The potential for new or unusual materials to broaden the application potential of standard plastics processes was explored in a number of papers at April’s SPE ANTEC conference in Orlando, Fla.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: The kaleidoscopic visual appeal of Surlyn ionomer from DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers, Wilmington, Del., was exemplified last month at Luxe Pack 2012 in Monaco by Italian cosmetics packaging designer Lucchese Design.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: DuPont Packaging, Wilmington, Del., has introduce the second in a series of online predictive modeling tools that promises to simplify tie-layer material selection, a critical step in multilayer packaging design.

Sixteen winners honored in 23rd annual awards ceremony.

New additives boost performance, processability, and appearance of biopolymer.

DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers, Wilmington, Del., has introduced two new grades of Selar PA amorphous nylon for use as a high-barrier resin in containers for nail polish and waterproof mascara.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: Prices are rising this month and next for several materials by anywhere from 4¢ to 10¢/lb

If they were having delivery, quality and consistency issues with the color compound they had purchased, most processors would probably try sourcing material from another compounder.

Extrusion processors typically run a number of different products and resins.

 PBM Plastics in Newport News, Va., has commercialized a variant of the thermoforming process that reportedly produces deep-draw, highly uniform containers with low internal stresses.

Classic Containers Inc., a family-owned blow molder in Ontario, Calif., has been supplying bottles and closures to the personal-care market for more than 20 years.

In the last two years, DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers, Wilmington, Del. (plastics.dupont.com) has been actively expanding its portfolio of ethylene copolymers and taking them into new application areas.

U.S. injection molders are still pretty green when it comes to processing the new crop of renewably sourced biopolymers. These biologically derived polymers made from PLA, PHA and starch-based resins are attracting growing market interest as materials with no ties to petrochemical-based thermoplastics.

Two additive suppliers have expanded their offerings of modifiers for polylactic acid (PLA) biopolymers: •Biomax Thermal 300, a proprietary heatdistortion modifi er from DuPont Packaging and Industrial Polymers, Wilmington, Del., is said to allow PLA thermoformed packaging to withstand up to 95 C/203 F during transport, storage, and use.

Three previously announced families of renewably sourced polymers for packaging and engineered products are now commercially available from DuPont Co., Wilmington, Del.

A previously announced line of formable sheets based on renewably sourced polymers is now commercially available from DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers, Wilmington, Del.

Plastics are going “green,” but they will need some help to get there. Biodegradable polymers derived from renewable resources are attracting lots of interest and publicity, but that enthusiasm is counterbalanced by persistent questions of availability, cost, performance, and processability. All these issues are inter-related: Increasing demand will lead to more capacity, which will presumably lead to lower prices. But the foundation is market demand, which ultimately depends on whether biopolymers will have the performance properties and processability to compete with existing non-renewable plastics.

Innovative bag-in-the-bottle technology from Gaplast GmbH of Saulgrub-Altenau, Germany, uses coextrusion blow molding to produce a thin bag made of ionomer inside a PP bottle.

Among the host of new additives at K 2007 were a number of unusual entries: additives to add scratch resistance or reduce odor, leaps ahead in PP clarifying, specialized antioxidant protection for nanocomposites, a growth enhancer for greenhouse films, and a naturally free-flowing TiO2. In addition, “Green” was the theme of exhibits that highlighted “all-natural” additives for biopolymers, and colors to enliven recycled resins.

Two new families of starch-based bioplastics are coming to the U.S. market.

Among new developments discussed at the Profiles 2007 conference in Charlotte, N.C., were high-melt-strength polyolefin elastomers for use as ingredients in TPO compounds that can compete with TPVs and flexible PVC.

A new family of additives to improve the performance of polylactic acid (PLA) biopolymer packaging, has been expanded to include a FDA-compliant grade for food contact.

A novel family of ionomers boasts breakthrough performance for fresh food packaging that requires selective high permeability to oxygen and moisture.

Plastics made from renewable carbon chains, not fossil carbon from oil or gas, are suddenly a solid commercial reality. The draw isn’t just “green” marketing, but the “green” of stable prices not linked to petrochemicals.

Molders of packaging for perfume, cosmetics, and personal-care items can visit a new website launched by DuPont Packaging and Industrial Polymers, Wilmington, Del.

A new ethylene copolymer is said to improve the toughness and reduce the brittleness of biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) packaging.

There were new additives for every need at NPE 2006: Make your plastics prettier with new colorants. Make them stronger with new fillers and reinforcements. Make them lighter with foaming agents. Or just make them go away with improved purging agents and biodegradable masterbatches.

DuPont Co., Wilmington, Del., has granted an exclusive worldwide license to LTL Color Compounders, Inc., Morrisville, Pa., to make and sell the Surlyn Reflection Series resins.

Coex blow molding has the inside track, but makers of small gas tanks and jerry cans are also looking at fluorination and other monolayer systems. Rotomolders, too, are considering multilayer alternatives.

Exterior wood-fiber composites like decks and rails haven't lived up to some of the early claims of long, maintenance-free life.

At a recent conference, suppliers revealed novel coupling agents for wood composites and nanocomposites, unusual nucleator masterbatches for OPP and thermoformed containers, and enhanced heat and light stabilizers, flame retardants, and processing aids.

The U.S. is catching up with Europe and Asia in exploring the potential of biodegradable polyesters in flexible and rigid packaging. Because of their cost, these resins often find use in blends with other degradable materials.

Cost-effective toughening of both commodity and engineering thermoplastics is one of the roles envisioned for a line of specialty ethylene copolymers newly available from DuPont Packaging and Industrial Polymers, Wilmington, Del.

New materials at K 2001 are weighted heavily toward the engineering variety, especially nylons, acetals, and TP polyesters. A large handful of polypropylenes round out the major news.