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50+ curated industry-aligned engineering projects across 6 categories. Find your next project, track milestone progress, and build your engineering portfolio.
PCR Content Optimization in Blow Molding
Optimize the let-down ratio of Post-Consumer Resin (PCR) in extrusion blow molding to maximize recycled content while maintaining physical bottle performance.
Tensile Testing & Stress-Strain Analysis (ASTM D638)
Conduct standard tensile tests on various polymer specimens (PP, PE, PS) and analyze the resulting stress-strain curves.
MFI Measurement & Processability Correlation
Determine Melt Flow Index (MFI) of polymer resins and correlate findings with molecular weight and molecular weight distribution.
Natural Rubber Compounding & Vulcanization
Formulate natural rubber compound with vulcanizing agents and measure cure properties using Mooney viscometer.
Starch-Based Bioplastic Synthesis & Film Casting
Synthesize starch-based biodegradable plastics using glycerol plasticizers and evaluate biodegradation rates under soil burial conditions.
Design of a Simple Injection Mold (CAD)
Create a 3D CAD design for a single-cavity injection mold including gate, runner, and basic cooling lines.
Shore Hardness Testing & Material Identification
Determine hardness of rubbers, elastomers, and rigid plastics using Shore A and Shore D durometers.
Blown Film Extrusion Process Observation
Observe blown film line dynamics, analyze bubble stability, and evaluate the effect of blow-up ratio (BUR) on film orientation.
Single Screw Extruder Operation & Screw Design
Study feeding, compression, and metering zones of an extruder screw and determine throughput changes under varying back pressures.
FTIR Polymer Identification
Identify unknown polymer samples (HDPE, LDPE, PP, PS, PET) by analyzing vibrational spectrum peaks via FTIR.
Injection Molding Process Optimization (Design of Experiments)
Apply Design of Experiments (DOE) to determine optimum injection speed, hold pressure, and cooling times for PP flat plaque production.
PLA/PBS Blend Formulation for Ductility Improvement
Blend Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) with Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) via twin-screw compounding to improve impact resistance and elongation.
PET Chemical Recycling via Glycolysis
Depolymerize post-consumer PET bottles using ethylene glycol and a zinc acetate catalyst to recover bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET) monomer.
Composite Manufacturing (Compression Molding)
Fabricate glass-fiber reinforced epoxy composites using hand lay-up followed by hot compression molding, and measure fiber volume fraction.
Injection Molding Simulation (Moldflow) & Experimental Validation
Run numerical gate location and fill simulations for a plastic box, mold the physical part, and compare actual fill patterns with simulation predictions.
Graphene-Reinforced ABS Nanocomposite
Incorporate graphene nanoplatelets into acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) to improve mechanical strength and electrical conductivity.
Blow Molding Process: Effect of PCR on Bottle Properties
Blow mold HDPE bottles with varying ratios of PCR (0-50%) and test environmental stress cracking resistance (ESCR) and top-load strength.
Rotational Molding Process & Sintering Kinetics
Manufacture LLDPE hollow shapes via rotomolding and determine the effect of oven residence time on bubble removal and sintering kinetics.
3D Printing Filament Characterization & Optimization
Extrude customized PLA/starch filament and optimize print parameters (nozzle temp, layer thickness) to minimize part delamination.
Polymer Waste to Fuel via Pyrolysis
Convert mixed plastic waste (PE/PP) into liquid hydrocarbons via thermal cracking in an anaerobic pyrolysis reactor.
Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) Pipe Corrosion Study
Expose GFRP pipe sections to acids, bases, and hydrocarbons and evaluate changes in hoop tensile strength over time.
Capillary & Rotational Rheometry Characterization
Characterize LLDPE melt using both capillary and rotational rheometers, compiling a master viscosity curve mapping shear rates from 0.1 to 10,000 s⁻¹.
EPDM Rubber Compounding for Automotive Seals
Compound EPDM rubber with carbon black, paraffinic oil, and sulfur/accelerator systems to optimize compression set properties.
Sustainable TPS/PBAT Biocomposite Film
Produce Thermoplastic Starch (TPS) blended with Polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) films and determine water vapor transmission rates (WVTR).
