A process for drying a natural rubber starting from a wet natural rubber coagulum is provided. In a first step, the wet natural rubber coagulum is compressed at a temperature ranging from 185 C. to 210 C., then in a second step subjected to a flash adiabatic expansion at a differential pressure of at least 100 bar. Optionally supplemented by convective drying or by repeating the first and second steps, the process leads to a dry natural rubber having a nitrogen content of at most 0.3%.

A method of forming a substrate in a thermal compression bonding process that permit substantially greater amounts of fillers than previously accomplished. The method employs a dispersion of a thermoplastic binder and a filler. The dispersion is then thermally compression bonded to form a substrate. Lightweight fillers are one example of fillers that are ideally suited for the thermal compression bonding through the use of a dispersion. Such lightweight fillers enable the formation of a substrate with a very low and desirable specific gravity.

A method of forming a substrate in a thermal compression bonding process that permit substantially greater amounts of fillers than previously accomplished. The method employs a dispersion of a thermoplastic binder and a filler. The dispersion is then thermally compression bonded to form a substrate. Lightweight fillers are one example of fillers that are ideally suited for the thermal compression bonding through the use of a dispersion. Such lightweight fillers enable the formation of a substrate with a very low and desirable specific gravity.

A process including providing a three-dimensional printing powder dispersion comprising a three-dimensional printing powder, an optional dispersing agent, and water; providing an emulsion of an organic polymeric additive; combining the three-dimensional printing powder dispersion and the emulsion of organic polymeric additive to form a mixture comprising the three-dimensional printing powder dispersion and the emulsion of organic polymeric additive; and drying the mixture of the three-dimensional printing powder dispersion and the emulsion of organic polymeric additive.

According to one embodiment, a system for manufacturing a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) prepreg includes a mechanism for continuously moving a fabric or mat and a resin application component that applies a methyl methacrylate (MMA) resin to the fabric or mat. The system also includes a press mechanism that presses the fabric or mat during the continuous movement subsequent to the application of the MMA resin to ensure that the MMA resin fully saturates the fabric or mat. The system further includes a curing oven through which the fabric or mat is continuously moved. The curing oven is maintained at a temperature of between 40 C. and 100 C. to polymerize the MMA resin and thereby form PMMA so that upon exiting the curing oven, the fabric or mat is fully impregnated with PMMA.

According to one embodiment, a system for manufacturing a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) prepreg includes a mechanism for continuously moving a fabric or mat and a resin application component that applies a methyl methacrylate (MMA) resin to the fabric or mat. The system also includes a press mechanism that presses the fabric or mat during the continuous movement subsequent to the application of the MMA resin to ensure that the MMA resin fully saturates the fabric or mat. The system further includes a curing oven through which the fabric or mat is continuously moved. The curing oven is maintained at a temperature of between 40 C. and 100 C. to polymerize the MMA resin and thereby form PMMA so that upon exiting the curing oven, the fabric or mat is fully impregnated with PMMA.

The invention relates to a PET regranulate which, after modification of a granulated PET recyclate, has an intrinsic viscosity of at least 0.95 dl/g measured according to ASTM D 4603, preferably greater than 1.0 dl/g and particularly preferably between 1.1 dl/g and 1.7 dl/g and is suitable for the production of extrusion blow-molded containers.

Method and apparatus for drying granular resin material by drawing vacuum over heating resin material in a vessel, while periodically purging the vessel with the material therein with dry air and bathing the vacuum dried material with dry air until furnished to a processing machine.

A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament, in various embodiments, comprises: (A) providing an expanded surface area extruder; (B) providing a spinning machine having an inlet that is operatively coupled to an expanded surface area extruder outlet; (C) using a pressure regulation system to reduce the pressure within the expanded surface area extruder; (D) passing a plurality of flakes comprising recycled PET through the expanded surface area extruder to at least partially melt the plurality of flakes to form a polymer melt; and (E) substantially immediately after passing the plurality of flakes through the expanded surface area extruder, using the spinning machine to form the polymer melt into bulked continuous carpet filament. In some embodiments, the method may include passing the plurality of flakes comprising recycled PET through a PET crystallizer prior to extrusion.

A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament, in various embodiments, comprises: (A) providing an expanded surface area extruder; (B) providing a spinning machine having an inlet that is operatively coupled to an expanded surface area extruder outlet; (C) using a pressure regulation system to reduce the pressure within the expanded surface area extruder; (D) passing a plurality of flakes comprising recycled PET through the expanded surface area extruder to at least partially melt the plurality of flakes to form a polymer melt; and (E) substantially immediately after passing the plurality of flakes through the expanded surface area extruder, using the spinning machine to form the polymer melt into bulked continuous carpet filament. In some embodiments, the method may include passing the plurality of flakes comprising recycled PET through a PET crystallizer prior to extrusion.