nonreleasing

Nonreleasing is a term used to describe materials, products, or processes that do not release certain substances or energy under defined conditions. It is applied across fields such as materials science, packaging, and environmental safety to convey a property related to containment or containment efficiency.

In materials science, nonreleasing describes polymers or coatings designed to minimize the migration of additives, solvents, residual monomers, or degradation products from the material into surrounding media. In packaging and consumer products, nonreleasing materials are evaluated to limit chemical migration into food, beverages, or the environment, thereby reducing potential exposure and contamination. The concept is also relevant to air and water purification systems, where nonreleasing components aim to prevent unintended release of contaminants.

Labeling and regulatory use of nonreleasing varies by industry and jurisdiction, and is not universally standardized. Assessments rely on testing protocols that simulate real-world conditions. Common approaches include migration tests that measure transferred substances into food simulants or surrounding media, and volatile organic compound (VOC) emission tests. Results are typically reported as amounts released per surface area or per unit volume under specified temperatures and durations.

Limitations include the dependence on testing conditions; a material may be nonreleasing under certain temperatures or contact times but release substances under others. As a result, claims of nonreleasing are generally qualified by defined test parameters and regulatory standards.

See also: release, migration (chemistry), VOC emissions.