Editor's Choice Technical Paper

Apoorva Kulkarni’s doctoral research helped shape ASTM D8646-26, which estimates temperature-dependent biodegradation behavior in aquatic environments.

Engineers optimize ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) and silicone thermoplastic vulcanizates to combine high elasticity with efficient thermoplastic processing for industrial applications.

Halogen-free flame retardants improve fire safety, but compounders still balance processing, durability, smoke, and electrical performance.

Dimensionless analysis links flow-mark formation in polypropylene injection molding to melt relaxation, cavity scale, and the Weissenberg number.

Flexloop uses solvent extraction to remove inks, adhesives, odors, and contaminants from flexible films, enabling higher-quality recycled resin.

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.

Researchers are addressing polymer data scarcity through AI, high-throughput experiments, simulations, literature mining, and standardized databases.

LEGO is reducing emissions and expanding the use of renewable, recycled, and mass-balance plastics across its global toy portfolio and supply chain.

Ultrasonic plasticization helps micro-molders process small polymer volumes, reduce waste, and improve fine-feature replication in precision parts.