Sensors

Inline rheology and spectroscopy enable real-time melt monitoring, improving quality control in extrusion and injection molding.

A newly developed, open-access tool helps plastic recyclers pinpoint appropriate market applications.

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

Researchers are fine-tuning computer vision systems to help identify and sort plastic waste on construction sites.

Plastic manufacturing data analytics shifts quality control upstream. Real-time monitoring and AI improve OEE and identify root causes before defects occur.

Engineers leverage MXene/MWCNT dual-conductive percolation to solve cyclic fatigue in self-healing Triboelectric Nanogenerators (TENGs).

Optical sieve microcavities shift color when they trap nanoplastics, enabling fast detection, sizing, and counting with a standard microscope.

A decision made at the pigment stage can decide whether a plastic product is recyclable at all.

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.