Resins

UK design firm Gomi believes that technology products shouldn’t become obsolete. Rather, they should be beautiful, durable, repairable and have a circular lifespan. So it is making audio speakers and power banks from recycled plastic bags and repurposed lithium batteries.

New regulations for food contact materials are getting stricter, especially for food-grade rPET. In the case of functional barriers from recycled material without prior decontamination, they could be affected and probably discontinued.

Carbon-fibre reinforced compounds play a pivotal role in demanding applications like automotive, aviation, and renewable energy due to their blend of rigidity, mechanical strength, and lightness. However, recycling these compounds, especially in wind turbines, has been a persistent challenge. As part of the Wind Turbine Materials Recycling Challenge by the US Department of Energy, scientists are spearheading innovative solutions, with a particular focus on chemical recycling.

The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) has introduced Golden Design Rules to boost the recycling value of PET thermoformed trays and other PET thermoformed packaging. These guidelines are tailored to integrate with existing regional recycling programs and pave the way for more efficient recycling systems by 2025.

Scientists at King’s College London have unveiled a groundbreaking method for recycling single-use bioplastics, commonly found in disposable items like coffee cups and food containers. Published in Cell Reports Physical Science, the chemical recycling approach utilizes enzymes akin to those in biological laundry detergents to swiftly break down landfill-bound bioplastics within just 24 hours.

Advanced machinery that can effectively decontaminate post-consumer plastics is the key to producing rPET with exceptionally high purity. This quality is essential for FDA-approved food-grade packaging.

The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) has established 9 Golden Design rules to tackle plastic pollution. Rule #1 is to increase the value of PET recycling by embracing transparency and simplicity.

A pair of U.S. defense-related organizations –– America Makes and NCDMM –– have awarded funds to a project designed to optimize recycled PET (rPET) and rPET-based composites in filament-fed material extrusion 3D printing.

As scientists, we must look for the truth, but sometimes this truth can be interpreted differently depending on how our investigation scope was developed. I think this is the case of the recent study that found hundreds of thousands of nanoplastics in bottled water.

Injection molding simulation has already achieved a high level of precision. Industry leaders’ recent collaboration promises enhanced precision in material data, elevating manufacturing efficiency and quality standards.

Companies worldwide are gathering efforts to develop flame retardant systems based on renewable sources providing an eco-friendly alternative to halogenated flame retardants. Additives with flame-retardant properties, such as phosphorus-based compounds, can chemically modify carbon sources like cellulose, chitosan, and lignin. This results in the successful design of intumescent flame retardants for use in many applications.

The emergence of hydrogel and aerogel-based flame-retardant polymeric materials marks new and innovative options in fire safety and protection. Henri Vahabi and his team’s review article for the SPE Journal of Vinyl and Additive Technology thoroughly explores this cutting-edge concept, revealing its makeup, capabilities, and potential future developments of these innovative materials.