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Sustainable Bio-Based Composites Combine Lightweight Strength with Electromagnetic Attenuation

As wireless devices and high-frequency electronics become more widespread, materials that prevent electromagnetic interference are increasingly important. Many conductive shields work primarily by reflecting incoming waves, which can create unwanted secondary radiation. Polymer composites offer a lightweight and versatile alternative, and biochar provides a renewable source of conductive carbon.

8 Oct 2026

ARIA Backs 11 Projects with £50 m to Use Proteins as Tools for Manufacturing Advanced Materials

The Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA) has today announced it is backing 11 new research projects (Creators) with £50 m to develop new ways of manufacturing advanced materials at scale using proteins, as part of its Universal Fabricators program.

7 Oct 2026

Teijin Expands PFAS-Free High-performance Resin Lineup

Teijin Limited today announced new grades of SOLFIGA®, its family of polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) compounds, which offer excellent sliding properties without intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

From Teijin Limited 7 Oct 2026

Wiley Continues to Expand its IR, Raman, and SmartSpectra Spectral Libraries to Help Laboratories Meet Evolving Analytical Challenges

Wiley announces the expansion of its spectral libraries across IR and Raman, adding empirical and computed reference data spanning forensics, pigments and dyes, mineralogy, materials, polymers, and pharmaceuticals.

From John Wiley and Sons - Scientific Publishers 5 Oct 2026

Graphene Helps Degradable Elastomer Stretch 163% and Heat Rapidly Under Near-Infrared Light

Researchers developed a photocrosslinked PLCL-PEG-PLCL elastomer containing 2 wt% graphene that elongated by 163% before breaking and heated from 24.2 °C to 50.6 °C within 60 seconds under near-infrared light. The study also showed that network composition influenced elasticity, hydrolytic degradation, and structural failure, suggesting potential uses in flexible and wearable materials.

5 Oct 2026

Household Recycling Rejects Strengthen Compostable PLLA Composites

Researchers converted lignocellulosic pulp recovered from unrecyclable household waste, along with its post-hydrolysis residue, into reinforcements for biodegradable poly(L-lactide) composites. At 30 wt% loading, both waste-derived materials increased PLLA stiffness to about 6 GPa and accelerated disintegration under simulated industrial composting conditions.

28 Sep 2026

Machine Learning Improves LIBS Classification of Real Plastic Waste Under Variable Laser Conditions

Researchers used machine learning-assisted laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) to classify PP, PET, HDPE, and LDPE under three laser-energy conditions designed to mimic variations in laser irradiance, training the models on standard plastics and testing them on physically separate real-waste specimens. Combining preprocessing with wavelength selection raised the best test accuracy from 0.617 to 1.00, although that result was based on repeated measurements of only four held-out waste specimens, one per polymer class.

28 Sep 2026

Utilizing Agricultural Waste to Enhance Biodegradable Packaging Film Strength

Korean researchers have developed to strengthen biodegradable plastics using hemp hurd, an agricultural by-product.

21 Sep 2026

Advancing Flexible Display Technology Through Innovative Molecular Doping of Polymers

A research team led by Professor Boseok Kang of the SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Department of Nano Engineering, and Department of Semiconductor Convergence Engineering has raised the doping efficiency of electrically conductive plastics (conducting polymers) to a world-class level by attaching specific molecules to them, and has for the first time elucidated the underlying operating mechanism.

21 Sep 2026

Mango Kernels and Eggshells Create Flexible Biodegradable Films With Packaging Potential

Researchers developed biodegradable films from mango kernel starch and eggshell powder, identifying a formulation that combined tensile strength, flexibility, low moisture content, and improved thermal stability. The selected film lost 36.43% of its mass during a 28-day controlled soil-burial test, although the authors caution that degradation rates may differ under other environmental conditions.

17 Sep 2026

Editorial Highlights

Plastics and Polymers News

Sustainable Bio-Based Composites Combine Lightweight Strength with Electromagnetic Attenuation

ARIA Backs 11 Projects with £50 m to Use Proteins as Tools for Manufacturing Advanced Materials

Teijin Expands PFAS-Free High-performance Resin Lineup

Wiley Continues to Expand its IR, Raman, and SmartSpectra Spectral Libraries to Help Laboratories Meet Evolving Analytical Challenges

Graphene Helps Degradable Elastomer Stretch 163% and Heat Rapidly Under Near-Infrared Light

Household Recycling Rejects Strengthen Compostable PLLA Composites

Machine Learning Improves LIBS Classification of Real Plastic Waste Under Variable Laser Conditions

Utilizing Agricultural Waste to Enhance Biodegradable Packaging Film Strength

Advancing Flexible Display Technology Through Innovative Molecular Doping of Polymers

Mango Kernels and Eggshells Create Flexible Biodegradable Films With Packaging Potential

Power Cord Safety in Electronic Product Design

Navigating Global Power Connectivity Standards

THERMOSEAL® Moldable for Refractory Repair and Sealing

XFlash® FlatQUAD 2L: Unique EDS Detector for Challenging Applications

LFA 707 StratoFlash® Classic Laser Flash Analyzer

Water and Organic Vapor Sorption with the IGAsorp Ultra

Editorial Highlights

Engineering Solutions for Modern Oil and Gas

Flare Stacks in Oil & Gas Safety

The Carbon Cost: Rethinking Modern Materials

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How to Detect Vapor Leaks in Oil and Gas Facilities

How Temperature Affects Ultrasonic Thickness Measurements

Why Are Polyimide Films Used for Flexible Electronics?

Semiconductor Defect Review with PiFM