Industry Insights

Industry Insights

Explore insights from industry experts across topics like regulatory news, formulation best practices, market innovations and opportunities, and more. Want to contribute? Learn how you can share your expertise.

LATEST INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

4D Printing – the extra dimension

By Andy Pye October 28, 2026

For decades, additive manufacturing (AM) has focused on optimising three-dimensional spatial architectures, optimising strength-to-weight ratios … Continued

How Paint is Formulated

By Collaboration October 28, 2026

A paint batch can look fine in the can and still fail where it matters: … Continued

Best Practices for Formulating with Niacinamide

By Staff October 21, 2026

Why Niacinamide Matters to Formulators Unlike many trend-driven cosmetic actives, niacinamide offers multiple benefits across … Continued

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS ARCHIVE

All Personal Care & Cosmetics Plastics Paint & Coatings Cleaners Food, Beverage & Nutrition

All

Plastic Prototyping Comparative Strength

By Paid Content | July 6, 2007

By Brad Cleveland, Protomold Comparative Strength and Finish If prototypes are to be used for functional testing, they should meet the performance characteristics of production parts. And if they are to be used for market testing, they certainly should approximate … Continued

Q&A on Drying & Over Drying Plastics

By Paid Content | June 15, 2007

By Suhas Kulkarni, FIMMTECH Q.Should CPET be dried before extrusion of a color masterbatch for, specifically stretch blow molding of beverage bottles, to avoid cloudy parts and loss of physicals? A.There are no general rules for drying the different grades … Continued

Improving Snapfit Design (Part 2)

By Paid Content | June 13, 2007

Paid content by BASF By Chul Lee, BASF Read Improving Snapfit Design (Part 1) PART II – IMPROVING SNAP-FIT DESIGN: CLASSICAL BEAM THEORY AND SNAP-FIT DESIGN In every snap-fit application, the design engineer’s main challenge is to find the optimal … Continued

Extrusion Welding Basics

By Paid Content | May 17, 2007

By Larry Rowold, The Plastics Welding School I have, for the past several years, been teaching Concrete Protective Liner welding and Geomembrane welding both for novice welders and “old timers”. During the classroom portion, we discuss the basics of plastics, … Continued

Improving Snapfit Design (Part 1)

By Paid Content | May 5, 2007

Paid content by BASF By Chul Lee, BASF ABSTRACT: This series of articles provides a basic overview of snapfit design types and their applications, as well as traditional and improved formulas for snapfit strength and assembly force. The series also … Continued

« Previous
1
…
279
280
281
282
283
Next »

Personal Care & Cosmetics

Best Practices for Formulating with Niacinamide

By Staff | October 21, 2026

Why Niacinamide Matters to Formulators Unlike many trend-driven cosmetic actives, niacinamide offers multiple benefits across varied consumer needs while maintaining excellent water solubility and formulation flexibility. As a precursor to NAD+ and NADP+, niacinamide participates in cellular energy metabolism and … Continued

Biotech pushing circular economy and innovation, with a missing link

By Barbara Olioso | October 7, 2026

In my years of reviewing INCI lists and assessing ingredients against certification standards, I have watched biotechnology move quietly from the edge of the formulation to its centre, with the latest buzzword being precision fermentation. It is one of the … Continued

Mascara Troubleshooting Guide: Diagnosing application, wear, stability, and package-interaction failures

By Staff | September 16, 2026

Mascara performance emerges from the combined behavior of waxes, pigments, film formers, emulsifiers, rheology modifiers, process conditions, and the applicator. This guide helps formulators move from a visible symptom to a focused, testable response. A disciplined troubleshooting sequence Define the … Continued

Get More Out of Prospector® AI Search: Helpful Tips

By Staff | September 14, 2026

The new Prospector AI Search experience, part of ULTRUS® software from UL Solutions, is built for formulators and chemists and leverages trusted Prospector data to help you get answers faster and explore new formulations with confidence. How Prospector AI Search … Continued

Effective Foaming in Emulsion-Based Skincare

By Staff | September 2, 2026

Foaming and emulsification are both driven by interfacial chemistry, yet the formulation requirements for each can sometimes compete. Emulsion-based cleansers must remain physically stable during storage while generating desirable foam during consumer use. Successful formulations are not created by maximizing … Continued

Plastics

4D Printing – the extra dimension

By Andy Pye | October 28, 2026

For decades, additive manufacturing (AM) has focused on optimising three-dimensional spatial architectures, optimising strength-to-weight ratios within rigid, static constraints. However, the emergence of four-dimensional (4D) printing introduces a paradigm shift: moving from static structural optimization to dynamic, time-dependent, so-called kinetic … Continued

Accelerating E&E Infrastructure Expansion with Extruded Specialty Resins

By Paid Content | October 20, 2026

Specialty Thermoplastics Can Enable New Designs, Deliver Enhanced Performance and Processability, and Address Regulatory Changes Authors: Jim Creeley, Yohana Pérez, Kristopher Rexius, SABIC’s Specialties Business Manufacturers of rigid, extruded profiles for electrical and electronics (E&E) applications face a dual challenge. … Continued

PART 2: AI Data Centers Offer Huge Polymers Promise

By Bob Grace | October 14, 2026

Part 2 of 2 (see Part 1 here) Like them or not, artificial intelligence (AI) data centers have undeniable growth prospects. The construction boom related to the build-out of these often massive facilities is real, and several material suppliers are … Continued

