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𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐂𝐎₂-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐲𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡, 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲

August 04, 2026

Researchers at #ColoradoStateUniversity (CSU) have developed a catalytic process that converts #carbondioxide and #bicycloalkane into high-strength, heat-stable, chemically resistant #polyesters with building blocks recoverable at end of life. The work is described in Nature. Why this CO₂-based polyester is different The process uses an organic catalyst to initiate a reaction between carbon dioxide and bicycloalkane, forming new chemical bonds in a durable, customizable synthetic polyester. According to the study, the resulting materials withstand heat stress and chemical exposure, and exhibit both high mechanical strength and flexibility. Performance is tunable: according to first author Min Zhu, the polymers can be designed to match the strength of tough plastics or the softness of rubber depending on formulation. Carbon dioxide has been explored as a polymer synthesis feedstock since the 1960s, but achieving high CO2 incorporation while producing recyclable, degradable pol...

𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲'𝐬 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐋𝐄𝐃𝐆𝐄 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 : 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐔 𝐅𝐨𝐚𝐦: 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭

August 03, 2026

𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲'𝐬 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐋𝐄𝐃𝐆𝐄 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐔 𝐅𝐨𝐚𝐦: 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 We obsess over the Isocyanate Index, but there's another variable that's just as ruthless: the water content in your formulation. If the water content changes by just 0.1%, it can throw your NCO Index off by a full point. This means your foam can either over-expand and crack, or not rise properly. The consequences are instant and severe: *Too much water? Your foam will over-expand, leading to splits, shrinkage, and a weak, brittle structure. *Too little water? You get poor rise, high density, and a loss of valuable physical properties. I've seen entire batches scrapped because a drum of polyol absorbed moisture from the air in the warehouse. The culprit is often invisible until it's too late. Industry Standards for Water Content: Maintaining precise water content in raw materials is paramount. While specific limits can vary based on applicatio...

𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐯𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

August 03, 2026

The aviation industry faces mounting pressure to reduce weight and improve energy efficiency as it pursues sustainability goals. The #ReCellproject offers a groundbreaking solution: supercapacitors and structural batteries made from #recycledcarbonfiber that store energy while serving as integral aircraft components. Coordinated by #Spanishaerostructures manufacturer #Sofitec , with participation from Aimplas, the Spanish Plastics Technology Centre, and I2CON, the initiative represents a paradigm shift in aeronautical component design through multifunctional materials that combine mechanical properties with energy-storage capacity. Overcoming electrification barriers Transport electrification remains critical for reducing CO₂ emissions, but aviation confronts significant obstacles due to battery weight and energy density limitations. Re-Cell tackles this challenge by developing #structuralcomposites capable of storing energy, eliminating separate systems, and optimizing overall air...

𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐌𝐌𝐀 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐕𝐨𝐥𝐤𝐬𝐰𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐃. 𝐁𝐮𝐳𝐳 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐀𝐂𝐑𝐘𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐄® 𝐦𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐨 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤

August 03, 2026

Decarbonization is a major issue in the European automotive industry. It is not just about the power train, but about cutting carbon emissions across the entire vehicle life cycle, including material selection and production. Even minor interventions can help to reduce the carbon footprint – like the mold-in color (MIC) process in the injection molding of car body parts and interior trim panels. Using fully colored plastic granules removes the need for coating. What is more, specific material properties such as UV resistance and surface hardness eliminate the need for protective coating later on. Demand for mold-in-color solutions: Eugen Fichter, Global Senior Product Manager in the Molding Compounds business unit at Röhm, shares his experience: “Our automotive team noted huge interest in mold-in-color solutions at the K trade fair for plastics. After all, sustainability requirements in automotive engineering are increasing – both from a consumer perspective and due to regulatory deman...