Wind energy is a rapidly growing market segment for the composites industry, with the market growing at a rate of 23% pa since last ten years. It provides great opportunities to product manufacturers as well as material suppliers of the composites industry to expand their businesses, consuming millions of pounds of composite materials each year. Composites consumption in the global wind energy market has grown 23 times in last 12 years. Read in Developments and prospects of wind energy made from composites

Post-consumer PET is a very attractive feedstock. USA alone generates about 2000 tpa of PET bottle waste. Only 20% of PET waste is recycled, while the rest is dumped into landfills across the country. Read more about a new manufacturing process in Green method of manufacturing virgin PET/PBT from recycled PET products offers energy saving

With increasing population it is inevitable to find a solution to reduce the problems with microbial contaminations. Bacteria, fungi and algae can cause major problems in health, construction, food and packaging industries and especially the health industry. Biocidal products are active substances and preparations containing one or more active substances, intended to destroy, deter, render harmless, prevent the action of, or otherwise exert a controlling effect on any harmful organism by chemical or biological means. Read about new offerings in A review of biocide products and new developments in biocides for plastics

Demand for engineering plastics in USA is projected to grow 3.5% pa in 2010, improving from the previous five year period. The turnaround will be driven by a resurgent electrical and electronics market, the largest outlet for engineering resins, and increasing per vehicle usage in the large motor vehicle market. Advances will also benefit from the continued drive to replace metal and other materials with lightweight, cost-effective, high performance plastics. However, growth will be slowed. Read in Demand for engineering plastics in US will grow at 3.5% pa until 2010

Initially, finding application as biostabilizers to preserve plastic articles and extend shelf-life, the use of antimicrobials as active ingredients to provide additional benefits has increased in recent years. They maintain surfaces in a sanitary/hygienic state, provide additional protection such as against odor development. Antimicrobials are used in plastics for two major purposes, as a biostabilizer or preservative and as an antimicrobial active agent. Read more in Advances in antimicrobial additive technology

Resistance to chemotherapy is a major problem for cancer patients, especially those with advanced or metastatic disease. A recent study has revealed that exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) may reduce the effectiveness of chemotherapy treatments. Read more in Bisphenol A could reduce the effectiveness of chemotherapy

A family of liquid polymer modifiers breaks the mold of conventional plasticizers in their enhancement of physical properties and processability. These modifiers have a proven track record in EPDM compounds. Depending on the application and polyolefin system, they can act as processing aid, flow enhancer, compatibilizer, toughener and plasticizer. Read in Novel liquid modifiers improve properties and performance of polyolefins

Heralding a new era in the field of solar cell technology, Australian researchers have announced successful completion of trials to develop flexible, large area, cost-effective, reel-to-reel printable plastic solar cells. As per the researchers, over a span of 5 months enough plastic solar cells could be printed to generate a gigawatt of power considering the cells achieve 10% efficiency. Read more in Flexible, cost-effective, reel-to-reel printable plastic solar cells demonstrate immense potential

European processors have turned to high-speed single-screw extrusion. These extrusion systems have so far processed mainly unfilled or lightly filled PE, PP, PS and ABS. High-speed extruders were introduced to make PS and PP sheet for in-line thermoforming, mainly for energy and space savings. Read in High speed extrusion equipment saves 10-15 percent energy cost