A plasticized terephthalate-based polyester blend comprising a terephthalate-based polyester (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate, i.e., PET) homogeneously blended with a fatty acid or ester thereof, wherein said fatty acid or ester thereof is present in said polyester blend in an amount of 1-50 wt %. Also described herein is a method for producing a plasticized terephthalate-based polyester blend, the method comprising melt mixing a terephthalate-based polyester with a fatty acid or ester thereof at a temperature in a range of 230-250° C. to produce said polyester blend, wherein said fatty acid or ester thereof is present in said polyester blend in an amount of 1-50 wt % and is homogeneously blended with said terephthalate-based polyester.

Amphiphilic biopolymers have been synthesized by grafting lignin onto PLGA to form graft polymers, which can then be further assembled into polymeric nanoparticles without a requirement for surfactants. The nanoparticles have a typical diameter of 75 nm. The nanoparticles may be used, for example, for drug delivery, including efficient and effective drug delivery against cancers such as triple negative breast cancers.

A composite material includes a polymer matrix with a polymer having D-glucosamine monomer units and 50% or fewer N-acetyl-D-glucosamine monomer units. A salt can be disposed in the polymer matrix. A dispersed phase is disposed in the polymer matrix with the salt, and the dispersed phase and the polymer matrix form a porous composite foam. The porous composite foam includes, by weight, 0.5-3 times the dispersed phase to the polymer matrix, and the porous composite foam has a density of less than 1 g/cm.sup.3.

An adhesive composition that can be applied to reinforcing plies of textile material for tyres and comprising (a) an elastomeric rubber latex, (b) a precondensed resin composed of resorcinol and formaldehyde and comprising protected isocyanate groups, (c) lignin and (d) a compound chosen from urea and thiourea.

A visibly transparent, homogeneous UV-blocking cellulose nanocrystal/lignin nanocomposite film and a method of making the same. The film is made by dispersing cellulose nanocrystals and lignin in an aqueous, alkaline solution to yield a dispersion; casting the dispersion onto a substrate; and evaporating the aqueous, alkaline solution to yield a homogeneous, visibly transparent film that at least partially absorbs ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

A visibly transparent, homogeneous UV-blocking cellulose nanocrystal/lignin nanocomposite film and a method of making the same. The film is made by dispersing cellulose nanocrystals and lignin in an aqueous, alkaline solution to yield a dispersion; casting the dispersion onto a substrate; and evaporating the aqueous, alkaline solution to yield a homogeneous, visibly transparent film that at least partially absorbs ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

A fire resistant syntactic foam material, the material comprising the reaction product of a reaction mixture including a resole cold curing phenolic resin and incorporating a plurality of hollow spheres, the reaction mixture also including a solution of a partial phosphate ester, a low viscosity phosphate plasticiser, a reinforcing filler and a particulate filler.

Lignin compositions, products produced from them or containing them, methods to produce them, spinning methods, methods to convert lignin to a conversion product and conversion products produced by the methods are described.

Provided are an abrasion resistance improver for inorganic filler-containing rubber composition capable of giving high abrasion resistance to a rubber composition containing an inorganic filler, a rubber composition containing the abrasion resistance improver for rubber composition, a tire using the rubber composition, and a method for producing the abrasion resistance improver for rubber composition. The present invention are concerned with [1] an abrasion resistance improver for inorganic filler-containing rubber composition, including, as an active ingredient, lignin having an aldehyde yield rate by alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation of 12% by mass or more; [2] a rubber composition containing the abrasion resistance improver as set forth above in [1], a rubber, and an inorganic filler; [3] a tire using the rubber composition as set forth above in [2]; [4] a method for producing an abrasion resistance improver for inorganic filler-containing rubber composition, including, as an active ingredient, lignin having an aldehyde yield rate by alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation of 12% by mass or more, the method including steps (A-1) to (A-3); and [5] a method for producing an abrasion resistance improver for inorganic filler-containing rubber composition, including, as an active ingredient, lignin having an aldehyde yield rate by alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation of 12% by mass or more, the method including steps (B-1) and (B-2).

Cellulosic composites comprising cellulosic filaments and a polymer matrix are described. Embodiments of such composites may exhibit improved mechanical properties and moisture resistance. Methods for producing the cellulosic composites include melt processing and articles are produced by extrusion.