A highly fire-resistant expanded polymeric material for thermal insulation, acoustic insulation and/or fire barrier contains rubber, expandable graphite, at least one alkaline earth metal component selected from alkaline earth metal carbonates, alkaline earth metal hydroxides, hydrates of either, and combinations thereof, and a component containing silica or a silicate. The expanded polymeric material is preferably manufactured by a process including decomposition of a chemical blowing agent.

The invention relates to an elastomeric film-forming composition (a) a carboxylated butadiene-based elastomer, (b) polychlorobutadiene in an amount of less than 30% by weight of the polymer content of the composition, and (c) one or more cross-linking agents. The invention also relates to dipped articles, gloves, methods of manufacture and uses involving the composition.

Provided is a structure having excellent flexibility represented by elastic restoring from compression or tensile elongation at break, and excellent lightness. A structure according to the present invention includes reinforced fibers, first plastic, and second plastic that exhibits rubber elasticity at room temperature, the reinforced fibers being discontinuous fibers, and the first plastic and/or the second plastic coating a crossing point between the reinforced fibers in contact with each other.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a laminated rubber hose that includes a first layer and a second layer laminated on an outer surface of the first layer, the first layer containing a thermosetting resin in an amount of 4.5 parts by mass or less relative to 100 parts by mass of a rubber component, the method including laminating the second layer on the outer surface of the first layer with the outer surface of the first layer maintained at a temperature range of 65 C. or more and 105 C. or less.

An electrically conductive rubber composition is provided, which is usable for production of a transfer roller of a highly flexible foam satisfying requirements for cost reduction and weight reduction and having smaller foam cell diameters and, hence, ensuring higher-quality image formation with smaller environment-dependent variations in roller resistance. A transfer roller produced from the electrically conductive rubber composition, a production method for the transfer roller, and an image forming apparatus including the transfer roller are also provided. The electrically conductive rubber composition contains a rubber component including SBR and/or BR, EPDM and epichlorohydrin rubber, a crosslinking component, and 4 to 6 parts by mass of a foaming agent and 1.5 to 2.7 parts by mass of a foaming assisting agent based on 100 parts by mass of the rubber component. The transfer roller (1) is produced by extruding the electrically conductive rubber composition into a tubular body and performing an in-can vulcanization process on the tubular body. The image forming apparatus incorporates the transfer roller.

An inventive electrically conductive rubber composition contains: a rubber component including SBR and/or NBR, and 20 to 30 parts by mass of epichlorohydrin rubber based on 100 parts by mass of the overall rubber component; a crosslinking component; a foaming component; and a potassium salt of an anion having a fluoro group and a sulfonyl group in its molecule, the potassium salt being present in a proportion of not less than 0.01 part by mass and not greater than 1 part by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the overall rubber component. An inventive transfer roller (1) includes a roller body (2) formed from the electrically conductive rubber composition.

A rubber composition contains: at least one rubber component selected from the group consisting of an ethylene propylene diene rubber, a chloroprene rubber, a nitrile rubber, and an acrylic rubber; 1.5 to 30 parts by mass of a fluorene-modified cellulose nanofiber per 100 parts by mass of the rubber component; and 30 to 120 parts by mass of a carbon-based filler per 100 parts by mass of the rubber component. A method of producing a rubber composition comprises: kneading a dispersion of a fluorene-modified cellulose nanofiber in a process oil and a rubber component to prepare a kneaded material; and mixing a vulcanizing agent into the kneaded material.

A pneumatic tire assembly is provided and includes an annular tire, an annular inflatable inner tube, and an annular solid insulation tube. The annular inflatable inner tube is positioned within the annular tire. The annular solid insulation tube is positioned between the annular tire and the annular inflatable inner tube and includes an outer surface in contact with an inner surface of the annular tire and an inner surface in contact with an outer surface of the annular inflatable inner tube.

An inventive electrically conductive rubber composition contains: a rubber component including SBR and/or NBR, and 20 to 30 parts by mass of epichlorohydrin rubber based on 100 parts by mass of the overall rubber component; a crosslinking component; a foaming component; and a potassium salt of an anion having a fluoro group and a sulfonyl group in its molecule, the potassium salt being present in a proportion of not less than 0.01 part by mass and not greater than 1 part by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the overall rubber component. An inventive transfer roller (1) includes a roller body (2) formed from the electrically conductive rubber composition.

A rubber-based composition modifier includes 100 parts by mass of a mixed rubber component containing a chloroprene rubber and at least one copolymer selected from ethylene/-olefin copolymers and ethylene/-olefin/unconjugated polyene copolymers, 10 to 60 parts by mass of magnesium oxide, 3 to 30 parts by mass of a softener, and 30 to 120 parts by mass of acetylene black, wherein the mixed rubber component has a Mooney viscosity, as determined by the method specified in JIS K6300, of 60 to 180 at 100 C.; the magnesium oxide has a BET specific surface area, as determined by the one point method specified in JIS Z8830, of 20 to 150 m.sup.2/g; the softener contains a fatty acid ester-based plasticizer and an unsaturated fatty acid having a carbon number of 10 to 24 and containing an ester bond, a hydroxyl group, or both of them in part of the structure.