Firms in the pharmaceuticals industry may be interested to hear that researchers in Germany are investigating techniques for the development of a new "smart" plastic film.
The polymer substances, sometimes only one molecule thick, can be used in a variety of different industries, according to Plastics and Rubber Weekly.
Thin plastic films can be used on paper induce the release of printing inks when required, as well as in pharmaceutical manufacturing, to help drugs activate at the right time.
Scientists at the Technische Universitat Darmstadt (TUD) in Germany are behind the research.
"In the longer term, the polymer films could be used to configure new types of biosensor, for instance for detecting environmental pollutants or diagnosing disease," Dr Markus Biesalski, coordinator of the TUD Soft Control project, told the publication.
This news comes shortly after scientists at Carnegie Mellon University announced that they had developed a new polymerisation technique for creating coatings, adhesives and drug delivery systems.
Typical Guttridge equipment used in the pharmaceutical industry includes:
