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July 2021 / 15 ventional and advanced recycling, biobased plastics, and alternative materials will be adopted as plastic bans and other regulations related to traditional plastics are enacted. The report predicts that regional differences will likely mean that mechanical recycling in the US for polyester terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene will grow because of brands respond- ing to consumer demand and government mandates to increase recycling. As a result, the US will likely match the EU in PET recy- cling capacity by 2030. Another method to reuse plas- tics and reduce plastic waste is pyrolysis. Pyrolysis is a process that heats feedstock (plastic waste) in a low-oxygen environment and, instead of burning, the plastic breaks down into a mix of simpler hydrocarbons. Pyrolysis has been used in the EU, but the report pre- dicts that the US will likely not adopt the technology because this processing method is less likely to be pro table. The EU is predicted to lead in pyrolysis over the forecast period, creating around 8 million tons of capacity by 2030, but regu- lations will play a role in whether more capacity is created. Globally, most countries will expand mechanical recycling capac- ity because it's cost-effective and can be built at both small and large scales. The leaders in recycling expansion are expected to be India, Indonesia, and Brazil. For more info and to purchase a copy of the report, visit www.luxresearchinc.com. an independent market research company, estimates that within the next decade, nanoplatelets and powders alone will generate $600 million in revenue. The material is used in various applications, including energy storage, poly- mer composites, coatings, thermal management, and others. These applications use graphene as a liquid or solid dispersed additive (often to replace materials such as carbon black). Initially, graphene was consid- ered a potential competitor for Indium Tin Oxide (ITO), which is used to create transparent con- ductive lms (TCFs). However, the commercial reality is that graphene doesn't compete well with ITO or other current materials used for TCFs. Graphene lacks a bandgap, which is the difference in energy between the valence band and the conduction band of a solid material (such as an insulator or semiconductor) that consists of the range of energy values forbidden to electrons in the material. Some semiconductor manufacturers have continued to investigate graphene's use in this industry even with the bandgap challenge. In contrast to TCFs and semi- conductors, commercial graphene activity has swung to focus on sensors and photonics. These areas have been successful for graphene because of its conductivity, sur- face area, and other properties. For more info or to purchase a copy of the report for $5,995, visit www. idtechex.com. Plastics recycling, use of sustainable plastics expected to increase The report The Sustainable Plas- tics Roadmap: Recycling, Bioplastics, and Alternatives by Lux Research forecasts that concepts such as con- www.daxner.com HIGH PERFORMANCE AUTOMATED INGREDIENT HANDLING SYSTEM For contamination-free handling of powders and granulates + NO CROSS CONTAMINATION + HYGIENIC DESIGN + EFFICIENT UTILIZATION OF SPACE + TOTAL FLEXIBILITY FOR PRODUCT CHANGE-OVERS Daxner HEADQUARTERS AUSTRIA Worldwide Powder Handling T +43 / 7242 / 44 227-0 • office@daxner.com Daxner GERMANY Daxner UK Daxner USA Daxner SOUTH-EAST ASIA Daxner RUSSIA Daxner LATAM OUR KNOW-HOW. YOUR STEP AHEAD