Materials

The new EU 10/2011 and REACH mandates shift the focus of plastic compliance toward pigments and additives, affecting NIR recyclability and migration limits.

Subcritical water treatment at 325°C removes 96% of VOCs and pigments from PE/PP blends while preserving 94% of molecular weight for high-value reuse.

Multi-material 3D printing of PEEK and PEKK enables the consolidation of structural aerospace parts with embedded sensors and high-frequency antennas.

Mass production of microfluidics requires replacing PDMS with thermoplastics. Variothermal molding solves the “frozen layer” problem, enabling cycle times of <1 minute.

Non-recyclable polymer design destroys terminal value. Examine how NPV and IRR metrics can address structural financial distortions in plastics.

Upstream design decisions determine the success of plastic circularity. This analysis examines the gap between technical and effective recycling.

By moving surface formation into the tool, PU overmolding can displace downstream paint operations with a reactive in-mold skin that stabilizes gloss and optical uniformity.

Enzymatic polymerization of plant sugars allows for precise molecular control to replace persistent polyquaterniums in high-volume fabric care.

Hospitals adopt sustainable materials, smarter packaging, and greener procurement to cut waste and emissions while protecting patient safety in 2026.

What it takes for sustainable plastics to work in pharma, with insights from Dr. Beate Mueller-Tiemann.