Contact
PUR RIM vs. Wood in Building Products
After nearly a decade of testing, roofing shakes of RIM polyurethane microcellular rigid foam are making a commercial push to compete with traditional cedar shakes.
Read More
Nanoscale Additive Blends Both Compatibilize and Toughen
A new family of acrylic block copolymers is said to be easily mixed into nanoscale dispersions with various thermoplastics, thermosets, and elastomers—and to be miscible with those matrix polymers.
Read More
New Version of RIM for Electronics Encapsulation
A new, patented technology that is an offshoot of RIM has been developed by CardXX of Englewood, Colo., to encapsulate electronics into “smart cards.” It is now available for license.
Read More
High-Melt-Strength PP Makes Softer, Lighter Foams
A new high-melt-strength (HMS) polypropylene is said to be especially suited to foam extrusion because it makes much softer foams than other HMS-PP grades.
Read More
Dye Sublimation Printing: Durable Color Decoration for 3D Parts
Dye sublimation, a dye-transfer process that got its start in the 1960s for use in textiles, has advanced in recent years to provide wear-resistant, full-color surface decoration of flat objects like mouse pads and tiles.
Read More
Novel Rheometer Tells More About Thermoplastic Processing Behavior
A unique type of oscillating-die rheometer, first unveiled in 1999 for analyzing thermosets and composites, has now been upgraded for testing polyolefins and other thermoplastics.
Read More
Additives for Polyolefins: Newest Advances Add Ruggedness, Good Looks & Easier Processing
At a recent conference, suppliers revealed novel coupling agents for wood composites and nanocomposites, unusual nucleator masterbatches for OPP and thermoformed containers, and enhanced heat and light stabilizers, flame retardants, and processing aids.
Read More
Resin Dryers: Which Type Is Right for You?
Processors today face bewildering choices of at least five basic types of dryers, whose capabilities are subject to conflicting claims from equipment suppliers. For the buyer, the most basic questions are: How much drying is needed for the job and which dryer types are up to the task?
Read More
Organic PVC Stabilizers Move from Europe to U.S.
A line of organic PVC heat stabilizers designed to replace heavy-metal stabilizers in environmentally sensitive European markets is now gaining a foothold in North America.
Read More
Commodities Futures Trading Starts for Polyolefins
In an era of volatile resin prices, trading commodities futures for plastics may be an idea whose time has come.
Read More
Colorant Makers Expand Services to Speed Customers' Product Development
Independent color-concentrate producers have been expanding the range of services they offer beyond simple color matching.
Read More
Polyurethanes: Foams Go 'Green' at Ever-Lower Cost
A great deal of effort is going into formulating rigid and flexible foams for lower cost and better properties, despite the transition to "cleaner" blowing agents. Improving fire and smoke performance is another challenge.
Read More
