All articles

The term “profile” has several different meanings in the English language. It can refer to the side view of a shape, a characteristic appearance, or the data of a user …

Many commercially available plastics are, by nature, hard and brittle at room temperature. Only the addition of special additives, known as plasticizers, enables their processing and use for everyday consumer …

About 100 years ago, the production of purely synthetic plastics—made exclusively from artificial components—began. In 1907, the Belgian chemist Leo Hendrik Baekeland (1863–1944) developed a process for producing and processing …

When hearing the term glass, most people first think of drinking glasses or window panes. But what kind of material is it actually? Glass is an amorphous solid that is …

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are organic compounds that are harmful to humans and animals and degrade only very slowly in the environment. They contaminate air, soil and water and can …

The material silicone rubber offers a wide range of excellent technical properties and is therefore used in many different applications. But what can this elastomer do—the one found in clothing, …

Carbon is located in the second period and fourth main group of the periodic table of the elements. This position gives it something of a special role, since it can …

Corrosion is a global problem. Steel structures in particular are affected, such as bridges and load-bearing structures, but also industrial plants, railway tracks, pipelines, vehicles, and machinery. In 2009, the …

The “Archimedean screw,” invented by the ancient mathematician and engineer Archimedes of Syracuse (c. 287–212 BC) and named after him, was used for irrigating fields and can be regarded as …

Screws, Nuts, and Threads – a Brief Overview What do a toothpaste tube, a jar of jam, a water bottle, and a light bulb have in common? A screw connection. …