November 14, 2023The Fashion Industry Needs an Alternative to Recycled PETThe fashion industry is disrupting the PET circular economy by taking it into an application that recycles less than 1% of its products. Read more
November 13, 2023Patagonia Parka Uses Expanded Polyethylene and Coastal Waste PlasticsOutdoor apparel company Patagonia Inc. has partnered with two materials firms to produce one of its warmest parkas yet –– the StormShadow –– using high-performance textiles made from recycled coastal and marine plastic. Patagonia leveraged W.L. Gore & Associates’ development of expanded polyethylene (ePE) and married it with efforts by New York-based materials engineering company Bionic, which repurposes ocean-bound waste plastics in Costa Rica. Read more
November 10, 2023Scientists Using AI to Accelerate Materials DiscoveryNational Renewable Energy Laboratory scientists have used artificial intelligence (AI) to develop a tool to help users find the most sustainable polymers for specific applications. The tool, called PolyID, predicts material properties based on molecular structure. Read more
November 10, 2023Sustainability Management Strategies – November 2023, Part 1Introducing a new series: ‘Sustainability Management Tip of the Month’ to provide plastics processors with tips on how to improve internal and external sustainability and to demonstrate this to the outside world. Read more
November 9, 2023A Closer Look at Plastic 3D Printing MaterialsDelve into the realm of 3D printing plastics where innovation meets engineering. From traditional petroleum-based materials to eco-friendly alternatives like polylactic acid (PLA), discover the versatile and ever-evolving world of plastics. Read more
November 8, 2023Closing the Carbon Fiber LoopThe V-Carbon technology is based on a patented “chemolysis” recycling process and offers up to 85% of carbon fiber’s original strength. Read more
November 8, 2023Evolve Launches 3D-printed Parts Production ServiceEvolve Additive Solutions said Nov. 8 at the Formnext show in Frankfurt, Germany, that it is launching a new 3D-printed parts production service, called STEP Parts Now, and introducing two new thermoplastic materials. Read more
November 7, 2023Tosaf Introduces New Line of PFAS-free Processing AidsFacing pressure to eliminate PFAS chemicals from fluoropolymers, plastic additive makers such as Tosaf are launching alternative, PFAS-free processing aids. Read more
November 7, 2023Fractures in Glass Fiber-Reinforced PlasticsTo understand component failures, the analysis goes beyond the recognition of a broken part. Analysis delves deep into the mechanism and root cause of the failure, seeking answers to how and why the component failed. A pivotal part of this… Read more
November 6, 2023Single-Use Plastics Ban in British ColumbiaIn British Columbia, a new law will prohibit single-use plastics starting December 20, 2023. This bill seeks to curtail the production of packaging that contributes to nearly half of the province’s annual plastic pollution, signifying strides towards a sustainable, circular economy. Read more
November 6, 2023SABIC Unveils Sustainable In-mold Label Project, New Range of LNP Copolymer Resins With High PCR ContentSABIC’s renewable polypropylene used in in-mold label project. It also launches 10 LNP Elcrin polycarbonate-based copolymers with high post-consumer content. Read more
November 3, 2023Confronting the Challenges of Carbon Fiber RecyclingA UNSW Canberra researcher claims to have advanced CF recycling. But major challenges remain, says one industry expert. Carbon fiber composites are super strong super lightweight and super difficult to recycle effectively. Embedded in a (usually thermoset) polymer matrix, carbon… Read more