On 25 September 2026, IDTechEx Senior Analyst Shihao Fu attended, by invitation, a reception hosted by the Chinese Embassy in the United Kingdom to mark the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Coinciding with the Mid-Autumn Festival, the event brought together guests from across the UK and Chinese communities.

Industrial biomanufacturing has existed for some time as a sustainable alternative to petrochemical manufacturing, and is becoming increasingly necessary in establishing strong, sustainable supply chains for a number of industries.

Lithium is a naturally occurring metal sourced for its demand across numerous applications, especially in batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage. IDTechEx's looks at the latest research into the methods of lithium extraction and its most common applications.

IDTechEx analyst Matthew Fall covers the regulatory landscape for PFAS, in addition to current and emerging treatment technologies.

Bio-based chemicals can be produced through fundamentally different manufacturing routes, yet these distinctions are often overlooked. Understanding where biology ends and chemistry begins is becoming increasingly important as companies evaluate cost, scalability, and sustainability across the bioeconomy.

Biofuels are necessary in helping to decarbonize the entire transport sector, from which around 20% of global emissions are generated. From bioethanol for cars to SAF for planes, the entire fuel market is being re-evaluated in a light of sustainability.

Join IDTechEx Senior Technology Analyst Dr Shababa Selim on Thursday October 1 for the expert-led webinar, "Fire Protection Materials: A Key Defence Against EV Thermal Runaway". Choose your preferred time zone - the webinar runs three times in one day.

Summary: With the growing attention and interest in humanoid robots, there are still questions around go-to-market strategies for humanoid players. IDTechEx analysis reveals that around 80% of the humanoid products and prototypes in development are designed for industrial settings. This is key as applications settings guide the materials requirements and choices. This article from IDTechEx discusses the key materials considerations for humanoid robots and the challenges ahead.

Hydrogen is described by IDTechEx as 'a key enabler of energy transition' in the latest webinar on green hydrogen. This article covers some of IDTechEx's latest research on the hydrogen sector, as well as the key technologies working behind the scenes.

Creating electronic products that can still be streamlined and use as few materials as possible is one goal for the printed electronics industry. IDTechEx's portfolio of Printed & Flexible Electronics Research Reports and Subscriptions covers in-mold electronics and conductive inks.

Join IDTechEx Technology Analyst Dr Felix Wei on Thursday September 17 for the expert-led webinar, "100 Years of PHAs: Is Biomanufacturing Finally Ready for Take-Off?". Choose your preferred time zone - the webinar runs three times in one day.

Hydrogen is one natural gas that is proving to be a great source of renewable energy as far as decarbonization goals are concerned. Fuel cell vehicles, stationary fuel cells, and green hydrogen production are amongst the areas covered in IDTechEx's portfolio of Hydrogen Research Reports and Subscriptions.

The price of crude oil once again spiked to over US$100/barrel on September 9th 2026, with crude oil exports via the Strait of Hormuz being highly restricted since conflict in the Middle East began in March. IDTechEx believes that these developments provide a significant growth driver for the bioplastics industry in 2026 and beyond.

Thermal runaway and system safety are critical topics when it comes to using lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries in electric vehicles. A key focus for the EV industry is the need to apply fire protection materials to prevent or delay thermal runaway propagating between cells and eventually outside of the battery pack. With growing regulatory momentum and safety standards, this article from IDTechEx looks at the outlook for fire protection materials market.

Industrial biomanufacturing is outgrowing its dependence on corn- and sugarcane-derived feedstocks, with lignocellulosic biomass and C1 gases like methane and CO₂ emerging as scalable, lower-cost alternatives. This shift is set to reduce land-use competition, improve sustainability, and unlock new cost reduction opportunities across the sector.

Thermal management strategies are the underdogs of modern technologies, reducing the risks of overheating in cases where exponentially increasing demand for power can lead to component temperatures rising.

IDTechEx's portfolio of Advanced Materials & Critical Minerals Research Reports is one of its most diverse, covering the latest developments across many advanced materials including conductive inks, graphene, and more.

While the recent closure of the Strait of Hormuz has increased petrochemical prices, bioplastics remain consistently more expensive than conventional fossil plastics. In this article, IDTechEx explores how new legislation is required for bioplastics to overcome the green premium and grow their market share by providing secure demand for new capacity expansions by key bioplastics players worldwide.

This article explores the emergence of alternative conductive inks for printed electronics. The rising cost of raw and bulk silver is causing the inflation of conductive inks that rely on silver flakes as a conductive element, and alternatives such as copper ink and carbon inks are being developed.