Lead-free piezoelectric composites and methods of making and uses thereof are described. The lead-free piezoelectric composites have high flexibility and high piezoelectric properties.

A method for controlling the encapsulation efficiency and burst release of water soluble molecules from nanoparticle and microparticle formulations produced by the inverted Flash NanoPrecipitation (iFNP) process and subsequent processing steps is presented. The processing steps and materials used can be adjusted to tune the encapsulation efficiency and burst release of the encapsulated water-soluble material. The encapsulation efficiency of the soluble agent in the particles and the burst release of the soluble agent from the particles can be controlled by: (1) the copolymers used in the assembly or coating process, (2) the degree of crosslinking of the nanoparticle core, (3) the incorporation of small molecule or polymeric additives, and/or (4) the processing and release conditions employed.

A thermally conductive phase-change composition includes a mixture of 5 to 25 weight percent thermoplastic polymer; 20 to 45 weight percent phase-change material; and 30 to 65 weight percent thermally conductive particles, wherein weight percent is based on the total weight of the composition and totals 100 weight percent, and wherein thermal conductivity of the composition is at least 3.0 W/m-K at a temperature below the transition temperature of the phase change material and thermal conductivity of the composition is at least 2.0 W/m-K at a temperature above the transition temperature of the phase change material, wherein thermal conductivity is determined in accordance with ASTM E1530. The phase-change compositions are reworkable and can be easily and cleanly removed from a device for maintenance and repair and repositioned without causing damage to the device.

A masterbatch manufacturing method in accordance with the present disclosure comprises an operation in which pre-coagulation rubber latex comprising filler is coagulated to obtain a coagulum; an operation in which the coagulum is dewatered; and an operation in which the dewatered coagulum is plasticized as it is dried by means of an extruder; wherein, during the operation in which the dewatered coagulum is plasticized as it is dried, the coagulum comprises a peptizing agent.

A composite formulation for use in lightweight molded components includes an untreated low density filler, such as glass bubbles, a solvated polymer mixture, and polymer paste. In one embodiment the solvated polymer mixture is used to treat the low density filler to form a treated low density filler. The solvated polymer mixture many include a thermoplastic resin or a reactive resin and an additive package. The additive package may include a dispersing agent and a silane carrier composition.

A method of preparing a resin infused random fiber mat including the step of forming a liquid dispersion mat of polymeric resin and fiber on a porous substrate.

A method of fabricating a polymer composite material by mixing a polymer material with a planar material, depositing the mixture on a substrate, and stretching the resulting thin film, is described. Polymer composite materials produced using said method and ballistic resistant materials comprising said polymer composite materials are also described.

Stable preparations of composite particles based on organic polymer and inorganic particles contain, as the organic polymer, an addition polymer containing moieties derived from polymerization of an unsaturated carboxylic acid in addition to vinyl ester, (meth)acrylic ester, olefin, vinyl aromatic, and/or vinyl halide monomers.

Improved processes and systems are disclosed for making masterbatches of particulates to be incorporated into polymers. In some variations, a process for making a particulate masterbatch comprises the sequential steps of: providing particulates; conveying an aqueous polymer latex and the particulates to a mixing unit, thereby generating a particulate-latex mixture comprising water; conveying the particulate-latex mixture to a homogenizer; conveying the homogenized particulate-latex mixture to a centrifuge to remove a first portion of water; and then conveying the dewatered and homogenized particulate-latex mixture to a screw mixer configured to remove a second portion of water, thereby generating a particulate masterbatch. Other variations employ polymer solids rather than a polymer latex. The processes and systems enable higher energy efficiency, more robust operability that minimizes process fouling, and exceptional particulate dispersion within the masterbatch. Also, these processes do not require the use of a latex coagulant.

A composite and method for producing the composite by incorporating wood or wood pulp fibres with a suitable thermoplastic polymer and coupling agent are described. Homogeneous, void-free transparent/translucent thermoplastic materials in the form of pellets, films or three-dimensional moldable products are produced. The wood pulp fibres can be discrete natural fibres, and flexible assemblies of nano to micro elements, e.g., assemblies of aggregated carbon nanotubes. It is also possible to use our vacuum-assisted co-extrusion process to produce hybrid composites comprising the wood pulp fibre and a further rigid fibre, like glass or carbon fibres, and a flexible fibre or fibrillar network, like cellulose fibres or cellulose filaments. The thermoplastic resin can be, but not limited to, polyolefins, like polypropylene or polyethylene, or polyesters, like polylactic acid, or co-polymers, like acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer.