees,” says Niezgocki.

According to John Rabung, a vice president of sales at Portland, Oregon-based roofing materials supplier Malarkey Roofing Products, since the company started working with 3M to use these “smog-reducing” granules in its asphalt roofing shingles in 2018, they’ve installed the equivalent of one million trees. Malarkey Roofing Products also has found cost-effective ways to use recycled polymers in its roofing shingles, making an average-sized residential roof “the equivalent in recycled materials of 5 rubber tires and 3,200 plastic bags — plus planting two trees,” Rabung says.

Sustainable construction innovations could make valuable contributions in neighborhoods where high levels of airborne pollutants are causing increased rates of asthma, COPD and other diseases. Studies from organizations such as the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America show that these impacts often are concentrated in communities of color, highlighting environmental and health inequities. Tackling such issues aligns directly with 3M’s guiding principle of looking beyond the solution, to see the person it impacts.

Sustainable construction innovations could make valuable contributions in neighborhoods where high levels of airborne pollutants are causing increased rates of asthma, COPD and other diseases. Studies from organizations such as the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America show that these impacts often are concentrated in communities of color, highlighting environmental and health inequities. Tackling such issues aligns directly with 3M’s guiding principle of looking beyond the solution, to see the person it impacts.

⁰² Renewing renewables

In 2020, renewable energy sources — hydropower, wind and solar — accounted for approximately 29 percent of global electricity supply. As this sector grows, innovations in material sciences are boosting performance and adoption.

Take wind turbines. Recent inventions can make these machines more energy efficient. For example, operators are using durable, thermoplastic 3M^TM Wind Vortex Generators to increase turbines’ annual energy production by up to 3 percent. A turbine’s blades can turn at 250 miles per hour, chopping through wind, rain, hail and salt spray. This creates pits, gouges and erosion that make blades less aerodynamic — reducing uptime and energy output. 3M dove into this problem, and developed UV-stable tapes and coatings to prevent and repair damage, improve efficiency and extend the lifespan of turbine blades operating in harsh environments like the North Sea.

3M also is developing technologies that help utilities more easily integrate renewables into the electrical grid, which is becoming more complex as more diverse energy sources are added. “Power is coming into the grid from many different locations and directions,” says Thomas Hardy, 3M’s global portfolio manager for renewables. “The grid has to get smarter to be able to monitor and quickly adapt to complex supply and demand that changes minute by minute.”

3M grid innovations are helping to solve these challenges. For example, 3M^TM Sensored Cable Accessories enable measurement of critical parameters (voltage, current, phase angle) in underground medium-voltage electrical networks, which serve as a bridge between power plants and end users like homes and businesses. These solutions incorporate highly accurate voltage and current measurement integrated into accessories for these networks.

In 2020, renewable energy sources — hydropower, wind and solar — accounted for approximately 29 percent of global electricity supply. As this sector grows, innovations in material sciences are boosting performance and adoption.

Take wind turbines. Recent inventions can make these machines more energy efficient. For example, operators are using durable, thermoplastic 3M^TM Wind Vortex Generators to increase turbines’ annual energy production by up to 3 percent. A turbine’s blades can turn at 250 miles per hour, chopping through wind, rain, hail and salt spray. This creates pits, gouges and erosion that make blades less aerodynamic — reducing uptime and energy output. 3M dove into this problem, and developed UV-stable tapes and coatings to prevent and repair damage, improve efficiency and extend the lifespan of turbine blades operating in harsh environments like the North Sea.

3M also is developing technologies that help utilities more easily integrate renewables into the electrical grid, which is becoming more complex as more diverse energy sources are added. “Power is coming into the grid from many different locations and directions,” says Thomas Hardy, 3M’s global portfolio manager for renewables. “The grid has to get smarter to be able to monitor and quickly adapt to complex supply and demand that changes minute by minute.”

“The key to adoption is developing and improving renewable energy technologies to the point where customers can recognize their value and want to make the switch.”

⁰³ Electric dreams

Electric transportation powered by renewable sources is another important part of the new energy mix, and innovations are pushing the technology beyond current limits. One of the big challenges for EVs is battery performance. If EV batteries can be made to last longer and increase vehicle range, more consumers and businesses are likely to opt for electric cars and trucks.

Moving forward:
Click on the hotspots to see how 3M innovations are improving EVs.

Window films This proprietary technology rejects solar energy and heat-producing infrared rays, taking less energy to keep the vehicle cool and enabling longer range.

Human machine interface Enable visionary Human Machine Interface designs while drawing less power and using less cooling energy. Deliver design, safety and efficiency with leading technology in head-up displays, driver monitoring, eMirrors, information displays.

Thermal interface materials Highly conductive thermal pads, tapes and epoxies provide superior structural strength while effectively dissipating heat in even the most demanding electronic conditions.

Bonding and joining Alternatives to traditionally heavy fastening methods like spot welding, rivets and bolts to bond plastic to metal, low surface energy substrates and dissimilar materials in high volumes.

E-A-R cushioning materials Proven cushioning products provide consistent force within battery packs, holding components securely in place, guarding against normal structural vibrations and disruptions for optimal, long-living battery performance.

Thermal and acoustic insulation Better controlling of the vehicle cabin temperature can help extended range, while providing a more comfortable occupant experience.

Flame barrier 3M offers flexible flame barrier solutions that provide excellent ignitability resistance to help designers create the right barrier between passengers and the EV battery.

⁰⁴ Circular reasoning

Ever-expanding landfills represent an urgent, environmental threat. The larger the world’s landfills, the more methane leeches into the atmosphere. 3M’s focus on the circular economy helps keep products and packaging from becoming trash. A major source of solid waste is shipping: boxes, tape, foam, plastic bubble. Ann Meitz, vice president of sustainability and packaging innovation at 3M, is waging a war on this waste. Her team is leveraging material science to make products and their packaging landfill-proof. “In a circular economy, you're really striving to design out waste and pollution,” Meitz says. “You want to keep materials in use as much as you can, and create regenerative systems.”

Ever-expanding landfills represent an urgent, environmental threat. The larger the world’s landfills, the more methane leeches into the atmosphere. 3M’s focus on the circular economy helps keep products and packaging from becoming trash. A major source of solid waste is shipping: boxes, tape, foam, plastic bubble. Ann Meitz, vice president of sustainability and packaging innovation at 3M, is waging a war on this waste. Her team is leveraging material science to make products and their packaging landfill-proof. “In a circular economy, you're really striving to design out waste and pollution,” Meitz says. “You want to keep materials in use as much as you can, and create regenerative systems.”

3M’s Scotch^TM Cushion Lock^TM Protective Wrap is meant to replace or reduce the use of plastic bubble. It’s made of 100 percent recycled paper. Inspired by the Japanese art of kirigami, it comes tightly packed in a flat paper roll and expands when used. That means it fills boxes with up to 60 percent less material than plastic bubble.*