July 2007 Issue
July 2007
Features
Featured articles from the latest issue of Plastics Technology
Carbon Nanotubes Lots of Potential--If the Price is Right
With capacity scale-ups driving prices down, the pace has picked up for commerical applications that boost electrical and thermal conductivity, structural strength, and thermal stability.
Read MoreNanocomposite Foams Unveiled At SPI Processors' Conference
One of the industry’s first uses of nanocomposite foams for strong, lightweight composites was introduced at April’s 2007 Plastics Parts Innovation Conference of the SPI Alliance of Plastics Processors (APP) in Memphis, Tenn. (The APP was formerly SPI’s Structural Plastics Div.) Other news highlights of the meeting included one of the first uses of external gas-assist molding in the U.S., a new use of direct in-line compounding of long-fiber thermoplastics (D-LFT) to make glass-mat thermoplastic (GMT) sheet, and a unique one-piece automotive grille guard with a molded-in chrome tube. Lighter, stronger foamsNanoclays and carbon nanotubes from 5 to 10 nanometers thick have been incorporated into foams of PVC, polystyrene, and polypropylene in a collaborative project called the Center for Multifunctional Polymer Nanomaterials and Devices (CMPND) at Ohio State University.
Read MoreNew Barrier Options Debut at SPE ANTEC
Innovative barrier technologies to boost the shelf-life of PET bottles were introduced at the May SPE ANTEC 2007 conference in Cincinnati.
Read MoreCleaning Molds–Part II Blasting with Dry Ice
Today, the most popular method of cleaning plastic injection molds still remains rooted in the antiquated process of scrubbing tooling and plates by hand, one piece at a time.
Read MoreNew Screw Design for Long-Glass Microcellular Foam Molding
A combination of microcellular foam molding and long-glass fibers offers new potential for injection molding to penetrate large structural automotive parts such as door-module carriers, brackets, and front-end systems.
Read MoreComposites–Part II New Reinforcements and Materials At Paris JEC Show
Part II of our review of the biggest international composites show focuses on new reinforcements, resins, prepregs, and additives. Thermoplastics were a particularly strong presence.
Read MoreInfrared Crystallizes and Dries PET Faster and with Less Energy
In the search for ways to dry hygroscopic resins faster and more efficiently, infrared energy is an approach that many dryer makers find intriguing and potentially promising.
Read MoreYour Business In Brief - July 2007
SABIC Buys GE PlasticsGeneral Electric Co., Fairfield, Conn., has agreed to sell its GE Plastics business, based in Pittsfield, Mass., to Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC) of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for $11.6 billion.
Read MoreYour Business Outlook - July 2007
There is nothing surprising about the recent downtrend in market demand for vinyl windows and siding.
Read MorePP Prices Drop While Others Rise
Domestic resin demand was moderate to slow in the second quarter, but exports were booming and many feedstock prices were rising.
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