Willkommen

The 6^th International Conference “PPI 2026 – Polymer Process Innovation” took place from September 1–4, 2026 at Montanuniversität Leoben, Austria. The event brought together researchers, engineers, and technologists from academia, research centers, and industry to discuss current challenges and opportunities in polymer engineering—spanning new material applications, data-driven development, sustainable processing, and innovative tooling.

Highlights and scope

• More than 35 contributions from 9 countries
• Programme: 1 plenary lecutre, 7 keynote lectures, 35 oral presentations, 13 posters, and 1 panel discussions
• Focus themes:
  • Sustainable Polymers: circular economy, mechanical/chemical recycling, design-for-recycling, LCA/carbon footprint, bio-based/biodegradable materials
  • Smart Polymers: function-integrated materials, stimuli-responsive behavior, embedded sensors, functional surfaces, multi-material/hybrid processes
  • Digital Polymer Science: ML-assisted material modeling, process simulation/digital twins, real-time control, AI-based quality assurance

Acknowledgements 

We thank all authors, reviewers, session chairs, and the Scientific and Organising Committees; our hosts at Montanuniversität Leoben; and our partners and sponsors. Their support and engagement made PPI 2026 possible.