PART 1: AI Data Centers Generating Heat –– Literally & Figuratively

By Bob Grace | September 30, 2026

Artificial intelligence data centers are generating plenty of heated debate. These massive facilities, some spanning more than 1 million square feet, promise jobs and new investment for local communities. At the same time, they require huge amounts of energy and … Continued

EPA considers rule changes encouraging advanced recycling

By Bruce Geiselman | September 9, 2026

Written July 2026 The U.S. EPA is considering changing how plastics recycling plants that use pyrolysis technology are regulated under the Clean Air Act so they would no longer fall under the definition of municipal solid waste combustion units. “Revising … Continued

Paint & Coatings

How Paint is Formulated

By Collaboration | October 28, 2026

A paint batch can look fine in the can and still fail where it matters: on the surface. It must spread without excessive spatter, cover the substrate, dry evenly, develop the intended sheen, and withstand cleaning or weathering in service. … Continued

Is the Dress Blue and Black or White and Gold? CIELab Knows the Answer.

By Wally Kesler | October 14, 2026

In 2015, the internet blew up with a controversy so divisive that people from Taylor Swift to a United States Senator felt they had to weigh in. What question was so important that millions of people were compelled to post … Continued

Epoxy Coatings Beyond Ambient Cure

By Collaboration | September 30, 2026

Epoxy coatings are often associated with the familiar two-component epoxy–amine system, but epoxy functionality supports a much broader set of coating technologies. Depending on resin architecture and cure route, an epoxide may form the primary network, react with a carboxyl-functional … Continued

Hydrophobic Coatings and Pigments: From Water Beading to Durable Protection

By Collaboration | September 9, 2026

Hydrophobic coatings if formulated correctly can provide a plethora of advantages which may include self-cleaning, corrosion resistance, and exterior durability. Most industrial, marine and exterior applications, require a coating to do more than repel water as determined by contact angle. … Continued

Eco-Friendly Coatings, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

By Wally Kesler | August 26, 2026

Eco-friendly might be one of today’s most overused marketing claims. It is often applied to various formulations like personal care products (i.e., shampoos, lotions, and sunscreens), household cleaners, and fabric care products. But what does “eco-friendly” mean? Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary … Continued

Cleaners

Foam or Failure?

By Staff | October 7, 2026

A surfactant that performs well alone can lose stability, detergency, or foam control when combined with builders, solvents, polymers, electrolytes, antimicrobial actives, or real-world dilution of water. A structured compatibility program reveals those interactions before scale-up. Why compatibility testing matters … Continued

Formulating Cleaners with Antibacterial Coatings: Benefits, Challenges, and Commercial Opportunities

By Carmen Lerga | September 2, 2026

As hygiene expectations continue to rise across household, institutional, healthcare, and food processing markets, formulators are increasingly exploring ways to extend protection beyond the cleaning event itself. Antibacterial coating technologies incorporated into cleaners offer a potential solution by depositing a … Continued

Regulatory Update: Europe Remains the Global Regulatory Driver

By Staff | August 19, 2026

For chemists and formulators, regulatory compliance is no longer a downstream activity. Across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Canada, regulators are shifting toward broader chemical class restrictions, increased supply chain transparency, digital product documentation, and sustainability-driven material selection. The practical … Continued

Navigating the Next Wave of Cleaner Regulations: PFAS, Microplastics, and More

By Staff | August 5, 2026

Regulatory requirements are making big moves globally and it’s important that you know what is coming and how it may impact your day-to-day. Below is a check-in for where we are at midway through 2026 and what to plan for … Continued

Sugar-Derived vs. Petrochemical Surfactants

By Staff | July 1, 2026

As sustainability goals move from marketing claims to procurement requirements, formulators are facing increasing pressure to evaluate the origin, environmental profile, and performance of their surfactant systems. While petrochemical surfactants remain the backbone of many cleaning formulations due to their … Continued

Food, Beverage & Nutrition

AI Formulation and the Compliance Verification Gap

By Guest Author | October 7, 2026

By Laurie , RIBUS, Inc AI-assisted formulation tools have shortened ingredient discovery cycles in food R&D, reducing what once took weeks of bench trials to a short list of viable candidates. What has not changed at the same pace is … Continued

What Eco-Friendly Actually Means for Food Ingredients

By Guest Author | September 2, 2026

By Laurie , RIBUS, Inc “Eco-friendly” gets used a lot in food and beverage marketing. It shows up on cereal boxes, protein bars, and drink labels, often without much explanation of what it actually means. Consumer demand for these claims … Continued

Regulatory Update: Europe Remains the Global Regulatory Driver

By Staff | August 19, 2026

What’s Replacing Gelatin? Trends and Formulation Tips for Plant-Based Food Development

By Staff | August 5, 2026

Consumer demand for vegan, vegetarian, halal, kosher, and clean-label products continues to reshape food innovation. While traditional gelatin remains a highly functional ingredient for creating elasticity, chew, foams, and melt-in-the-mouth textures, formulators are increasingly turning to plant-based alternatives to meet … Continued

Vegetable Proteins vs. Hydrolyzed Vegetable Proteins: Guide to Functionality, Flavor, and Market Opportunity

By Staff | July 1, 2026

As consumer demand for plant-based foods continues to evolve, food and beverage formulators are no longer focused solely on replacing animal proteins. Today’s formulation challenge is creating products that deliver the nutrition, taste, texture, and sensory experience consumers expect while … Continued

Industry Insights

Explore insights from industry experts across topics like regulatory news, formulation best practices, market innovations and opportunities, and more. Want to contribute? Learn how you can share your expertise.

LATEST INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS ARCHIVE

About Prospector

Industry Search Engines