The present relates to a process for incorporating of wet natural fiber and starch into thermoplastics and the composite produced. The process for producing the composite comprises steps of: providing a wet natural fiber; providing a starch; providing a plasticizer; providing a thermoplastic; mixing the wet natural fiber, the starch and the plasticizer with water to produce a paste, and compounding the paste with the thermoplastic to produce the composite. The composite in a preferred embodiment comprises 50 weight % natural fiber/starch and a plasticizer; 50 weight % thermoplastic; a tensile modulus greater than 1450 MPa and a tensile strength greater than 41 MPa.

A repair method is provided during which a thermoplastic patch is arranged on a thermoplastic aerospace component. An ultrasonic horn is arranged on the thermoplastic patch. The thermoplastic patch is vertically between the thermoplastic aerospace component and the ultrasonic horn. The thermoplastic patch contacts the ultrasonic horn. The thermoplastic patch is continuous ultrasonic welded to the thermoplastic aerospace component using the ultrasonic horn.

Herein disclosed is a method of printing a 3D freeform structure in an embedding medium. The method includes providing an ink composition in a nozzle, wherein the ink composition includes a thermoplastic, a non-thermoplastic, a thermally degradable polymer, and/or a thermosensitive polymer, dissolved in a solvent; dispensing the ink composition through a nozzle into the embedding medium to precipitate a printed structure from the ink composition, wherein the ink composition exits from the nozzle directly in the embedding medium; and maintaining the printed structure in the embedding medium until the immersion precipitation is completed for forming the 3D freeform structure. A system operable to carry out the method is also disclosed. The system includes a syringe coupled to a nozzle.

Methods for making a personal care product and a personal care product are provided. In one example, the method includes forming a first layer by an additive process. The first layer has a first composition that includes at least one filler component selected from the group of starch, bulking agent salt, granular acid, clay mineral, sorbitol, silica, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide. A binder is applied to the first layer. A second layer is formed by the additive process overlying the binder. The second layer has a second composition that includes at least one filler component selected from the group of starch, bulking agent slat, granular acid, clay mineral, sorbitol, silica, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide. At least one of the first composition and the second composition further includes at least one surfactant.