polymerguru

U.S. production of major plastic resins totaled 8.2 billion pounds during February 2026, a decrease of 7.8 percent compared to the prior month, and an increase of 2.7 percent compared to the same month in 2025, according to statistics released today by the #AmericanChemistryCouncil (ACC). Year-to-date production was 17.1 billion pounds, a 5.0 percent increase as compared to the same period in 2025.  Sales and captive (internal) use of major plastic resins totaled 8.1 billion pounds during February 2026, a 5.6 percent decrease compared to the prior month, and an increase of 0.7 percent from the same month one year earlier. Year-to-date sales and captive use were 16.6 billion pounds, a 1.9 percent increase as compared to the same period in 2025.  source : ACC

Dow today announced a step-change in #highvoltagedirectcurrent (HVDC) insulation systems with the latest addition to its #ENDURANCE™ Compounds for Cable Systems portfolio – a fully qualified 525 kV HVDC insulation system engineered for the demands of modern power infrastructure. HVDC has emerged as the preferred technology for long-distance electricity transmission, offering lower transmission losses and greater suitability for modern grid architectures as electricity networks evolve to integrate renewable energy and transport power across longer distances and national borders. Fully cross‑linked, fully qualified system design ENDURANCE™ Compounds for Cable Systems bring together insulation and semiconductive #crosslinkedpolyethylene (XLPE) into a high‑voltage direct current (HVDC) insulation system – purpose-built for the performance demands of the expanding offshore wind infrastructure and long-distance interconnector projects. The system combines ENDURANCE™ HFDB‑4401 UDC, a fu...

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share Scientists discover liquids can fracture like solids under extreme stress Researchers from Drexel University have discovered that liquids can, it appears, fracture like solids under specific conditions. In a discovery that could shift our understanding of fluid mechanics, it now appears that viscous fluids can suddenly break when stretched with enough force. Unlike solids, which will stretch and eventually snap, liquids have never been believed to have a breaking point. This new research, however, appears to challenge this belief. “Our findings show that if pulled apart with enough force per area, a simple liquid — a liquid that flows — will reach what we call a point of ‘critical stress,’ when it will actually fracture like a solid,” said Thamires Lima, Ph.D., an assistant research professor in Drexel’s College of Engineering, who helped to lead the research. Interestingly, the team also found that the liquid “snapping” produces a sudden noise, like that of...

  𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲'𝐬 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐋𝐄𝐃𝐆𝐄 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐦𝐨𝐥𝐝, 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭? 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨. This is a situation I run into often: a mold has a large footprint but produces relatively small parts. The projected area is big, but the shot weight is low. And suddenly, machine sizing becomes more complicated than just matching tonnage or volume. In cases like this, it’s easy to make the wrong trade-off. You might pick a smaller press for the injection volume, but then fight mold deflection or risk flash due to underclamping. Or you oversize the clamp to handle the mold size and end up with an injection unit that’s too big, causing short shots, overshear, or unstable back pressure. This is where proper application engineering matters. Because the solution isn’t always obvious. It could be: - A machine with a larger platen but lower tonnage - A tie-bar-less machine to fit the mold with better support - A different screw design to keep velocity and back pressure sta...

𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆'𝘀 𝗞𝗡𝗢𝗪𝗟𝗘𝗗𝗚𝗘 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀. In automotive, aerospace, and consumer products, weight reduction directly impacts fuel efficiency, emissions, and cost—but only if performance holds. Traditional fillers force impossible choices: lighter parts that warp, or stable parts that add mass. Manufacturers face constant pressure to improve efficiency, lower material usage, and meet sustainability goals, all while maintaining strength, durability, and process consistency. 3M™ Glass Bubbles offer a smarter approach. Their hollow, spherical structure reduces composite density significantly while helping maintain mechanical performance. In plastics and engineered materials, they can help: - Reduce composite density while maintaining structural integrity - Improve dimensional stability and surface finish - Minimize shrinkage and warpage during processing - Support efficient manufacturing without equipment changes Lightweighting isn't about...

  𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲'𝐬 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐋𝐄𝐃𝐆𝐄 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 🔷 𝐏𝐀𝟏𝟐-𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐢-𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐀+𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 🧠 As efficiency, automation, and performance become key differentiators, A+ Composites delivers a comprehensive PA12-based product portfolio – ranging from high-precision UD tapes to advanced organosheets, preforms, and fabrics✨ 🔎 Why PA12? 📌 Very low moisture absorption 💧 📌 Excellent chemical resistance 🧪 📌 Outstanding toughness and fatigue performance 🔁 📌 Stable mechanical properties across a wide temperature range 🌡️ 🧵 Reinforcement Fibers To precisely tailor mechanical performance, A+ Composites offers semi-finished products with a broad range of high-performance fibers 🎯 🖤 Carbon Fibers (CF): • HT / UHT (High / Ultra High Tensile) ⚡ → High tensile strength and elongation • HM (High Modulus) 📐 → Increased stiffness for bending-critical components • UHM (Ultra High Modulus) 🧱 → Maximum stiffness for highly precise structural ...