A system (10) for butt-joining two or more rubber strips (B1, B2) selected in accordance with a predetermined rubber mixture recipe in order to feed at least one extruder with a complex strip of rubber material (B12) made from the butt joined rubber strips is disclosed. The system includes at least one conveyor that transports the rubber strips from an inlet (12) of the system to an outlet (14) of the butt-joining system; a frame (18) that operationally supports the conveyor to allow the continuous transport of the rubber strips and also to allow the simultaneous butt-joining of the rubber strips fed to the system; and a roller system (20) that butt-joins the rubber strips without penetration. The invention also relates to a process for butt-joining rubber strips that is performed by the system.

Heat sink and method of manufacturing a graphene based heat sink, the method comprising: providing a first and second graphene film; arranging a layer of nanoparticles on a surface of the first and second graphene film to improve an adhesion strength between the graphene films; attaching the second graphene film to the first graphene film by means of an adhesive and the layer of nanoparticles; forming a laminated graphene film comprising a number of graphene film layers by repeating the steps, wherein the laminated graphene film is formed to have an anisotropic thermal conductivity; assembling a plurality of laminated graphene films by applying pressure and heat to cure the adhesive to form a graphene block; and removing selected portions of the graphene block to form a heat sink comprising fins extending from a base plate of the heat sink.

Provided is an interlayer film for laminated glass capable of effectively enhancing the sound insulating property of laminated glass having the interlayer film, in the interlayer film including a layer prepared with a thermoplastic component other than a polyvinyl acetal resin. An interlayer film for laminated glass according to the present invention has a one-layer structure or a two or more-layer structure, and includes a thermoplastic elastomer layer containing a thermoplastic elastomer and a plasticizer, and the thermoplastic elastomer is an aliphatic polyolefin, the thermoplastic elastomer layer has a glass transition temperature in a temperature range of −10° C. to 10° C., and a maximum value of tan δ in a temperature range of −10° C. to 10° C. of the thermoplastic elastomer layer is 1.5 or more.

Provided is an interlayer film for laminated glass capable of effectively enhancing the sound insulating property of laminated glass having the interlayer film, in the interlayer film including a layer prepared with a thermoplastic component other than a polyvinyl acetal resin. An interlayer film for laminated glass according to the present invention has a one-layer structure or a two or more-layer structure, and includes a thermoplastic elastomer layer containing a thermoplastic elastomer and a plasticizer, and the thermoplastic elastomer is an aliphatic polyolefin, the thermoplastic elastomer layer has a glass transition temperature in a temperature range of −10° C. to 10° C., and a maximum value of tan δ in a temperature range of −10° C. to 10° C. of the thermoplastic elastomer layer is 1.5 or more.

Heat sink and method of manufacturing a graphene based heat sink, the method comprising: providing a first and second graphene film; arranging a layer of nanoparticles on a surface of the first and second graphene film to improve an adhesion strength between the graphene films; attaching the second graphene film to the first graphene film by means of an adhesive and the layer of nanoparticles; forming a laminated graphene film comprising a number of graphene film layers by repeating the steps, wherein the laminated graphene film is formed to have an anisotropic thermal conductivity; assembling a plurality of laminated graphene films by applying pressure and heat to cure the adhesive to form a graphene block; and removing selected portions of the graphene block to form a heat sink comprising fins extending from a base plate of the heat sink.

A dental appliance for positioning a patient's teeth includes a removable orthodontic tooth positioning appliance having teeth receiving cavities shaped to directly receive at least some of the patient's teeth and apply a resilient positioning force to the patient's teeth. The appliance includes a hard polymer layer having a hard polymer layer elastic modulus disposed between a first soft polymer layer having a first soft polymer layer elastic modulus and a second soft polymer layer having a second soft polymer layer elastic modulus. The hard polymer layer elastic modulus is greater than each of the first soft polymer layer elastic modulus and the second soft polymer layer elastic modulus. At least one of the first soft polymer layer and the second soft polymer layer has a flexural modulus of greater than about 35,000 psi.

A laminate of a thermoplastic resin or thermoplastic elastomer composition film and a rubber composition layer, which can be used as an inner liner for a pneumatic tire, with improved adhesive strength at the interface of the thermoplastic resin or thermoplastic elastomer composition film and the rubber composition layer. A laminate comprising a thermoplastic resin or thermoplastic elastomer composition film and a rubber composition layer, the rubber composition containing a rubber component, a condensate of a phenol compound and formaldehyde, and methylene donor and a vulcanizing agent, wherein 2.5-40% by mass of the rubber component is butyl rubber or halogenated butyl rubber, the content of the condensate is 0.5-20 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the rubber component, and the content of the methylene donor is 0.25-200 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the rubber component.

The present disclosure is directed to uncured compositions that comprise a mixture of an uncured rubber with a polymeric hydrogel which, when cured to form crosslinks in the rubber, form elastomeric materials. The present disclosure is also directed to methods of using the uncured compositions and the elastomeric materials. The elastomeric materials can be used to make and/or incorporated into various types of articles (e.g., footwear, apparel, sporting equipment, or components of each).

The invention provides a laminate in which a fluororesin layer and a rubber layer are firmly bonded to each other and the fluororesin layer has low fuel permeability and is less likely to suffer solvent cracking. The laminate includes a rubber layer (A) and a fluororesin layer (B). The fluororesin layer (B) contains a copolymer containing a chlorotrifluoroethylene unit, a tetrafluoroethylene unit, and a perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether unit. The copolymer contains 96.0 to 97.4 mol % of the chlorotrifluoroethylene unit and the tetrafluoroethylene unit relative to all the monomer units constituting the copolymer and 2.6 to 4.0 mol % of the perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether unit relative to all the monomer units constituting the copolymer.

The present disclosure, in general, provides for elastomeric materials which, when they contact water, take up water reversibly, and undergo a dry to wet “character change” in which the appearance of the elastomeric material, its physical properties, or both, is altered.