Page 52 - Plastics News February 2025
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PRODUCT NEWS




          having to exclude certain plastics at times. “I       Collection events can be challenging as well, and
          couldn’t take everything that farmers needed to       as a result are held infrequently. The most logical
          get rid of, just because if I didn’t have a place for   time to hold them is in the winter, when farmers
          it to go, I didn’t want to risk collecting it and not   aren’t busy outside and are eager to get non-
          being able to go somewhere with it,” she said.        farm tasks completed, she said. But the state’s
                                                                cold and snowy weather can impede participa-
          “And that’s the thing I struggle with, is if I’m go-  tion. Kono is preparing to distribute bags for
          ing to have collection events all over, how do I      farmers to collect their film, then to deliver when
          get the plastic baled?” she said, because “that       the weather improves.
          takes connections and infrastructure and equip-
          ment.”                                                                    Source – Plastics Recycling Update




          Self-Healing Materials: The Future of


          Functional Polymers




                                                                Vitrimers: Advanced Coating Innovation

                                                                Vitrimers are dynamic networks formed by
                                                                adaptable covalent bonds, blending the chemi-
                                                                cal resilience of traditional epoxy polymers with
                                                                self-healing capabilities. Systems such as epoxy-
                                                                acid  vitrimers,  which  utilize  thermally  activated
                                                                transesterification  reactions, have emerged  as
                                                                ideal candidates for polymer coatings. These
                                                                networks allow surfaces to extend the lifespan
                elf-healing  polymers  are redefining  the      of components exposed to mechanical and en-
                standards of performance in materials. As       vironmental stress, significantly reducing main-
          Sresearch progresses, these technologies              tenance costs. Self-healing polymer coating.
          will likely become integral to future innovations     Furthermore, their compatibility with scalable
                                                                application methods, such as spin coating and
          Self-healing polymers are transforming ad-            dip  coating, makes  them  suitable  for industrial
          vanced material design by offering solutions that     use. This adaptability ensures vitrimers remain
          enhance durability, functionality, and sustainabil-   competitive for applications requiring long-term
          ity. Among the most promising innovations are         performance and sustainability.
          vitrimers and supramolecular materials, which
          autonomously repair damage while retaining            Supramolecular Hydrogels for Energy Applica-
          excellent mechanical and functional properties.       tions
          This review explores their potential applications
          and role in shaping materials science’s future.       In the field of energy storage, supramolecu-
                                                                lar hydrogels like p(NAGA-co-VTZ) represent a


             52   PLASTICS NEWS                                                                  February 2025
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