Disclosed herein is a process for recycling propylene-ethylene copolymers to obtain polymers having good optical and mechanical properties, and good processability. The process comprises polymerizing propylene and ethylene under dynamic conditions; collecting the resulting copolymer powders as a mixture having an MFR.sub.2 ranging from 1.5 to 80.0 g/10 min and an ethylene content from 1.0 to 4.0 wt. %; compounding the mixture in the presence of a radical initiator and a clarifying agent; and extruding the mixture into pellets. The pellets have an MFR.sub.2 ranging from 20 to 120 g/10 min; a ratio of MFR.sub.2 pellets/MFR.sub.2 powder>1; an ethylene content ranging from 1.0 to 4.0 wt %; a crystallization temperature ranging from 100 to 125 C.; and a flexural modulus of 850 MPa or more. The disclosure also relates to the propylene-ethylene copolymer pellets thus obtained; articles made from the pellets; and the use of the pellets in injection molding applications.

Disclosed herein is a process for recycling propylene-ethylene copolymers to obtain polymers having good optical and mechanical properties, and good processability. The process comprises polymerizing propylene and ethylene under dynamic conditions; collecting the resulting copolymer powders as a mixture having an MFR.sub.2 ranging from 1.5 to 80.0 g/10 min and an ethylene content from 1.0 to 4.0 wt. %; compounding the mixture in the presence of a radical initiator and a clarifying agent; and extruding the mixture into pellets. The pellets have an MFR.sub.2 ranging from 20 to 120 g/10 min; a ratio of MFR.sub.2 pellets/MFR.sub.2 powder>1; an ethylene content ranging from 1.0 to 4.0 wt %; a crystallization temperature ranging from 100 to 125 C.; and a flexural modulus of 850 MPa or more. The disclosure also relates to the propylene-ethylene copolymer pellets thus obtained; articles made from the pellets; and the use of the pellets in injection molding applications.

The invention relates to a recycled, thermally stable polystyrene composition P, comprising a recycled polystyrene composition A, which comprises at least one polystyrene A-1 that is prepared by a thermally initiated and/or 1,1-bis(tert-butylperoxy)-3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexane initiated radical polymerization, and at least one sterically hindered phenolic antioxidant as component B. The invention also relates to a process for providing superior thermal stability in the mechanical recycling of polystyrene. Further, a recycled, thermally stable polystyrene composition P, a process for preparing the recycled, thermally stable polystyrene composition P and the use of the recycled, thermally stable polystyrene composition P for preparing molded articles are described.

The invention relates to a recycled, thermally stable polystyrene composition P, comprising a recycled polystyrene composition A, which comprises at least one polystyrene A-1 that is prepared by a thermally initiated and/or 1,1-bis(tert-butylperoxy)-3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexane initiated radical polymerization, and at least one sterically hindered phenolic antioxidant as component B. The invention also relates to a process for providing superior thermal stability in the mechanical recycling of polystyrene. Further, a recycled, thermally stable polystyrene composition P, a process for preparing the recycled, thermally stable polystyrene composition P and the use of the recycled, thermally stable polystyrene composition P for preparing molded articles are described.

Rheology-modified, additive-containing ethylenic polymer compositions are prepared in a continuously operated extruder comprising first, second and third zones by a process comprising the steps of: mixing in the second zone of the extruder an ethylenic polymer and a high-temperature decomposing peroxide at a temperature such that the half-life of the peroxide is equal to or greater than one minute and for a sufficient period of time to modify the rheology of the ethylenic polymer to produce a rheology-modified, melted ethylenic polymer for transfer to the third zone of the extruder; and adding to the third zone one or more additives to the rheology-modified, melted ethylenic polymer to produce the rheology-modified, additive-containing ethylenic polymer.

Disclosed is a device for processing plastic materials, having a shredding unit, a conveying unit having a screw (7), and an extruder, having at least one extruder screw (11), adjoining the screw, wherein the central longitudinal axis (3) of the screw (7) is oriented at an angle to the central longitudinal axis (10) of the extruder screw (11), in particular at an angle of 80 to 100, preferably 90, and the longitudinal axis (3) of the screw (7) is offset with respect to the longitudinal axis (10) of the extruder screw (11) by an offset (v) in the direction of the direction of rotation (12) of the extruder screw (11) at or in the region of the discharge opening (8) or the intake opening (16) of the conveying unit.

A method produces a polyester film with high recycling efficiency. The method includes mixing a recovered polyester resin (A) with a polyester resin (B) containing an aluminum compound and a phosphorus compound, wherein the polyester resin (A) satisfies (1) to (3) and the polyester resin (B) satisfies (4): (1) the polyester resin (A) contains at least one element selected from antimony element, titanium element, and germanium element, (2) a total content of the antimony element, the titanium element, and the germanium element in the polyester resin (A) is 2 to 500 ppm by mass, (3) the polyester resin (A) has an intrinsic viscosity of 0.5 to 0.8 dl/g, and (4) the polyester resin (B) is obtained by polycondensation of a raw material containing bis-2-hydroxyethyl terephthalate obtained by decomposing polyester resin.

A method produces a polyester film with high recycling efficiency. The method includes mixing a recovered polyester resin (A) with a polyester resin (B) containing an aluminum compound and a phosphorus compound, wherein the polyester resin (A) satisfies (1) to (3) and the polyester resin (B) satisfies (4): (1) the polyester resin (A) contains at least one element selected from antimony element, titanium element, and germanium element, (2) a total content of the antimony element, the titanium element, and the germanium element in the polyester resin (A) is 2 to 500 ppm by mass, (3) the polyester resin (A) has an intrinsic viscosity of 0.5 to 0.8 dl/g, and (4) the polyester resin (B) is obtained by polycondensation of a raw material containing bis-2-hydroxyethyl terephthalate obtained by decomposing polyester resin.

Provided herein are liquid crystalline elastomer (LCE) compositions capable of achieving high actuation strain in the narrow range of physiologically safe and relevant temperatures and methods of making the same. The methods disclosed herein leverage synthetic and processing approaches to achieve reversible shape change of LCE materials without the need for a bias load over the temperature range observed in contact with or inside the human body. The present methods utilize strategies to align the material polymer chains in their nematic state. By using processing conditions below a nematic-to-isotropic transition temperature (Tni) of the LCEs, the polymer chains can be suitably aligned and the resulting LCE can achieve reversible shape change over a physiologically relevant temperature range.

Provided herein are liquid crystalline elastomer (LCE) compositions capable of achieving high actuation strain in the narrow range of physiologically safe and relevant temperatures and methods of making the same. The methods disclosed herein leverage synthetic and processing approaches to achieve reversible shape change of LCE materials without the need for a bias load over the temperature range observed in contact with or inside the human body. The present methods utilize strategies to align the material polymer chains in their nematic state. By using processing conditions below a nematic-to-isotropic transition temperature (Tni) of the LCEs, the polymer chains can be suitably aligned and the resulting LCE can achieve reversible shape change over a physiologically relevant temperature range.