A method for manufacturing a dielectric sheet, includes the steps of extrusion molding a mixture including powder polytetrafluoroethylene and spherical silica at a temperature lower than or equal to a melting point of the polytetrafluoroethylene, and calendering a sheet body obtained by the extrusion molding. A mass ratio of the silica with respect to the polytetrafluoroethylene is 1.3 or greater. An average particle diameter of the silica is 0.1 μm or greater but 3.0 μm or less. A reduction ratio of the extrusion molding is 8 or less.

A cured elastomer golf ball component is made by heating an elastomer compound containing an ethylenically unsaturated elastomer, an ethylenically unsaturated monomer, and first and second free radical initiators to a first crosslinking temperature T.sub.1 in a compression mold and partially crosslinking the elastomer, then heating to a second crosslinking temperature T.sub.2 and curing the elastomer component of the golf ball. Either: (i) the first initiator has a half-life of about 0.2-5 minutes at T.sub.1, the second initiator has a half-life of about 0.2-5 minutes at T.sub.2, and T.sub.2 is higher T.sub.1 by at least about 30° C.; or (ii) the second initiator's one-minute half-life temperature is at least about 30° C. higher than the first initiator's one-minute half-life temperature, T.sub.1 is within about 20° C. of the first initiator's one-minute half-life temperature, and T.sub.2 is within about 20° C. of the second initiator's one-minute half-life temperature.

Methods for fabricating Class-A components (CAC) include providing a molding precursor which includes a first and second skin layer each including a fiber reinforcing material embedded in a polymer matrix, a third layer between the first and second skin layers and including a third polymer matrix and a filler material interspersed therein. The fiber reinforcing materials include a plurality of substantially aligned carbon fibers having a plurality of low strength regions staggered with respect to the second axis. The method includes disposing a molding precursor within a die, compression molding the molding precursor in the die, wherein the die includes a punch configured to contact the second skin layer, opening the die to create a gap between the punch and an outer surface of the second skin layer, and injecting a Class-A finish coat precursor into the gap to create a class-A surface layer and form the CAC.

Methods for fabricating fiber-composite truss structures comprise a) individually molding multiple unit cells of a given size, and subsequently fusing them together in a repeating pattern, b) cross members are consolidated with longerons while maintaining continuity of fiber in the longerons, and c) compression-molded truss components are unioned to continuous fiber beams by means of mechanically interlocking joints.

A method is provided for manufacturing a rigid object from a powder produced from shear stirred brown macroalgae so as to extract proteins, such as actin, from the brown macroalgae, the powder consisting of particles having an equivalent diameter smaller than or equal to 1.5 millimetres and having a residual moisture content smaller than or equal to 45%. The method includes thermo-compression of the powder in a mould, the powder being brought to a temperature between 50 and 100° C. and subjected to a pressure of between 150 and 4000 bars for 50 seconds to 45 minutes. Also provided is a method for preparing the powder.

Polyamide copolymers, and methods of making and using polyamide copolymers, having 2,5-furan dicarboxamide units are disclosed herein. Such polymers can be useful for engineering thermoplastics having advantageous physical and/or chemical properties.

A rubber tube has an inner surface at least partly roughed so that the ratio (Rz/D) of the maximum height Rz of the inner surface to the inner diameter D of the tube is not less than 0.038. The ratio (Rp/D) of the maximum peak height Rp of the inner surface to the inner diameter D of the tube may be not less than 0.019. The ratio (Rv/D) of the maximum valley depth Rv of the inner surface to the inner diameter D of the tube may be not less than 0.019. The ratio (Ra/D) of the arithmetic average roughness Ra of the inner surface to the inner diameter D of the tube may be not less than 0.0036. The ratio (Rq/D) of the root mean square height Rq of the inner surface to the inner diameter D of the tube maybe not less than 0.0046. Thus, the rubber tube has a reduced adhesiveness.

The invention relates to a method for producing a composition comprising the steps of: melt-blending a fluorinated polymer, preferably a polyvinylidene fluoride polymer, with a first conductive filler so as to obtain a conductive fluorinated polymer; grinding to powder said conductive fluorinated polymer; mixing the powder of conductive fluorinated polymer with a second conductive filler. The invention also relates to a composition comprising a second conductive filler and particles of conductive fluorinated polymer, wherein the particles of conductive fluorinated polymer comprise a fluorinated polymer matrix in which a first conductive filler is dispersed The invention also relates to a method for producing a bipolar plate and to a bipolar plate.

A process is provided for producing a structure into which blood or other bio-fluids can flow by capillary action, e.g. for a whole blood microsampling probe. The process comprises mixing particles of novolak resin and particles of hydrocarbon polymer, producing an uncarbonized structure from the mixture by pressurised moulding and carbonizing the moulded structure, the hydrocarbon resin being a polymer such as polystyrene that on pyrolysis has a zero carbon yield, and the particles of the hydrocarbon polymer leaving voids in the carbonized structure of sufficient size for flow of whole blood into and through the structure. The particles may be of partly cured and milled novolak resin, the novolak particles when in the moulded structure not exhibiting bulk flow during carbonization but sintering at inter-particle contact points during carbonization to provide a consolidated structure. In this variant, ethylene glycol may be used as a sintering aid. Alternatively, the particles may be of fully cured and milled novolak resin, and are mixed with the hydrocarbon polymer , the lubricant and with a binder such as lignin for providing a consolidated structure.

A method for manufacturing a molded surface fastener may include using, as a synthetic resin forming the molded surface fastener, a thermoplastic resin having a melt flow rate of 20 g/10 min or more and 60 g/10 min or less and a flexural modulus of 1000 MPa or more and 2300 MPa or less. Consequently, an engaging element in which a top end surface of an engaging head portion is flat, and at least a part of a back-side proximal end surface of the engaging head portion has an angle of 70° or more and 110° or less with respect to a height direction of the stem portion can be stably molded, and thus the molded surface fastener that has a high peel strength and a good texture can be obtained.