Polyamide copolymers, and methods of making and using polyamide copolymers, having 2,5-furan dicarboxamide units are disclosed herein. Such polymers can be useful for engineering thermoplastics having advantageous physical and/or chemical properties.

A rubber tube has an inner surface at least partly roughed so that the ratio (Rz/D) of the maximum height Rz of the inner surface to the inner diameter D of the tube is not less than 0.038. The ratio (Rp/D) of the maximum peak height Rp of the inner surface to the inner diameter D of the tube may be not less than 0.019. The ratio (Rv/D) of the maximum valley depth Rv of the inner surface to the inner diameter D of the tube may be not less than 0.019. The ratio (Ra/D) of the arithmetic average roughness Ra of the inner surface to the inner diameter D of the tube may be not less than 0.0036. The ratio (Rq/D) of the root mean square height Rq of the inner surface to the inner diameter D of the tube maybe not less than 0.0046. Thus, the rubber tube has a reduced adhesiveness.

The invention relates to a method for producing a composition comprising the steps of: melt-blending a fluorinated polymer, preferably a polyvinylidene fluoride polymer, with a first conductive filler so as to obtain a conductive fluorinated polymer; grinding to powder said conductive fluorinated polymer; mixing the powder of conductive fluorinated polymer with a second conductive filler. The invention also relates to a composition comprising a second conductive filler and particles of conductive fluorinated polymer, wherein the particles of conductive fluorinated polymer comprise a fluorinated polymer matrix in which a first conductive filler is dispersed The invention also relates to a method for producing a bipolar plate and to a bipolar plate.

A process is provided for producing a structure into which blood or other bio-fluids can flow by capillary action, e.g. for a whole blood microsampling probe. The process comprises mixing particles of novolak resin and particles of hydrocarbon polymer, producing an uncarbonized structure from the mixture by pressurised moulding and carbonizing the moulded structure, the hydrocarbon resin being a polymer such as polystyrene that on pyrolysis has a zero carbon yield, and the particles of the hydrocarbon polymer leaving voids in the carbonized structure of sufficient size for flow of whole blood into and through the structure. The particles may be of partly cured and milled novolak resin, the novolak particles when in the moulded structure not exhibiting bulk flow during carbonization but sintering at inter-particle contact points during carbonization to provide a consolidated structure. In this variant, ethylene glycol may be used as a sintering aid. Alternatively, the particles may be of fully cured and milled novolak resin, and are mixed with the hydrocarbon polymer , the lubricant and with a binder such as lignin for providing a consolidated structure.

A process for manufacturing an article made of recovered rubber crumb is provided. According to the process:

a) crumb particles are mixed with particles of a solute;

b) a molded article is produced by molding the mixture from step a) in a closed mold under predetermined temperature and pressure conditions; and

c) the molded article is brought into contact with a solvent so as to dissolve at least one portion of the particles of said solute.

A polymer blend comprising from 20 to 90 parts by weight, based on the total weight of the polymer blend, polyvinyl chloride resin; and from 10 to 80 parts by weight, based on the total weight of the polymer blend, a flexible acrylic polymer is provided. Also provided are films or sheets or pipe made from the polymer blend, a capstock made from the film and a method for preparing a film.

The invention is directed to a process for the manufacture of composite wood structures, which provides for increased production rates and machinability. More particularly, the process comprises combining wood particles with a composition comprising an aqueous protein and diluent dispersion.

A mould for the production of slabs in granular material and/or grits and/or sands with curing resins comprising a flat bottom, a perimeter framework operatively or rigidly connected to the flat bottom wherein the perimeter framework comprises a plurality of side walls, the flat bottom and the perimeter framework delimiting a compartment for forming the slab; a plant for the production and a method of forming slabs in granular material and/or grits and/or sands with curing resins are also provided.

A method for making an improved contact lens with the steps of providing a mold with a space between the top surface and a bottom surface, and positioning a mat in the space of the mold, providing a bead of liquid polymer of predetermined size at a predetermined location on the surface of the mat, pressing the bead of liquid polymer into the mat between the top surface and the bottom surface of the mold to form an optical zone framed by a mat peripheral zone, exposing the optical zone and the peripheral zone with U-V radiation to harden the optical zone into a composite improved contact lens, removing the cross-linked improved contact lens from the mold, processing the peripheral zone surrounding the optical zone to have a fenestration surface having holes, the holes being through holes with predetermined diameters selected to pass larger proteins, lipids, metabolites.

Drug tablets that include a controlled release layer of a moisture-sensitive active agent are prepared with a lipidic matrix forming excipient, a water-soluble, channel forming excipient and a filler, each being non-hygroscipic. The tablets are formed in a process where the components are blended in the absence of moisture and in particulate form.