A process produces a tubular hybrid molding made of a plastics foam element that exhibits temperature-dependent shrinkage and a fiber-plastics composite. The method includes inserting the plastics foam element, unhardened first and second fiber-plastics composite sections into a mold, where the plastics foam element has open pores at locations in contact with the fiber-plastics composite. The plastics foam element and the fiber-plastics composite sections are shaped by the mold. The mold is exposed to a first temperature to minimize the viscosity of the resin in the fiber-plastics composite. The mold is exposed to a second temperature to harden the fiber-plastics composite and to achieve mechanical fixing of the plastics foam element thereon. The mold is exposed to a third temperature to shrink the plastics foam element and cause its shape to conform to that of the mold and achieve a final shape of the said element.

Three-dimensional polymeric article (100) having first (101) and second (102) opposed major surfaces, a first dimension perpendicular to a second dimension, a thickness orthogonal to the first and second dimensions, and a plurality of alternating first (107) and second (109) polymeric regions along the first or second dimensions, wherein the first (107) and second (108) regions extend at least partially across the second dimension, wherein the first regions (107) are in a common plane (115) and wherein some of the second regions (108) project outwardly from the plane (115) in a first direction (generally perpendicular from the plane), and some of the second regions (108) project outwardly from the plane (115) in a second direction that is generally 180 degrees from the first direction, where the first regions (107) have a first crosslink density, wherein the second regions (108) have a second crosslink density, and wherein the second crosslink density of the second regions (108) are less than the first crosslink density of the first regions (107). Embodiments of the articles are useful for example, for providing a dual-sided, textured wrapping film such that greater grip is realized both on an item wrapped by the film and the wrapped item itself.

Three-dimensional polymeric article (100) having first (101) and second (102) opposed major surfaces, a first dimension perpendicular to a second dimension, a thickness orthogonal to the first and second dimensions, and a plurality of alternating first (107) and second (109) polymeric regions along the first or second dimensions, wherein the first (107) and second (108) regions extend at least partially across the second dimension, wherein the first regions (107) are in a common plane (115) and wherein some of the second regions (108) project outwardly from the plane (115) in a first direction (generally perpendicular from the plane), and some of the second regions (108) project outwardly from the plane (115) in a second direction that is generally 180 degrees from the first direction, where the first regions (107) have a first crosslink density, wherein the second regions (108) have a second crosslink density, and wherein the second crosslink density of the second regions (108) are less than the first crosslink density of the first regions (107). Embodiments of the articles are useful for example, for providing a dual-sided, textured wrapping film such that greater grip is realized both on an item wrapped by the film and the wrapped item itself.

A self-curling film includes a nanofiber base film and a nanofiber external film connected to the nanofiber base film. The nanofiber base film comprises a plurality of polymer nanofibers aligned according to a first single-direction aligning pattern. The nanofiber external film comprises a plurality of polymer nanofibers aligned according to a second aligning pattern that is the same as or different from the first aligning pattern. The polymer nanofibers of the nanofiber deformable film includes a temperature or UV-sensitive material that causes the nanofiber deformable film to shrink or expand when heated or exposed to ultraviolet radiation.

An object comprising: a blend of (i) a phenol-containing polymer and (ii) a nitrile butadiene rubber; wherein the phenol-containing polymer is present in an amount of at least 5 wt % and up to about 95 wt % by total weight of components (i) and (ii). The object may further contain an electrically conducting component dispersed within the blend or on a surface of the blend. Also described is a method of thermal-activated reversible mechanical deformation of the object by (i) deforming the object at a first temperature, which is at or above the glass transition temperature of the object, and applying a stress on the object; (ii) fixing the deformed state by cooling the object to a second temperature of no more than 0 C. while under stress, and removing the stress; and (iii) recovering the object to the original shape by raising the temperature of the object to the first temperature.

A handrail includes a carcass, a stretch inhibitor arranged within the carcass, a cover bonded to the carcass, and a sliding layer secured to the carcass. At a central width axis of the handrail, a face height between an upper exterior surface of the cover and a bottom surface of the sliding layer may be less than about 8.0 mm. The carcass may be formed of a first thermoplastic material, the cover may be formed of a second thermoplastic material, and the first thermoplastic material may be harder than the second thermoplastic material. The first thermoplastic material may have a modulus at 100% elongation of between 10 and 16 MPa, and may have a hardness of between 93 and 96 Shore A.

A handrail includes a carcass, a stretch inhibitor arranged within the carcass, a cover bonded to the carcass, and a sliding layer secured to the carcass. At a central width axis of the handrail, a face height between an upper exterior surface of the cover and a bottom surface of the sliding layer may be less than about 8.0 mm. The carcass may be formed of a first thermoplastic material, the cover may be formed of a second thermoplastic material, and the first thermoplastic material may be harder than the second thermoplastic material. The first thermoplastic material may have a modulus at 100% elongation of between 10 and 16 MPa, and may have a hardness of between 93 and 96 Shore A.

Adaptive smart textiles that facilitate reduced energy consumption are described. In one implementation, a dual pane fabric arrangement includes a first pane of fabric and a second pane of fabric separated by an intra-layer gap, and an insert layer disposed in the intra-layer gap, wherein the insert layer causes a thickness of the intra-layer gap to change responsive to changes in ambient temperature.

Provided herein are methods and compositions for narrowing the inside diameter of tubing, in some cases where the narrowing is provided by a taper on one or both ends of the narrowed portion of the tubing.

Three-dimensional polymeric article (100) having first (101) and second (102) opposed major surfaces, a base body (103) having a first dimension, a second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension, and a thickness, wherein the thickness is orthogonal to the first and second dimensions, wherein the base body (103) comprises a plurality of alternating, adjacent first (107) and second (108) polymeric regions along the first dimension, wherein the second dimensions of the first (107) and second (108) regions extend at least partially across the second dimensions, wherein the first regions (107) have a first crosslink density, wherein the second regions (108) have a second crosslink density, wherein the second crosslink density of the second regions (108) are less than the first crosslink density of the first regions (107), wherein the first and second regions extend perpendicularly in two directions from a central plane (115) in the base body (103) parallel to the first and second dimensions of the polymeric article (100), and wherein the second regions (108) extend in each of said two directions further than does the first regions (107). Embodiments of the three-dimensional polymeric article described herein are useful for providing a dual sided, textured wrapping film such that greater grip is realized both on an item wrapped by the film and the wrapped item itself.