A process for the manufacture of a tread band for pneumatic tyres, wherein the blocks thereof comprise different rubber portions characterized by a different hysteresis loss. The process comprises a shredding step, wherein from a first and from a second rubber tread compound a plurality of fragments is manufactured with dimensions of between 6 and 30 mesh; a mixing step, wherein the fragments from the first and second compound are mixed together in order to obtain a mixture wherein said fragments are distributed in a random manner and retain their chemical/physical individuality; and an extrusion step, wherein the mixture from the preceding step is extruded for the manufacture of the tread band. The first and second compounds have different dynamic properties in terms of: dynamic modulus at 30° C., tand at 0° C., tand at 30° C. and tand at 60° C. The fragments retain a chemical/physical individuality both within the mixture formed during the mixing step and within the tread band formed during the extrusion step.

A process is described for producing a three dimensional structure, the process including the following steps a) applying of at least a first material M.sub.1 onto a substrate to build a first layer L.sub.1 on the substrate; b) layering of at least one further layer L.sub.y of the first material M.sub.1 or of a further material M.sub.x onto the first layer L.sub.1, wherein the at least one further layer Ly covers the first layer L.sub.1 and/or previous layer L.sub.y−1 at least partially to build a precursor of the three dimensional structure; c) curing the precursor to achieve the three dimensional structure; wherein at least one of the materials M.sub.1 or M.sub.x provides a Mooney viscosity of >10 ME at 60° C. and of <200 ME at 100° C. before curing and wherein at least one of the first material Mi or of the further material M.sub.x is a powder. Also, a three dimensional structure is described which is available according to the process according to the invention.

A powder production method includes providing an elongated workpiece and repeatedly contacting an outer surface of the elongated workpiece with a reciprocating cutter according to a predetermined at least one frequency to produce a powder. The powder includes a plurality of particles, wherein at least 95% of the produced particles have a diameter or maximum dimension ranging from about 10 μm to about 200 μm. A system for producing powders having a plurality of particles including a cutter and at least one controller is also provided herein.

A polar plate is fabricated. The polar plate is flexible and made of a plastic graphite composite. No matter a supporting member is used for calendering or not, a thin polar plate with controllable thickness is fabricated. The polar plate is excellent in blocking the through-transmission of vanadium ions and the limit of blending ratio of conductive carbon is broken through. The longitudinal through-transmission volume resistivity (proportional resistance to thickness) is greatly improved by adjusting the blending ratio of conductive carbon for meeting the demand of conductivity. In the mean time, the present invention strengthens the rigidity required for the thin polar plate while providing large-area polar plate fabrication for industrial use and convenience and provides a cooling and pressing method for patterning a composite polar plate. An integrated mold is thus obtained to replace the conventional polar plate which needs to be processed and prepared with runner.

A polar plate is fabricated. The polar plate is flexible and made of a plastic graphite composite. No matter a supporting member is used for calendering or not, a thin polar plate with controllable thickness is fabricated. The polar plate is excellent in blocking the through-transmission of vanadium ions and the limit of blending ratio of conductive carbon is broken through. The longitudinal through-transmission volume resistivity (proportional resistance to thickness) is greatly improved by adjusting the blending ratio of conductive carbon for meeting the demand of conductivity. In the mean time, the present invention strengthens the rigidity required for the thin polar plate while providing large-area polar plate fabrication for industrial use and convenience and provides a cooling and pressing method for patterning a composite polar plate. An integrated mold is thus obtained to replace the conventional polar plate which needs to be processed and prepared with runner.

A method of processing of a polymer blend is provided. The method includes the step of introducing a polymer material and a secondary polymer material into a barrel of an extruder. A user-selected gas having a supercritical point is injected into the barrel. The user-selected gas is below the supercritical point thereof. The polymer material, the secondary polymer material and the user-selected gas are mixed within the barrel to form a polymer blend. The polymer blend is ejected from the barrel into a mold, pelletizer or the like.

A method of processing of a polymer blend is provided. The method includes the step of introducing a polymer material and a secondary polymer material into a barrel of an extruder. A user-selected gas having a supercritical point is injected into the barrel. The user-selected gas is below the supercritical point thereof. The polymer material, the secondary polymer material and the user-selected gas are mixed within the barrel to form a polymer blend. The polymer blend is ejected from the barrel into a mold, pelletizer or the like.

Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing a mouthpiece for a wind instrument. The method of manufacturing a mouthpiece for a wind instrument includes the steps of: pulverizing a first material made of a synthetic resin material and a second material made of a mineral material; mixing the first and second materials at a predetermined ratio; melting the mixed materials and continuously extruding a primarily shaped product having a uniform sectional shape; cutting the extruded primarily shaped product into cut primarily shaped products at predetermined intervals; and forming secondarily shaped products by machining the cut primarily shaped products into mouthpiece shapes.

A powder production method includes providing at least one elongated member including a ductile material; providing a rotating or vibrating cutter configured to repeatedly cut an end of the at least one elongated member to produce particles; and advancing the at least one elongated member or the cutter towards the other of the at least one elongated member or the cutter to cut the particles from the at least one elongated member to produce a powder comprising a plurality of the particles. The particles produced by the method can have a diameter ranging from about 10 μm to about 200 μm.

The invention relates to a process for preparing polymeric particles, based on the use of a polyester polymer (PE) comprising units from a dicarboxylic acid component and a diol component, wherein at least 2 mol. % of the diol component is a poly(alkylene glycol). The process comprises the melt-blending of the aromatic polymer (P) with the PE, the cooling the blend and the recovery of the particles by dissolution of the PE into water. The present invention relates to polymeric particles obtained therefrom and to the use of these particles in SLS 3D printing, coatings and toughening of thermoset resins.