Polymers are everywhere, from components making up the electronic device you’re reading this on to life-saving medical devices, energy efficient solar panels, and lightweight aero or auto components. Material scientists and engineers continue to improve high-performance polymers for strength, durability, and stability under demanding applications.
DetailsWe expect a lot from our composites: rocket materials need to endure the heat of takeoff, wind turbines must withstand high wind gusts, and sneakers are expected to be durable and supportive on long runs. How do experts develop composites tailored to such specific uses and verify their properties?
DetailsWhat are bioplastics? How can plastic manufacturers use them to improve the environmental impact of their products? With so many emerging green technologies, producers and consumers need to differentiate between greenwashing1 and genuine advancements. Furthermore, if a new development is deemed environmentally beneficial, all stages of the plastics supply chain, especially converters, must then learn how to incorporate the new technology without undermining their process or products.
DetailsIn the world of paints, inks and coatings, a single formulation error can make the difference between a flawless finish and a costly mistake. Rheology is the unsung hero that transforms coatings from a simple mixture into a precisely engineered material that meets the most demanding performance requirements.
DetailsOur world is brimming with viscoelastic materials: The dough you knead before baking a fresh loaf, the Silly Putty your toddler slaps against the wall, the rubber gaskets that create an airtight seal on an airplane door. Testing those materials by applying controlled deformations (strains) or forces (stresses) at various timescales, temperatures, and/or humidities allows for the optimization of properties and ensures durability and safety.
DetailsFrom lightweight laptops to cross-country EV driving, countless applications require increasing lithium-ion batteries’ energy density and performance. Since battery electrodes directly contribute to these aspects of battery function, electrodes and their components are of particular interest to battery researchers seeking to advance technology to the next level. Battery slurry processing is also a key step of manufacturing, offering significant opportunities to increase efficiency while reducing cost.
DetailsSuccessful additive manufacturing products depend upon your materials’ properties and behaviors. Rheology provides valuable information for safe, efficient, and reproducible polymer manufacturing.
DetailsRheology is a notoriously complex field, combining mathematics and physics to characterize materials. For inexperienced users, rheology can seem like a massive challenge. Luckily, new technology simplifies rheology down to its core so you can get essential measurements without difficult training, measurements, or calculations.
DetailsDynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) is a technique to measure the response of materials when they are subjected to dynamic or cyclic forces. Typically, dynamic mechanical analysis involves looking at the elastic and viscous response of the material when it is under a small oscillating load that probes the molecular structure’s response to the perturbation . Other variables, such as temperature, time and frequency may be changed as part of the testing to characterize how the material performs under different environmental conditions.
DetailsFrom smooth moisturizers to voluminous shampoo, the products that support everyday self-care routines are the result of the scientific interplay between deformation and flow. The personal care industry (and your morning routine) is only made possible because of rheology – the study of how a material moves (flow) or changes under varying degrees of stress (deformation).
DetailsWhether it’s the viscosity of hydrogels (for wound care or tissue regeneration) or the yield stress of topicals (like acne or antifungal creams), pharmaceutical manufacturers rely on rheology to monitor and eradicate defects in every batch, ensuring that when the treatment reaches the patient, it remains safe and effective.
DetailsLithium-ion batteries are transforming key industries through efficient power storage. Today’s battery scientists must build upon previous discoveries while focusing on the battery elements that will drive progress in leading application areas.
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