The present invention relates to biodegradable and compostable granules consisting of natural ingredients comprising starch and thickening and gelling agents and does not comprise bioplastics. According to the invention, the granules are used for producing biodegradable and preferably compostable products and articles of daily use. The present invention also relates to methods for producing the granules according to the invention, as well as methods for producing different products by using the granules according to the invention.

A plural component dispensing system individually delivers separate material components to each of a plurality of proportioners. Each of the proportioners regulates volumetric flow of each of the separate material components to produce a target ratio of the separate material components associated with the proportioner. The target ratios associated with the plurality of proportioners can be the same or different target ratios. Each proportioner delivers the separate material components at the associated target ratio to one of a plurality of dispensing devices. Each dispensing device mixes the separate components received at the corresponding target ratio and delivers the components as a mixture.

The present invention provides ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer composition pellet reduced in coloration. The ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer composition pellet of the invention include an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (A), a polyamide resin (B), and an alkaline earth metal salt (C) and have a yellowness index (YI) value of 10 or less when examined with a spectral color-difference meter by a transmission method.

The disclosed embodiments describe a novel approach to the utilization of the fine mineral matter derived from coal and/or coal refuse (a by-product of coal refining) to convert a non-biodegradable plastic into a biodegradable plastic. The fine mineral matter could also be based on volcanic basalt, glacial rock dust deposits, iron potassium silicate and other sea shore mined deposits. The conversion of the non-biodegradable plastic into biodegradable plastic in soil further increases nutrients availability in soil with the transition metals released as a result of biodegradation of the biodegradable plastic.

A polyamide resin composition for an extrusion-molded article exposed to high-pressure hydrogen gas contains: 70 to 99 parts by weight of a polyamide 6 resin (A); 1 to 30 parts by weight of an impact modifier (B); and 0.005 to 1 parts by weight of a metal halide (C) with respect to a total of 100 parts by weight of the polyamide 6 resin (A) and the impact modifier (B). The polyamide resin composition has a melt tension of 20 mN or more when measured at 260° C. and a take-up speed at strand break of 30 m/min or more when measured at 260° C.

Provided is a thermoplastic resin composition having high flame resistance, high fluidity during injection molding, and improved impact resistance in a molded article. To provide a method for producing a thermoplastic resin composition, the method including a step (1) of obtaining a polyester resin mixture by melt-kneading a crystalline terephthalate-based polyester resin, and a polyester resin A including at least one kind selected from the group consisting of isophthalic acid, orthophthalic acid, naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, anthracene dicarboxylic acid and pyridine dicarboxylic acid as an aromatic dicarboxylic acid component with an extruder, and a step (2) of mixing the polyester resin mixture, a polycarbonate resin, a flame retardant and a toughening agent.

A melt processing plant is provided that includes a melt charger for charging a processing head, in particular a pelletizing head, with melt, in which a diverter valve for discharging the melt during a starting and/or retooling phase is associated to the melt charger upstream of the processing head. A splitter divides the discharged melt into melt portions with the melt channels of the splitter head having at least one step-like cross-sectional enlargement of their inflow portion, a cross-sectional shape different from the outlet cross-section of the discharge channel, and an open orifice region out of the splitter.

An inkjet printer includes a mixer and a metering system that system provides appropriate amounts of the resin's precursors into the mixer. The mixer thoroughly mixes these precursors and feeds the resulting resin to the printheads. The inkjet printer may include a cleaning system that removes residual resin during or after printing.

A molding material for injection molding, extrusion molding or pultrusion molding, which contains carbon fibers having a fiber length of 2 mm or more and a thermoplastic resin, wherein (1) the molding material is a solid having a plane A.sub.1 and one or more other face B.sub.i, one or more cross sections of the carbon fibers are observed in at least one face B.sub.i, and the number of the cross sections of the carbon fibers per unit area observed in the face B.sub.i is twice or more the number of the cross sections of the carbon fibers per unit area observed in the plane A.sub.1, and (2) a ratio of fibers in which 50% or more of an outer peripheral surface of each carbon fiber is coated with the thermoplastic resin is from 80 to 100% to total carbon fibers.

A method for using the quantity of heat output from an extrudate during a cooling operation in an extrusion process, wherein a fluid, in particular air, is guided along the extrudate and/or through the die counter to an extrusion direction, at least some of the heat from the extrudate and/or the die is transmitted to the fluid, the heated fluid is supplied from a first sub region of a process chain, comprising at least one die, a calibrating and cooling device and a take-off apparatus, via a connecting region, preferably consisting of at least one connecting pipe, to a second sub region of the process chain, comprising at least one suction apparatus. In the connecting region, an extraneous fluid can be added to the heated fluid in order to reduce the actual temperature of the heated fluid at least below a predetermined maximum value before said fluid is supplied to the second sub region of the process chain.