Polymers Expertise for Consumer Products

Rigorous testing and analysis of polymers in consumer products

Natural and synthetic polymers in the form of plastics, rubbers, adhesives, composites, textiles, and coatings are used in a variety of consumer products and packaging materials. Exponent's polymer science and materials chemistry consultants leverage expertise in these macromolecular materials to provide design support and technical guidance throughout the entire product lifecycle.

How do we help clients create safer, more resilient, compliance-based consumer products?

Polymer-based components are incorporated into consumer products and packaging at multiple stages of the product lifecycle. Exponent assists clients in choosing and formulating the right polymer products through every stage — from product ideation, design, and manufacturing to regulatory compliance, durability assessment, intellectual property protection, product recalls, and sustainability and recycling.

We combine our knowledge of polymers with a practical understanding of all aspects of chemistry, structure, processing, and properties to help clients make informed product development decisions. We support material vendor selection, production facility inspections, and health and safety assessments of the impacts of polymer and composite materials on workers, consumers, and the environment.

Capabilities & Services

Plastic materials are lightweight, easy to install, and less expensive than many of their non-plastic counterparts. These attributes, among others, make plastic materials useful in a wide range of products and industries, including a range of consumer applications. We help clients assess the chemical and structural properties of all types of plastics, including polycarbonate, polyester, polyamides, polyolefins, and the like to help improve product performance, identify root causes of failure, and reduce product vulnerabilities.
Our experts provide a deep understanding of the chemistry, physical properties, and mechanical behavior of rubbers and elastomers. We assist clients with durability assessments, materials specifications, formulation, end-use testing, product safety evaluations, and failure analysis in proactive and reactive programs across industries. Our consultants have experience in the analysis of cushioning gels, elastomeric sealants, and other rubber-based products, including gaskets, straps, exercise bands, and tires. We commonly address the failure modes of these materials, including wear, material degradation, and weathering.
Exponent's polymer scientists provide technical expertise for design, analysis, manufacturing, testing, and failure investigation of composite structures and advanced composite materials in many structural applications relevant to consumer products and sporting equipment, as well as aircraft, aerospace, military vehicles, automobiles, civil infrastructure, medical devices, and renewable energy.
From clothing to artificial arteries, roofing structures to wearables and smart fabrics, developing and evaluating textiles and textile-based products requires a broad array of technical expertise. Exponent's multidisciplinary teams are uniquely qualified to support clients with a wide range of textile-related challenges, including third-party product design support, material selection, performance review, failure analysis, consultation for disputes, and more. Our scientists and engineers have extensive knowledge and experience with fibers and yarns, nonwoven, woven, knit and braided fabrics, dyes and finishes, fiber- and textile-reinforced composites, as well as foams, films, coatings, adhesives, and other components that are often combined with fibers into useful products.
Exponent uses its expertise in assessing formulated products to provide clients guidance on business and legal decisions. Our experts are skilled in formulation for a wide range of applications, from paints and coatings to gels and lotions to specialty plastics, as well as in analyzing product composition, identifying trace additives or impurities, and assessing the performance impacts of each component. We help clients understand material alternatives and trade-offs as they relate to function, durability, health, safety, regulatory standards, and environmental risk, especially on formulations with new or discontinued materials.
Exponent has long provided a trusted voice in helping clients make informed decisions regarding lithium-ion batteries. Our capabilities span the entire product lifecycle, including battery design reviews, battery safety and storage, quality safety assessments, risk assessments and corrective actions, battery safety and recall support, battery supply chain services, battery recycling, and product stewardship initiatives. Our experts build on fundamental knowledge of the materials and construction of batteries and leverage Exponent's state-of-the-art testing and disassembly laboratory services for design, testing, and recall assessments of all lithium-ion batteries.
The function and stability of consumer products and their components often hinge on physical and chemical properties of surfaces and interfaces. Our teams have extensive experience analyzing and manipulating these interfacial properties and can guide clients in the related aspects of product design and development, material selection and formulation, failure analysis, and intellectual property matters.
Exponent's experts have extensive experience studying and advising clients on the structure-property relationships and processing of polymeric systems. We consult on the development, formulation, scale-up, quality testing, and large-scale industrial manufacturing of polymers and plastics, and we assist clients in all stages of product life, from product development to end-use evaluation and long-term field performance.
To help clients effectively evaluate and mitigate potential product exposure risks, Exponent offers a range of extractables and leachables (E&L) testing services across numerous product use scenarios and regulatory considerations. Our approach integrates analytical, toxicological, and regulatory expertise with standardized and custom methods to perform thorough materials characterization and assess potential health risks from a variety of consumer products.
Our expertise in structure-property relationships supports fundamental assessments of material fracture that can be critical to root-cause analysis and risk management. Our multidisciplinary understanding of polymer science, materials chemistry, and mechanical performance enables us to build on fracture characteristics and other physical or chemical indicators to determine when, why, and how a failure occurred to support science-based design decisions and help avoid future failures.
Exponent guides clients through the development of environmental stewardship initiatives spanning the entire product lifecycle, including design, material selection, manufacturing, distribution, and end-of-life recycling and reuse. Our multidisciplinary teams have extensive experience in environmental and ecological sciences and provide regulatory expertise in full lifecycle product management, helping clients to develop sustainable selection and recycling strategies for all polymer and plastic products.
For 50+ years, we've thrived on solving unstructured problems that require bespoke solutions. Some of our services include:
- Materials selection research and testing to support qualification
- Independent design and packaging evaluations
- Product testing, including accelerated aging and customized testing to understand end-use performance
- Testing and auditing to support quality compliance
- Regulatory compliance support (United States and international)
- Third-party auditing, including engineering audits and vendor evaluation
- Manufacturing line failure analysis
- Consulting to improve manufacturing yields and efficiency
- Patent protection and infringement evaluations
- Product warranty and recall support
- Risk and failure analysis
- Insurance, environmental, or health claims investigations
- Dispute support and expert witness testimony