polymerguru

KAIST's discovery of graphene oxide liquid crystals in 2011 laid the foundation for 15 years of research worldwide, leading to technologies for producing graphene fibers with high strength and thermal conductivity. The fundamental materials research that helped bring antibacterial toothbrushes and functional sportswear to market is now advancing into materials for thermal management. Professor Sang Ouk Kim's team in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering has published a commentary in Nature Materials, examining recent advances in high-performance graphene fibers based on graphene oxide liquid crystals and their scientific significance. Graphene oxide consists of graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb structure, with oxygen functional groups attached. Graphene is strong and conducts heat and electricity well, but its poor dispersibility in water makes it difficult to process in liquid form. By contrast, the oxygen functional groups allow gr...

ENGEL, one of the world's leading manufacturers of injection moulding machines, is expanding its global production network. With the establishment of a manufacturing site in Kikinda, Serbia, the family-owned company strengthens its competitiveness and secures a high-performing value chain in Europe for the long term. Customers in European and American markets in particular will benefit from shorter lead times and greater supply reliability. The new site in Serbia is part of a targeted evolution of ENGEL's European manufacturing architecture. The focus is on relocating mechanical manufacturing operations to make better use of international location advantages and establish a resilient European supply chain. In the first phase, a 13,000 m² facility in Kikinda will be dedicated to produce machined components. Around 150 employees are planned to be recruited over the first three years. As a result, ENGEL's Austrian plants will gain capacity to focus on more demanding, customer-...

Surventis celebrated the expansion of its aircraft sealant production capacity at its #Langelsheim site with a symbolic groundbreaking ceremony. The investment creates additional manufacturing and laboratory capacity and strengthens the company's position in the global aerospace market. “With this investment, we are creating the conditions to continue meeting the growing demand from our customers in the future. At the same time, we are strengthening our innovation and production capabilities,” emphasizes Frank Naber, Executive Vice President Surface Treatment at Surventis. “Our aim is to invest strategically worldwide in strong technologies and long-term competitive advantages. Langelsheim is Surventis' global center of excellence for Chemetall® brand #aircraftsealants and also a key production site for the company's aerospace and surface solutions. Sealants for the aircraft industry have been produced in Langelsheim since the 1990s. Due to positive business development, ...

Geopolitical uncertainties, regulatory requirements, and increasing performance expectations are reshaping the plastics industry. At Fakuma 2026, BASF will demonstrate under the guiding theme #OurPlasticsJourney how the perceived trade-offs between sustainability, resilience, and performance can be overcome. At the heart of this approach is the conviction that modern plastics can only be future-ready if they deliver on all three dimensions simultaneously: outstanding technical performance, verifiable sustainability, and a resilient, reliable supply chain. Rather than accepting compromises, BASF is focusing on scalable solutions that help customers reduce risks, achieve emissions targets, and maintain the highest quality standards at the same time. “Today, the plastics industry needs more than good intentions; it needs credible proof points. With #OurPlasticsJourney , we demonstrate how performance, sustainability, and resilience come together in real-world applications to create measu...

  𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲'𝐬 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬. 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐫. 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧. 𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐚𝐧 𝐎𝐄𝐌 𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐭. Gloss is measured in Gloss Units (GU), but the measurement angle matters: 🔹 20° — High-gloss surfaces 🔹 60° — Standard angle for most automotive trim 🔹 85° — Very low-gloss / matte surfaces The important part? Gloss must match across adjacent parts. Even with the same material, colour and grain, gloss can shift because of: ✓ Texture depth ✓ Colour ✓ Processing conditions That is why gloss specifications must be defined, measured and controlled—not judged by appearance alone. Two parts. Same colour. Same grain. Different gloss. The customer will see it. The OEM auditor will fail it. Have you ever faced a gloss mismatch between adjacent automotive parts? What was the root cause? source : IM Technologies #GlossControl #GlossUnits #...

𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲'𝐬 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐋𝐄𝐃𝐆𝐄 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 "𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐞"— 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬? If you've ever evaluated a jet-black basecoat and heard someone say "it has beautiful blue undertone," that's not just aesthetic preference. It's a technical signal of particle size, dispersion quality, and process control — and in waterborne systems, it's far harder to achieve than most formulators expect. The problem: Carbon black absorbs almost all visible light — that's why it appears black. But under close inspection, some carbon blacks show a warm reddish undertone, while others show a cool bluish one. That subtle shift isn't random. It's determined by the pigment's microstructure and how well it's dispersed in your system. The mechanism — three factors decide the undertone: 1️⃣ Particle size Carbon black particles below ~20n...

 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲'𝐬 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐋𝐄𝐃𝐆𝐄 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 🔧 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬? ▶️ Glass fiber reinforced plastics offer excellent mechanical performance, dimensional stability and strength. 💪 But they also create additional challenges for mold design. ⚙️ When working with materials such as PA GF30, PA GF50, PBT GF, PP GF and other reinforced polymers, the mold needs to be designed with the material behavior in mind from the very beginning. 🔍 Key points we consider at Star Moldes: ➡️ Wear resistance Glass fibers are highly abrasive. Mold components exposed to continuous material flow need appropriate steel selection and surface treatments. ➡️ Gate design The gate location and type can influence fiber orientation, filling balance, weld lines and the final mechanical performance of the part. ➡️ Runner system Runners must be carefully designed to reduce unnecessary pressure losses and avoid excessive shear and...