Sensors

AI control for recycled plastics stabilizes injection molding despite resin variability, reducing defects and improving operator confidence with explainable models.

Printable chipless RFID tags using MXene inks enable remote sorting and then dissolve in a caustic wash to avoid contamination of recyclate.

Insights from K Show: 3D printing finds key niches in plastics, from conformal-cooling tooling to large-format parts and TPU lattices.

A two-year program conducted by CEFLEX gathered information from 1,700 data points and over 600 packaging samples. As a result, a design guide was developed to ensure the practical recyclability of flexible packaging.

Reconfigurable liquid crystal elastomers use pixel-based director patterns for multi-mode shape morphing in soft robotics and adaptive surfaces.

Fouling comes from additive volatility and interfacial energetics. Early shifts in cavity-pressure and ejector-force trends reveal their growth and prompt planned interventions.

As biomonitors, lichens show how green spaces buffer urban areas from atmospheric microplastic pollution.

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) is replacing metal in many aerospace applications, and controlling internal stresses is necessary for performance.

Recycled polypropylene enters pipe systems under rising mandates, yet impurity control ultimately governs crack kinetics and service life.

Understanding the complex relationships between fibers, melt flow, and microstructure characteristics can help leverage the benefits of this high-performance material.