An arrangement includes an extruder crosshead, and an innermost rubber tube having an input portion a resident portion residing in the extruder crosshead, and an output portion. The arrangement further includes an ozone stream evolved from an ozone source, where the ozone stream is introduced into an ozone cavity of the extruder crosshead, and a continuous molten barrier forming material which is movable through a flow cavity in the extruder crosshead. A portion of the continuous molten barrier forming material which is emitted from the extruder crosshead is exposed to the ozone stream on an inner side of the portion to provide a heterogeneous surfaced barrier layer. The arrangement also includes a barrier coated rubber tube including the heterogeneous surfaced barrier layer and the output portion of the innermost rubber tube, where the heterogeneous surfaced barrier layer is disposed outward from the output portion of the innermost rubber tube.

A sound absorbing body comprises a non-woven fabric or a non-woven fabric laminate, the non-woven fabric or the non-woven fabric laminate comprises a fiber that has an average fiber diameter of less than 3,000 nm, the non-woven fabric or the non-woven fabric laminate has a thickness of less than 10 mm, the non-woven fabric or the non-woven fabric laminate has a unit thickness flow resistance of greater than 4.0 E+06 Ns/m.sup.4 and less than 5.0 E+08 Ns/m.sup.4, and the non-woven fabric or the non-woven fabric laminate has a bulk density of greater than 70 kg/m.sup.3 and less than 750 kg/m.sup.3.

A method for producing thermally crosslinkable polymers in a planetary roller extruder is presented. The planetary roller extruder has a filling part and a compounding part made of a roller cylinder region that comprises at least two, preferably at least three coupled roller cylinders, planetary spindles of which are driven by a common central spindle. The polymers are supplied in a plasticized state. The filling part is supplied with a vacuum. The flow temperatures of the central spindle and the at least two roller cylinders under a vacuum are set such that the polymers to be degassed remain in the plasticized state. One or more liquids, such as thermal crosslinkers, crosslinking accelerators, dye solutions, or dye dispersions, are metered to the plasticized polymers downstream of the vacuum degassing, preferably in a continuous manner. Finally, the resulting mixture is directly supplied to a coating assembly.

A plastic container is provided that includes a hollow body portion including a lower supporting base portion; a sidewall portion extending upwardly from the base portion; and a neck portion extending upwardly from the sidewall portion. The neck portion includes a support flange having an upper and lower surface, at least one thread, and a dispensing opening at the top of the neck portion. In embodiments, a closure may be provided to form an assembly. In embodiments, the container may be comprised of PET, the weight of the neck portion from the lower surface of the support flange to a top of the dispensing opening may be 3.0 grams or less, and/or the vertical distance from the top of the dispensing opening to the lower surface of the support flange may be 0.580 inches or less. A preform and method for making a container are also disclosed.

A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament that includes providing a polymer melt and separating the polymer melt from the extruder into at least eight streams. The multiple streams are exposed to a chamber pressure within a chamber that is below approximately 5 millibars. The streams are recombined into a single polymer stream and formed into bulked continuous carpet filament.

A melt blowing die includes a stack of plates including corresponding melt blowing die tip, die body and air functionalities. One or more rows of polymer filament extrusion orifices extend through in a stack direction across multiple plates of a stack. A gas distribution system within the stack has gas outlets are positioned to provide distributed gas flow to contact and attenuate extruded polymer filaments. One of more polymer distribution channels extend longitudinally through multiple plates in the stack direction to supply polymer to each of the rows of extrusion orifices. A polymer distribution channel is open to receive polymer feed only at a longitudinal end. A melt blowing apparatus has a collection substrate movable in a machine direction that is transverse to a stack direction in a melt blowing die. A method for producing fiber-containing material includes melt blowing using a melt blowing die with a stack of plates.

A three-dimensional electrospun nanofiber scaffold for use in repairing a defect in a tissue substrate is provided. The scaffold includes a flexible deposited fiber network of varying density including a first and second set of set of electrospun fibers. The second set of electrospun fibers is coupled to the first. A first portion of the flexible deposited fiber network includes a higher density of fibers than a second portion of the flexible deposited fiber network, and the tensile strength of first portion is higher than that of the second portion. The scaffold is sufficiently flexible to facilitate application of scaffold to uneven surfaces of the tissue substrate, and enables movement of the scaffold by the tissue substrate. The first and second set of fibers are configured to degrade within three months after application, and each fiber of the deposited fiber network has a diameter of 1-1000 nanometers.

Disclosed are methods for forming and adhering an entrained polymer structure to a substrate. The methods include providing a substrate (114) configured to receive application of a molten entrained polymer (118). A mineral entrained polymer in molten form is applied in a predetermined shape, to a surface of the substrate, to form a solidified entrained polymer structure on the substrate. The entrained polymer includes a monolithic material formed of at least a base polymer (25) and a mineral active agent (30) to absorb excess moisture. The surface of the substrate is compatible with the molten entrained polymer so as to thermally bond with it. In this way, the entrained polymer bonds to the substrate and solidifies upon sufficient cooling of the entrained polymer. The polymer can have a channeling or foaming agent (35), eg polyglycol. To apply the polymer is provided a hot melt dispensing apparatus comprising: a feeder (102) (optionally an extruder or loader) for providing a flow of mineral entrained polymer in molten form; one or more hoses (104), each of which having an internal lumen in fluid communication with an exit (106) of the feeder to receive flow of the mineral entrained polymer in molten form, the lumen terminating at an applicator (110) to which the entrained polymer in molten form is conveyed; the applicator comprising a dispenser (112) for applying the entrained polymer in the predetermined shape to the surface of the substrate. The hose and the dispenser can be heated.

A plastic container includes a hollow body portion including a lower supporting base portion; a sidewall portion extending upwardly from the base portion; and a neck portion extending upwardly from the sidewall portion. The neck portion includes a support flange having an upper and lower surface, at least one thread, and a dispensing opening at the top of the neck portion. In embodiments, a closure may be provided to form an assembly. A preform and method for making a container are also disclosed.

A plastic preform includes a hollow body portion including a closed base portion and a lower portion and a lower portion extending upwardly from the closed bottom portion; and a neck portion extending upwardly from the lower portion. The neck portion includes a dispensing opening positioned at a top of the neck portion, threads positioned below the dispensing opening, a tamper-evident formation having a lower surface and positioned directly below the threads, and a support flange having an upper surface and a lower surface and positioned below the tamper-evident formation. In an embodiment, the plastic preform is formed of a material comprising polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and a vertical distance from the lower surface of the tamper-evident formation to the lower surface of the support flange is from 0.125 to 0.150 inches. Containers and methods for molding preforms and making containers are also disclosed.