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The medical sector is the fourth largest consumer of plastics after packaging, construction, and automotive sectors. It has a relatively high growth rate (8% per year). The growth is in part due to our long life expectancy but also because of new...

Transparent plastics are certainly not new to packaging applications, and their use has continued to grow, as designers take advantage of clarity as yet another tool to differentiate their packaged goods. At the same time, use of clarified... (2 Member Reactions)

The Electrical/Electronics (E/E) end-use market is the world's 3rd largest plastics sector behind packaging and building/construction. Apart from mechanical properties, the electrical behavior of plastics is a vital factor when using these materials... (1 Member Reaction)

Essentially all plastic materials undergo oxidation reactions which can occur at every stage of the life cycle of a polymer from manufacturing and storage of the material through its compounding/processing and end use. Exposure to oxidation reactions... (9 Member Reactions)

With the growing use of recycled polymers comes a growing need to control odors in these plastics. Odor in recyclate comes from many sources, including odors from the polymer, odors from degradation products of polymer additives, and odors specific... (8 Member Reactions)

Three properties of polymers are directly related to their refractive index: focusing power, light reflection and dispersive effect due to the diversity of the wavelengths of the light.
The higher the refractive index, the more the material... (4 Member Reactions)

Processing costs can bring a broad contribution to lower prices through many ways, by lowering machine run costs, labour costs, direct investments, energy and utility consumptions, finishing costs, assembly, surface treatment, decoration....

The earth's atmosphere absorbs much of the total energy from the sun. Solar energy that does reach the surface of the earth ranges in wavelength from 300 to 2500 nm (nanometers) and consists of ultraviolet, visible and infrared light or radiation.... (3 Member Reactions)

European Bioplastics and the European Polysaccharide Network of Excellence EPNOE published a jointly commissioned study on bio-based plastics. The developments in the past five years in emerging bio-based plastics are spectacular from a technological... (5 Member Reactions)

It is more and more urgent to treat end-of-life plastics wastes exceeding hundred thousand tonnes a day. That is an economic and environmental requirement that must be solved to perpetuate the life and the economic activity of our Earth. Our attitude... (1 Member Reaction)

Polypropylene (PP) - with its low cost, light weight and ever-improving properties - is ready to go places. Technology advances in resins, processing equipment, and additives have all played a role in opening up new opportunities, and there is still... (2 Member Reactions)

Direct property losses by fires are roughly 0.2% of the gross domestic product and the total costs of fires are around 1% of the gross domestic product. Therefore, it is important to develop well-designed flame retardant materials to decrease both...

It is true that one should never judge a book by its cover! But this is not applicable in the case of consumer products. How a product is packaged, more often than not, determines its value and success in the market. Further, the importance of... (2 Member Reactions)

The success of hybrid polymers is based on special and often unusual characteristics combined with easy and cheap processing methods, leading to dramatic cost savings versus equivalent devices based on silicon technology. That is satisfying for many... (2 Member Reactions)

Condensation polymers like PET and PA degrade during melt processing, reducing molecular weight (measured by intrinsic viscosity or IV), which generally corresponds to lower mechanical properties. Recycled PET (rPET) applications such as fibers can... (1 Member Reaction)

EU and USA ban some phthalates as plasticizers, especially for PVCs, the highest outlet for these additives. Other phthalates are not involved and can be used. However it is necessary to find new solutions for immediate and future requirements.... (5 Member Reactions)

Polymer formulations usually include one or more compounds such as antioxidants, secondary antioxidants, antistatic additives, light stabilisers, lubricants, plasticisers, stabilisers, slip and antiblock agents. In addition, the polymer and hence the... (1 Member Reaction)

Graphene - a nanomaterial derived from graphite - has outstanding thermal and electrical conductivity, combined with other properties like strength and barrier, which make it an exciting new material in development for conductive applications.... (16 Member Reactions)

Petroleum drying up will lead to an energy crisis needing to find new sources for the plastics industry. Alternatives include the replacement of petroleum by coal, the use of minerals, the exploitation of biomass and CO₂, and... (1 Member Reaction)

Nanomaterials are finding increasing commercial use as flame retardants, particularly as part of non-halogenated flame retardant additive packages. The flame retardant properties of nanoclays, carbon nanotubes, POSS, and others are also a continued... (5 Member Reactions)