Building & Construction

Plastic additives enabled global polymer growth, but today they also create new challenges for recycling, compliance, and circular material design.

Real-time resin diagnostics help processors monitor melt behavior, manage recycled-content variability, and improve plastics quality control.

Plastics logistics evolved from bulk railcars to intermodal systems as trade, regulation, pellet loss, and sustainability reshape resin transport.

Smart controls and modified plasticizing systems help stabilize recyclate injection molding despite variations in viscosity and feedstock.

PVC remains one of the world’s most versatile and widely used polymers, but producing high-performance PVC products requires far more than selecting the right resin. From pipe and window profiles to foam board and flooring, success depends on understanding the relationship between gelation, fusion, additives, and processing conditions.

Engineers upgrade polymer proppants to safely boost fracturing flow, quickly cut wear, and improve thermal yields for commercial oil wells.

Researchers synthesized a cobalt aluminate pigment (CoAL2O4) that acts as both a flame retardant and colorant in polylactide (PLA).

Engineers use machine learning algorithms to map polymer degradation, replacing physical trials with precise predictive models for industrial extrusion pipelines.

Halogen-free flame retardants improve PET fire performance while preserving transparency for electronics, solar panels, and screens.

4D-printed shape-memory PEEK replaces heavy mechanical hinges, enabling lightweight, self-deploying smart structures for next-gen space applications.