RIYADH, 12 February — Saudi Arabian Basic Industries Corporation and King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology have signed a cooperation agreement for conducting research to develop polyethylene which resists ultraviolet rays.
The research program will be carried out by a team led by Ahmad Basfar of the Institute of Atomic Power Research. The contract is for a period of two years with SABIC financing the project by providing the required manpower, chemicals and laboratory equipment.
The project was launched after the team completed a primary study on the topic and was convinced of the possibility of developing polyethylene's resistance to ultraviolet rays by treating it with low Gama rays. The findings of the study were published in a specialized scientific journal. The study will include several polyethylene products of SABIC such as material used in the film industry.
The agreement stipulates that the research team should submit four reports annually to SABIC on the progress of the research. The findings of the study should be kept secret so that SABIC can make use of the information commercially. The patent rights of inventions resulting from the project also will belong to SABIC. (SPA)
