Today's News
Monday at GPS 2026: Technical expertise meets industry recognition
Monday’s program at the 2026 Global Polymer Summit (GPS) will combine in-depth technical education with recognition of industry leaders and innovators. GPS 2026 offers extensive technical programming at a significantly reduced cost. Technical sessions are included with all registration types and are nearly $700 less than previous Technical Meeting registration rates.
Dunlop Tires showcases OE performance fitments at Rare Shades 7
Dunlop Tires North America continued its connection to the premium performance automotive community on May 16th at Rare Shades 7 in Astoria, New York, presenting a pair of Porsche 718 models that highlighted rare factory color, enthusiast craftsmanship, and Dunlop’s role in original equipment performance tire development.
Submit your abstract: CERM 2026 – Chemistry Beyond Boundaries
The Central Regional Meeting 2026 (CERM 2026) of the American Chemical Society will be held at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington, KY, from November 14–17, 2026, with technical sessions taking place November 15–17 and short courses on November 14.
Victoria King Meyer name keynote speaker for 2026 Polyurethanes Technical Conference
The Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) of the American Chemistry Council (ACC) announced that Victoria King Meyer will serve as the keynote speaker for the 2026 Polyurethanes Technical Conference, taking place October 5-7 in Orlando, Fla.
Brabender AbsorptoMeter automates OAN testing with MetaBridge integration
For carbon black, silica, pigments, and battery electrode materials, oil absorption numbers (OAN/COAN) provide a practical indicator of powder structure and dispersion behavior. Anton Paar’s Brabender AbsorptoMeter with integrated industry-leading MetaBridge software converts this classic test into an automated, traceable workflow where every drop counts – eliminating manual variability and delivering audit-ready, highly repeatable results and straightforward data integration.
Continental completes sale of its French service and distribution operations
Continental has completed the sale of its French service and distribution operations, ContiTrade France, to ASC Investment. Continental announced its intention to sell the business in December 2025. ASC will be able to operate more independently and with greater agility, enabling it to serve existing customers and attract new ones with a tailored portfolio of tires and services.
Featured
Mixing
Understanding the difference between high and low shear
Industrial mixing is a crucial process in various industries, including production of rubber formulations, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, personal care products and many others. It is also integral to continuous process industries including waste water treatment, fuel and energy production, and mining of metals and minerals.
Chemicals and Materials
Freudenberg introduces solvent-free bonding process for elastomers to metal
Freudenberg Sealing Technologies has introduced a new adhesive bonding process that eliminates the need for wet-chemical treatments, aiming to reduce environmental impact and improve manufacturing efficiency.
Extrusion
Extruding full rubber bales without a granulator
Walk into most rubber compounding operations today and somewhere upstream of the mixer one will find a granulator. It sits
Silicone & Medical
Mitsubishi Chemical’s Zelas TPS used for Sanplatec cell culture tubes
Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. said it has introduced its thermoplastic elastomer designed for medical use into cell culture tubes used in a regenerative medicine system developed by Sanplatec Corp., marking a new application for the company’s medical-grade resin technology.
The material, Zelas TPS, is being used in the cell culture tubes of Sanplatec’s iP-TEC series, a system for cell culture and transportation used in regenerative medicine. The products were showcased at the 25th Congress of the Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine held in Kobe on March 19–20, 2026.
Oil, Gas & Energy
Freudenberg Sealing Technologies develops new sealing system for CO2 compressors
Freudenberg Sealing Technologies has developed a new sealing system for busbar sealing in vehicle air-conditioning compressors. This elastomer-based solution withstands test pressures of over 100 bar in leak tests and offers a cost-efficient alternative to conventional glass seals. Designed for CO₂ compressors (R744), it also works well with other refrigerants.
Testing & Instruments
The measurement of tire innerliner gauge
In this study, the Keyence digital microscope has been used to measure component gauges of tire cross-sections, and specifically the
Molding
Electrically conductive silicones for enclosure-level EMI shielding
By Dominic Testo, Specialty Silicone Products – Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is a naturally occurring orhuman caused phenomenon that degrades or
Thermoplastic Elastomers & Urethanes
Fraunhofer scientists develop safer method to produce polyurethane without toxic isocyanates
Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research (IAP) have developed a new method for producing polyurethane without the use of toxic isocyanates, a key ingredient traditionally required in the manufacture of the widely used polymer.
Latex and Natural Rubber
Sustainable materials for rubber and allied industries
Sustainability is no longer a new concept; it has become a global priority. While quality was the focus of the 1980s, globalization defined the 1990s, and the internet revolutionized the 2000s. The 2010s and after have been dominated by the idea of sustainability. Human survival depends on integrating sustainable practices into every aspect of life. The world is already witnessing alarming environmental changes: rising greenhouse gas emissions, depletion of non-renewable resources and widespread deforestation.
The May Issue of Rubber World
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This issue focuses on
Extrusion
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