Colorants in the form of polymer additive pigments and dyes change the look of a given plastic to the human eye. Today’s coloring methods include a broad array of technologies to choose from including...

Because the Chemical Industry is actively working on developing plant-based products the SpecialChem team wanted to investigate one of the latest successful long-term projects bringing renewably...

The global plasticizer market is an $11 billion industry. Approximately 90% of the plasticizers produced are consumed in vinyl based formulations. Medical device development is indicative of broader... (3 Member Reactions)

Usual plastics are insulating materials subjected to electrostatic build-up and discharge depending on the surface resistivity of the part. Numerous antistatic solutions are examined from oldest ones...

As a follow up on last month’s comprehensive article on What's the latest in biocides?, SpecialChem takes a look at the potential use of antimicrobials in new market segments. With established uses in...

Marcus Navin-Jones of Keller & Heckman have assessed the likely impact of the new Biocidal Products Regulation on the key issue of treated articles. The current Biocidal Products Directive (BPD) does...

Plastics are simply synthetic compounds that mimic and try to improve upon substances we find widespread in nature—polymers in wood, leaves, seeds and fur. To further enhance mechanical/thermal...

Additives used to improve the polymer performance are active products that interfere with the compound. Their effects depend on their distribution, dispersion, wetting and actual compatibility with... (3 Member Reactions)

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a thermoplastic prepared by free radical polymerization of vinyl chloride via dispersion (emulsion), bulk or suspension processes. PVC compounds consume more than 65% of...

HFFR (Halogen Free Flame Retardants) are increasingly replacing conventional halogenated flame retardants (FR) in the electrical and electronic (E&E) sector in response to legal regulations, consumer... (1 Member Reaction)

Energy savings, carbon footprint, quality, waste reduction and cost savings are essential requirements concerning the plastics industry. Energy savings decrease pollution and fuel consumption, thus...

Biocides are additives able to kill and stop bacteria or fungi proliferation, to prevent degradation of polymer’s physical and sensorial properties, both within the material and at its surface. They...

Bioplastics production has grown 6-fold from 0.26 million metric tonnes in 2007 to roughly 1.5 million tonnes by year end 2011. Bioplastics finished product manufacturing is advancing rapidly across...

Biocides and antimicrobial additives' market is growing at a somewhat slowed yet steady pace. One exception where demand is a bit more speeded up and likely to continue to be in the forefront and,... (2 Member Reactions)

EU and USA ban some phthalates as plasticizers, especially for PVCs, the highest outlet for these additives. Some other phthalates are not involved and can be used but there is some confusion between... (7 Member Reactions)

One of the most important technological advances in the field of plastics has been the extensive replacement of metals with plastics. The key advantage metals have over plastics is their electrical... (3 Member Reactions)

It is necessary to anticipate the growing scarcity and the possible drying up of petroleum, source of virtually all the plastics. In this context, all the countries study the replacement of oil-based... (6 Member Reactions)

Polyimides are the class of polymers that have found uses in demanding electronics needs. These are thermally stable polymers that are often based on stiff aromatic backbones. They are a very...

The electrical/electronic (E/E) end-use market is the world’s 3rd largest market for plastics after packaging and construction, with applications ranging from miniature connectors to large electronic...

The Indian plastics market is comprised of around 25,000 companies and employs 3 million people. The domestic capacity for polymer production was 5.72m tones in 2009. The State of Gujarat in Western...