CAD Mold Design with Cooling System Analysis
Design a multi-cavity injection mold featuring conformal cooling channels and run thermal analysis to optimize cycle time.
AI-Integrated Injection Molding Process Optimization
Build a machine learning algorithm in Python (Random Forest/ANN) using sensor pressure data to predict molded part weight and defects in real-time.
Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) for Aerospace
Fabricate unidirectional carbon fiber/epoxy composites using vacuum bagging in autoclave/oven and evaluate interlaminar shear strength.
Self-Healing Polymer Synthesis & Characterization
Synthesize a cross-linked polyurethane network containing reversible Diels-Alder bonds, and evaluate scratch-healing efficiency under thermal stimulus.
Chemical Recycling of PET via Depolymerization
Depolymerize post-consumer PET bottles using glycolysis under varying catalyst conditions and evaluate BHET purity.
Electrospun Nanofiber Membrane for Biomedical Application
Fabricate polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofiber scaffolds using electrospinning and characterize fiber diameter distribution for tissue engineering.
Injection Molding Defect Analysis & Resolution Guide
Investigate causes of weld lines, flash, warpage, and silver streaks in ABS molding trials, detailing root-cause fixes.
Design & Build an Injection Mold (Advanced)
Design a two-plate mold for a plastic cover featuring side cores/slides, machine the cavity inserts on CNC, and conduct test molding trials.
Frontal Polymerization-Enabled 3D Printing
Formulate dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) resin with Grubbs catalyst to enable low-energy frontal polymerization 3D printing of thermoset shapes.
Sustainable Packaging: Smart Polymers
Develop low-density polyethylene (LDPE) packaging films incorporating natural pH-indicator dyes that change color when food spoilage occurs.
Polyurethane Foam Synthesis (Flexible vs Rigid)
Synthesize polyurethane foams by reacting polyols with diisocyanates, adjusting blowing agent content to control density and stiffness.
Geopolymer Synthesis from Industrial Waste
Synthesize fly-ash based inorganic geopolymers and evaluate their thermal insulation and mechanical properties.
Polymer Electrolyte for Battery Applications
Synthesize poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) based solid polymer electrolytes complexed with lithium salts, and measure ionic conductivity.
Microplastic Detection & Characterization
Develop sampling and extraction protocols to isolate microplastics from local water bodies and identify them via FTIR microscopy.
Polymer Upcycling (Waste to Value-Added Products)
Blend post-consumer PP waste with compatibilizers and glass fiber reinforcements to formulate automotive-grade compounds.
DCPD-Based Thermoset for High-Performance Composites
Formulate dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) resin systems and determine curing profiles and glass transition temperatures.
Sustainable TPE Nanocomposite for Wearable Electronics
Synthesize bio-based thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) filled with carbon nanotubes to print flexible, piezoresistive stretch sensors.
Full CDIO Polymer Engineering Project
Complete a full Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate project, developing a functional consumer product from recycled engineering plastics.
Vitrimer Synthesis & Recycling
Synthesize epoxy vitrimers utilizing transesterification dynamic covalent chemistry, and evaluate mechanical recovery after recycling.
AI-Driven Polymer Material Design
Implement machine learning models (QSPR) to predict polymer glass transition temperatures and moduli based on monomer chemical structure inputs.
Enzymatic PET Recycling Optimization
Isolate or purchase cutinase enzymes and optimize reaction parameters (temperature, pH, particle size) to depolymerize PET water bottles.
Polymer-Grafted Nanoparticle Self-Assembly
Synthesize silica nanoparticles grafted with PMMA brushes and analyze their self-assembled structure inside polymer matrices.
Smart, Self-Healing, Bio-Inspired Medical Plastics
Synthesize biocompatible chitosan-based hydrogels displaying self-healing properties under physiological conditions.
4D Printing of Shape-Memory Polymers
Synthesize shape-memory polycaprolactone networks and 3D print dynamic structures that actuate when exposed to temperature changes.
Low-Cost PET-to-Filament Extruder for Developing Countries
Design and assemble a low-cost, open-source filament extruder that converts shredded post-consumer PET bottles into print filament.
Sustainable Composite from Industrial Waste
Develop a composite system utilizing recycled HDPE binder and fly ash filler, conducting structural characterization for construction use.
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