Chinese demand will be the major driver for global PVC market up to 2020. Rapid increase in downstream capacity additions primarily geared towards export markets, and the fast growth of the domestic construction industry are the main drivers of PVC demand in China. Despite having the world’s largest PVC capacity using acetylene feedstock, China will emerge as the world's largest importer of PVC. Majority of global PVC demand currently originates from building construction and civil engineering, followed by films and sheeting, cable insulation, flooring, shoes, medical products, etc. Read in Driven by demand from China, PVC is expected to grow until 2020

Polyethylene pipes have been in use in North America since the 1950s when they were introduced in the oilfields. The issues for the industry were discussed a conference on Plastics in Underground Pipes. Some of the developments in pipe use and technology highlighted at the conference are mentioned. Read in Developments in plastics usage in underground pipes

Biopolymers such as PLA, PHA and starch-based resins are attracting growing market interest as alternatives to petroleum based polymers. Initially, biopolymers penetrated the film and sheet extrusion markets. Recent developments have encouraged successful application in molded products. Use of biopolymers is not mere substitution for a conventional polymer. Their usage requires understanding of product design, tool design, processing equipment and the parameters of the process. Read in Biopolymers require special care for processing during injection molding

New polymers engineered to respond to mechanical stress will help huge structural bridges of the future be built in a way that would offer a pre-damage warning. Basically, the new materials being developed are able to sense the force that is being applied to them, and to optically alert engineers if it is not within normal parameters, or if the assigned strain is exceeded. Parachute cords, climbing ropes and smart coatings for bridges are several possible uses for force-sensitive polymers being developed. Read in Force sensitive polymers may play a vital role in future warning systems

The mining industry is interested in a solution to corrosion, particularly in iron and copper mines or locations near saltwater. Corrosive environments can reduce the life of a traditional steel roll by 60% or more, and they have to be replaced frequently because of excessive rust-as frequently as every two weeks in severe cases. This results in more frequent downtime, repeated capital expenditures for replacement of rolls and labor costs for maintenance. A new plastic composite roll seems to have a solution to this. Read in PU composite rolls have good potential for mining industry

Growth of medical plastics will be driven by increased use of disposable devices as well as plastic packaging products. An ageing population will entail a rising incidence of acute and chronic conditions and an increasing volume of patient activity. It is now possible for patients to participate more actively in maintaining their own health as a result of home- and self-care health systems. These systems include innovations such as smart devices, customized wearable devices, electronic patient records, etc. All this will lead to several new handheld technologies and portable medical devices that will lead to an increased use of plastics in the medical field. Read in Healthcare industry is increasingly developing home- and self-care medical products

The complex and high-performance medical device designs adopted since the past decades require different substrates and assembly methods. Rising apprehension about contagious disease made the use of single-use medical devices almost mandatory, a trend has propelled evaluation of acrylic, polycarbonate and PVC for their designs. Acrylic-based adhesives offered an advantage over traditional room-temperature-curing adhesives by curing much faster, adhering to a wider variety of substrates and being easier to automate. Over the last decade, additional light-cure technologies have been introduced to assist medical device manufacturers with their assembly processes. To know more, read Light curing adhesives offer advantages to medical device assembly

Polycarbonates are known for their excellent optical and mechanical properties but are poor electrical conductors. A new research has altered this property of PC, by adding carbon nanotubes to them thereby resulting in highly conductive nanocomposites. The team has come up with a strategy to achieve higher conductivities using carbon nanotubes in plastic hosts than what has been currently achieved. As a result, the inexpensive plastic used to make optical discs will feature in high-end military aircrafts and sleek PDAs. Read in Nanocomposites featuring polycarbonate with ultra-high conductive properties

Polyurethane (PU), due to its versatility, finds application in a range of products including liquid coatings and paints, sports products, rigid insulation for buildings, etc. Interestingly, PU products are frequently durable goods such as upholstered furniture, mattresses and automobile parts. Various types of PU waste, consisting of either old recycled parts or production waste, are generally reduced to a more usable form, such as flakes, powder or pellets, depending on the particular type of polyurethane that is being recycled. To find out the various methods for recycling flexible PU foam, read Incineration is the ideal disposal method for flexible PU upholstery