Industry

Minimizing the utilization of virgin plastic in business-to-business (B2B) plastic packaging represents a crucial stride toward tackling pollution. This strategy, advocated by The Consumer Goods Forum’s Golden Design Rules, has the potential to yield substantial environmental and economic advantages.

Corporate solutions are crucial in driving the development of innovative technologies and practices that address key challenges in recycling.

Microencapsulation enhances the performance of additives in a variety of plastics applications. This technology is invaluable for incorporating additives that possess explosive properties, are challenging to handle, exhibit high reactivity, or are PCMs. 

Abdul Baghirov pioneers a transformative method to integrate hair fibers into Kevlar aerogels. It offers enhanced filtration efficiency and sustainable solutions to combat environmental challenges due to human hair waste.

While 3D printing with polymers and metals has dominated discussions, composites have quietly emerged as a significant player in additive manufacturing (AM). Combining the strength of metals with the lightness of polymers, composite materials are reshaping the landscape of 3D printing, particularly in fused filament fabrication (FFF) technology.

Stone packaging primarily consists of plastic mixed with calcium carbonate. The specific proportions of these components can vary depending on the intended application.

The University of Maine has unveiled a polymer 3D printer four times larger than the world’s biggest –– which is also on its campus. UMaine researchers foresee using it to print houses, boats, and infrastructure and to develop military vehicles.

The Holy Grail 2.0 initiative led by the AIM-European Brands Association and powered by Digimarc is transforming the recycling landscape through innovative technology.

The plastics processing industry is going through a significant transformation, driven by rising energy costs and concerns regarding future supply reliability.

PEEK glass fiber composite crystallization undergoes a critical transformation when subjected to conditions of high undercooling and intense shear.

The future of material research is increasingly changing toward digitization, which promises advantages but requires significant work and adaptability. While initial trends emerge, development varies between material classes due to variations in synthesis, production, analysis, and modeling techniques.

The plastics industry stands at a critical juncture, shaped by an increasing array of regulations aimed at mitigating environmental impact, particularly concerning single-use plastics.