Editor's Choice Technical Paper

ANTEC 2026 and the SPE Applied Rheology Chapter brought top innovators to Pittsburgh from March 9–12 of technical progress in plastics.

High-performance photocatalysts can upcycle post-consumer polyester under mild conditions.

Engineers leverage thermotropic LCE phase transitions to power prosthetics, overcoming rigid motor constraints with flexible actuation.

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

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

Move beyond ASTM D395 compression set to stress relaxation and DMA to predict contact stress retention and leakage risk in high-performance seals.

Without PFAS, extrusion systems lose their tolerance for small mechanical flaws. What once ran unnoticed now drives degradation, buildup, and instability.

From polymer processing to vitrimers, Ica Manas-Zloczower’s story highlights mentorship, persistence, and ANTEC recognition.

Film defects are process signals. Connect die flow, cooling symmetry, and winding stress to improve gauge control and roll quality.

Drawing on sedimentology, researchers have proposed a novel classification scheme for plastic waste of all sizes.