Development of Water-Soluble Glass... "Committed to Marine Ecosystem Restoration Projects"
LG Electronics announced on the 17th that it is promoting a new business producing ‘antibacterial glass powder’ with antibacterial properties and ‘water-soluble glass powder’ that can dissolve in water and be applied to marine ecosystem restoration, aiming to utilize them as future growth engines.
Glass powder is a fine particle obtained by crushing glass. Glass-based materials have high chemical, thermal, and discoloration stability as well as durability. LG Electronics developed antibacterial glass powder based on its proprietary glass composition design technology and understanding of the actual usage environment of home appliances.
When antibacterial glass powder is added to various materials such as plastic, textiles, paint, and coatings, it can provide antibacterial and antifungal properties, making it highly versatile. In fact, the demand for antibacterial materials surged after the spread of COVID-19, and they are being applied to various materials in industries such as healthcare, packaging, medical, and construction materials. The scope of application is gradually expanding.
Since last year, LG Electronics has applied antibacterial glass powder to LG home appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, and air conditioners. When producing plastic parts frequently touched by the body, such as handles, antibacterial glass powder is added to enable users to use the products hygienically.
LG Electronics is launching a new business producing 'antibacterial glass powder' with antibacterial properties and 'water-soluble glass powder' that dissolves in water and can be applied to marine ecosystem restoration. The photo shows cullet, pieces of glass before being made into glass powder / Based on technology that precisely releases the glass material components, which is the strength of antibacterial glass powder, LG Electronics also developed water-soluble glass. Water-soluble glass transforms into mineral ions when dissolved in water. It can be used to help the growth of microalgae and seaweed in the ocean, thereby restoring the marine ecosystem. It can also serve as a substitute for loess spread in the sea during red tide events.
LG Electronics plans to promote a new concept functional materials business, led by the antibacterial glass powder business. The market size is expected to be around 24 trillion KRW as of this year. The company also plans to expand its business into the marine ecosystem restoration market. This is to realize LG Electronics’ Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) vision of ‘Better Life for all.’ To promote the new business, the company added ‘manufacturing and sales of functional materials such as glass powder’ through a revision of its articles of incorporation last year.
Ryu Jae-cheol, President of LG Electronics’ H&A Business Division, said, “Based on advanced technology and know-how, we plan to continuously expand the application areas beyond the inherent limitations of existing glass materials. The functional materials business will become a new growth engine that leads a sustainable future and accelerates ESG management.”
LG Electronics began researching glass powder in 1996. To date, it has filed 219 patents related to glass powder. It also has production facilities with an annual capacity of 4,500 tons at its Smart Park in Changwon, Gyeongnam. Functional glass powder was first applied in an oven launched in North America in 2013. LG Electronics will participate in the ‘2023 Busan Marine Week’ held in Busan on the 22nd and introduce its differentiated functional materials new business under the theme ‘Rediscovering Glass for Marine Environment Improvement.’
Meanwhile, as part of strengthening ESG management with consideration for the environment, LG Electronics is collaborating with the Korea Water Forum, a non-profit organization, to preserve the marine ecosystem by reducing microplastics from washing machines. The Korea Water Forum is a leading domestic organization that promotes international activities and stakeholder cooperation to solve global water issues.
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