The invention provides a waterproofing membrane which does not require a removable release sheet but which nevertheless bonds to post-cast concrete and facilitates water-tight sealing at membrane-to-membrane overlaps. The waterproofing membrane comprises a carrier and pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) layers, an inorganic particle layer having particulate bodies which are partially embedded in the PSA and which have an average particle size less than the average thickness of the PSA layer, and an anti-submarining nano-silica-containing coating layer attached to un-embedded portions of the inorganic particles to prevent total embedding into the PSA when the membrane is rolled or unrolled, whereby water-tight seams are facilitated between overlapped portions of adjacently installed waterproofing membranes, and whereby the water-tight seam is achieved preferably using only detailing or waterproofing tape and without the additional use of a liquid primer, mastic, or other coating.

A rack-and-pinion type steering apparatus 1 comprises a gear case 3 made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and having a hollow portion 2; a steering shaft 6 rotatably supported by the gear case 3 through rolling bearings 4 and 5; a pinion 7 which is provided integrally on a shaft end portion of the steering shaft 6 and is rotatably supported in the hollow portion 2 by the gear case 3 through the steering shaft 6; a rack bar 9 on which rack teeth 8 meshing with the pinion 7 are formed; a rack guide 10 which is disposed in the hollow portion 2 of the gear case 3 and supports the rack bar 9 slidably; and a spring 11 constituted by a coil spring for pressing the rack guide 10 toward the rack bar 9.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing shoes that includes: (a) preparing a midsole material and performing a multi-functional treatment by irradiation of a defined amount of UV energy to provide adhesive-friendly properties; (b) molding the midsole material from the UV irradiation step to form a midsole having a defined shape; (c) preparing a multi-functional adhesive primer used to provide stable adhesive strength for the molded midsole and secure surface modification and adequate applicability of the midsole material; (d) applying the multi-functional adhesive primer to the molded midsole; (e) irradiating UV radiation to the midsole coated with the multi-functional adhesive primer to perform a curing; and (f) bonding an outsole, an upper, and other shoe parts to the midsole from the step (e) to complete a shoe. Unlike the conventional method for manufacturing shoes, the present invention enables to skip the steps of washing and using an additional primer for midsole to reduce the process, enhance the adhesion and increase productivity.

A self-supporting aerogel structure is provided. The structure comprises a plurality of aerogel particles adhered together with an adhesive to produce a material exhibiting low heat transfer and high transmission of visible light. The aerogel particles can be coated with a polymer or pre-polymer and remain free flowing until they are activated to complete polymerization.

Crumb rubber obtained from recycled tires is subjected to an interlinked substitution process. The process utilizes a reactive component that interferes with sulfur bonds. The resulting treated rubber exhibits properties similar to those of the virgin composite rubber structure prior to being granulated, and is suitable for use in fabricating new tires, engineered rubber articles, and asphalt rubber for use in waterproofing and paving applications.

A process for applying a color pattern or design to a cork tile includes providing a release film, printing a design layer on the release film, applying a glue layer on the design layer so that the design layer is between the glue layer and the release film, and laminating the design layer and glue layer onto a cork top surface of the cork tile using a heated laminating machine, so that the glue layer and the design layer are released from the release film and form the color pattern or design on the cork top surface.

A thermoelectric material structure includes a substrate, at least one spacing layer, and at least one two-dimensional (2D) material layer. The substrate has a surface. The 2D material layer and the spacing layer are overlapped and disposed on the surface of the substrate. The thermal conductivity of the 2D material layer along the direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate is less than 10 W/mK.

The present disclosure is directed to dielectric elastomeric composites that include a retainable processing membrane, an elastomer material, and an electrically conductive material. The elastomer layer may be partially imbibed into the retainable processing membrane. The retainable processing membrane may be porous. The retainable processing membrane is compacted in the transverse in direction, machine direction, or in both directions prior to the application of an elastomer material and an electrically conductive material. The compaction of the retainable processing membrane may form structured folds or folded fibrils in the membrane, giving the retainable processing membrane a low modulus and flexibility. In some embodiments, the dielectric composites are positioned in a stacked configuration. Alternatively, the dielectric elastomeric composites may have a wound configuration. The dielectric composites have a total thickness less than about 170 m. The dielectric elastomeric composites may be used, for example, in dielectric elastomer actuators, sensors, and in energy harvesting.

A wear-resistant composition which includes a polymeric hot-melt binder system which includes at least one wear-resistant additive which includes diamond particles dispersed therein. A surface covering includes a base layer, a wear-resistant layer, and optionally a topcoat layer. The wear-resistant layer is laminated to the base layer. The wear-resistant layer may be formed by dispersing a plurality of wear-resistant additive particles, which include diamonds, into a liquid to form a stable liquid dispersion, blending the stable liquid dispersion into a polymeric resin to form a mixture, and extruding the mixture to form the wear layer.

A reinforced water-resistant board includes a cover board with a reinforced water-resistant membrane applied to a surface of the cover board. The reinforced water-resistant membrane includes a primer layer, a reinforced membrane, a traffic coat, and a sealing layer. The primer layer is applied over the surface of the cover board. The reinforced membrane includes fleece soaked in a liquid resin and is applied over the primer layer. The traffic coat is boned to the reinforced member. The sealing layer is applied over the traffic coat.