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Polymer additives have improved the use of plastics in manufacturing and created new innovations solutions with the use of these materials. Image Source: Flickr user Kevin Dooley (CC BY 2.0)

After a recent trip to the store, which yielded plastic bags filled with plastic packages—containing plastic toys, lights, and dinnerware—I’ve become fairly convinced that plastics are taking over the world. Polymer is the material of the future.

The Packaging Science University of Florida explains the reason for this market trend best, stating that “improvements in polymer performance have opened the door for new and innovative ways of production. Numerous additives provide processing and manufacturing performance improvements; others allow materials to have an assortment of enhanced properties”1. Polymer additives are expanding the use of plastics in manufacturing and are the key ingredient in innovative design.

But the color analysis of plastic and polymer additives also plays a significant role the development of new products. With advancements in spectrophotometric technology, we have seen a huge improvement in the use and functionality of polymer additives across the industry.

Researchers are on their way to developing a mechanochromic helmet that could serve to alert athletes to potential brain trauma. Image Source: Flickr user Erik Drost

Once in a while, new innovations remind us of the extraordinary potential of color technology. That was the case recently when a group of researchers from the University of Pennsylvania developed a dynamic new material designed to produce color shifts when hit with certain levels of force. By applying mechanochromism—the ability to change color in response to mechanical stimuli—to protective headgear, the color-shifting material could immediately detect possible injury and alert users to seek treatment. At a time of heightened concern regarding traumatic head injury as the result of amateur and professional sports, combat, and other dangerous activities, this innovative application of the mechanochromic phenomena presents new possibilities for early interventions that could ultimately save lives.1

Establishing the relationship between force of impact and potential for brain injury is the next step in making mechanochromic helmets reality. Image Source: Flickr user Allan Ajifo

Understanding the chemical composition of plastics is important for safety and reusability. Image Source: Flickr user Bradley Gordon

Plastic is something that most of us use every day, but we rarely stop to think about where these materials come from. The chemical composition of plastic plays an important role in product safety and recyclability, yet most of us take that for granted. Understanding the chemical composition of plastics can make a difference in post-consumer reusability, recycling, and product safety. With advancements in spectrophotometric technology and more portable instrumentation options, we now have the ability to accurately identify the chemical composition in plastics and differentiate specific materials to filter out hazardous materials.

Creating color harmony in car interiors is essential to optimizing aesthetic appeal. Image Source: Unsplash user Sean DuBois

In today’s rapidly evolving automotive industry, consumers are given options few ever dreamed of only a few years ago. Cars are now the sites of some of the most innovative technologies available. They are bringing performance and safety to extraordinary new heights and even transforming what we imagine cars to be. While we marvel at unprecedented performance and are comforted by advances in safety, aesthetics remain a critical component of automotive appeal. In fact, a 2014 study by AutoTrader on how consumers choose new cars found that it was “appearance more than anything else that appealed to participants.”

Color harmony in car interiors may not be the first thing consumers think of when considering the aesthetic appeal. In fact, interior color matching is largely taken for granted precisely because car manufacturers have become so successful at achieving it. But when interior car components don’t match, consumers notice. Not only does this disrupt aesthetic appeal, it can also call into question the overall quality of the car; if a manufacturer has failed to get the basics right, what else have they missed? As such, it is imperative to seek out the best possible color measurement tools to ensure accurate color matching.

With hundreds of parts manufactured around the globe, ensuring color harmony can be challenging. Image Source: Unsplash user Nathan Lindahl

The automotive industry is booming. Light vehicle production is on the rise as new features start to push the boundaries of design. Statistics show that “plastics and polymer composites [are] essential to a wide range of safety and performance breakthroughs in today’s cars, minivans, pickups and SUVs.  In fact, the use of plastic and polymer composites in light vehicles has increased from less than 20 pounds per vehicle in 1960 to 329 pounds per car in 2014”.

With this growth comes an increased need for plastic composites in virtually every shape, size, and color—as well as a method of ensuring their quality and safety.

New automotive features rely on the color quality of plastic composites to meet consumer demands. Image Source: Flickr user spe.automotive (CC BY 2.0)

Light vehicle production starts with superior materials, of course. But ensuring the color quality of the plastic composites used in cars is a step-by-step process that requires continual monitoring of colorants and other additives. Spectrophotometric technology offers the versatility needed to analyze these composites from beginning to end, all in one tool.

Sunglasses have played a large role in fashion for generations. From Jackie O to Audrey Hepburn, many style icons have inspired eyewear trends over the years. Even the popular ZZ Top billboard hit in 1980 had everyone running out to get themselves a pair of “cheap sunglasses.” And although they continue to remain popular today, functionality and UV protection have now become the driving force behind the production of sunglasses.

The UV measurement of sunglasses is leading the way in eyewear technology and new developments in protection are setting the standards for this industry. As we learn more about the harmful effects of the sun’s rays, consumers are setting new expectations regarding the UV defense capabilities of their eyewear. Combining style and protection are now a top priority in protective eyewear technology and spectrophotometers offer a simple solution to developing quality products.

Sunglasses are more than just a fashion accessory in today’s retail market. Special attention must be given to the careful measurement and quantification of the UV blocking power of these lenses. Image Source: Flickr user Herry Lawford

The world of 3D color printing is exploding with new possibilities, and as new options in design and technology progress, the need for more advanced color measurement systems will need to accompany this growth. As instrumentation becomes more affordable and material supplies continue to expand, spectrophotometers provide the most versatile and precise method for color measurement and matching technology, allowing 3D printing capabilities to reach new heights in reproduction no matter what raw materials or color additives are used.

3D printing technology has opened the door to many new possibilities. Nearly any shape, size, or color can be reproduced with the right instrumentation. Image Source: Flickr user fdecomite