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Let me start by saying that in a K or NPE year, I always first want to thank the plastics industry and event organizers for showcasing the breadth of innovation made possible by polymer science. This year was particularly special, as K 2022 was the first truly international live industry event since the global pandemic upended our lives. It was, in the best sense of the phrase, a return to normalcy, and…

The wearable medical device market is growing at a little more than 27% annually and is forecast to reach a value of $174 billion by 2030, according to business intelligence firm Market Research Future. Given the potential of this technology to provide 24/7 health monitoring and diagnostics on an individual basis, its future growth may stretch well beyond even those numbers. The US Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory in…

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is investigating shape-memory polymers (SMPs) and their role in medical applications under a rare agreement with South Korea’s TMD Lab. The joint research is expected to produce a DNA database of SMPs and foster development of SMPs for implantable devices that reduce the formation of biofilms caused by microbial infection. Established in 2018, TMD Lab develops implantable medical devices featuring SMPs that…

Have you checked out Plastics Technology’s upcoming Extrusion 2022 Conference? It’s going to be held Dec. 6-8 in Charlotte, N.C. at the Omni Charlotte Hotel in the downtown section of the city. This two-and-a-half day event is packed with presentations from more than 60 technical experts covering a wide range of subject areas. The morning sessions on each day will include presentations on “general” extrusion topics. During each afternoon there…