The article titled, "Next-Generation Sustainable Polyolefin Packaging Manufactured Using Flow-Induced Crystallization" was published October 19th, 2025 in Journal of Polymer Science. This was the first authored paper by *Juan Correa Ruiz - along with co-authors *Weiguo Hu, *Zaw Htet Lin, *Luis Mijares, *Alan J. Lesser.
This study explores how flow-induced crystallization (FIC) under chaotic flow fields, achieved through melt mastication (MM), which involves mixing between the crystallization and melting temperatures, can be used to tailor the crystalline morphology of high-density polyethylene (HDPE). The work demonstrates a pathway toward creating monolithic HDPE constructs with enhanced thermomechanical and gas barrier properties, offering potential alternatives to multilayer film systems used in food packaging that are difficult to recycle.