Provided herein is a method for preparing antimicrobial thermoplastic resins and products thereof.

The present invention relates to a process comprising the step of contacting an aqueous dispersion of swelled polymer particles with a rheology modifier and a binder to form a coatings composition with a VOC of less than 50 g/L. The swelled polymer particles arise from neutralization of alkali swellable polymer particles having a high acid core content and a low T.sub.g shell. The composition arising from the process of the present invention is useful for improving open time, especially for low VOC coatings applications.

Provided is a method of producing a composite resin material that has excellent shapeability and enables supply of a shaped product having good properties. The method of producing a composite resin material includes: a mixing step of mixing a fluororesin, fibrous carbon nanostructures, and a dispersion medium to obtain a slurry; and a formation step of removing the dispersion medium from the slurry and forming a particulate composite resin material. The particulate composite resin material has a D50 diameter of at least 20 μm and not more than 500 μm and a D90 diameter/D10 diameter value of at least 1.2 and not more than 15. The D10 diameter, D50 diameter, and D90 diameter are particle diameters respectively corresponding to cumulative volumes of 10%, 50%, and 90% calculated from a small particle end of a particle diameter distribution of the particulate composite resin material.

An amorphous or semi-crystalline polymer/aPHA composition (masterbatch) has a high load of aPHA (30 to 50 wt % based on the total amount of the composition). A method for production of the composition includes two or more split feedings of the aPHA in a blending or mixing or compounding operation. The method includes feeding about 1-15 weight percent (wt %) of the total aPHA in a primary feed hopper of a blending or mixing or compounding apparatus and about 30-49 weight percent downstream in the process.

A polyethylene composition having increased environmental stress crack resistance (ESCR) is comprised of a polymer blend of a high density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyethylene glycol (PEG). The PEG is present in the polymer blend in an amount of from 0.5 wt. % to 15 wt. % by total weight of the polymer blend. The PEG may have an average molecular weight of from 2000 to 40,000. In a method of forming a polyethylene composition having increased ESCR, a HDPE is modified by combining the HDPE with PEG in a polymer blend, the PEG being present in an amount of from 0.5 wt. % to 15 wt. % by total weight of the polymer blend. The polymer blend can be formed into an article of manufacture, such as a bottle cap.

A polymer particle manufacturing method according to the present invention includes: (i) mixing a dispersion A5 of polymer particles A3 with a reactant, the dispersion A5 including the polymer particles A3 and a first solvent 4 in which the polymer particles A3 are dispersed, the polymer particles A3 being formed from a structurally controlled polymer having an organotellurium group 1 at a growing end thereof, the polymer being synthesized by an emulsion polymerization with use of a first organotellurium compound as a polymerization control agent, the reactant being soluble in the first solvent 4; and removing the organotellurium group 1 from the growing end of the polymer to obtain a liquid mixture 8 including a second organotellurium compound 6 generated by a reaction between the reactant and the organotellurium group 1 and polymer particles B7 having an organotellurium group 1 reduced relative to the organotellurium group 1 in the polymer particles A3; and (ii) separating, from the liquid mixture 8, the polymer particles B7 and a solution 9 in which the second organotellurium compound 6 is dissolved from each other.

The present disclosure is directed to examples of housing for a luminaire. In one example, the housing includes a bioplastic base formed to receive a light emitting diode and a driver and a lens coupled to the bioplastic base. The bioplastic base may include a bioplastic and is formed with a non-biodegradable or a biodegradable plastic.

Provided is an ethylene-based modifier with which a film having good slipperiness and relatively less fish eyes can be formed. The ethylene-based modifier has a strain-hardening exponent of 0.27 or more and 0.53 or less as determined by the LAOS method.

A method for forming a nanomaterial coating through solute-assisted assembly is provided. The method includes steps of: providing a mixture comprising a solvent, a solute, and a nanomaterial or particle; applying sonication to the mixture; and contacting a substrate with the mixture so as to form a coating of the nanomaterial or the particle onto the substrate. The solute is selected from a salt, a sugar, an acid, a base, or a combination thereof. The present disclosure also provides the resulting products comprising the nanomaterial coating for flexible electronics and functional textiles.

A method of manufacturing a composite material that is used to make blocks, bricks, tiles, or payers. The method comprises of making a liquid conglomerate material, of making a solid conglomerate material, of mixing the liquid conglomerate material and the solid conglomerate material together to make the composite material, and lastly of pressing the composite material into either a block, a brick, a tile, or a paver.