A curative for epoxidized plant-based oils and epoxidized natural rubber is created from the reaction between a naturally occurring polyfunctional acid and an epoxidized plant-based oil is disclosed. The curative may be used to produce porosity-free castable resins and vulcanize rubber formulations based on epoxidized natural rubber. Materials made from disclosed materials may be advantageously used as leather substitutes.

A composition that includes plant derived wax having a melting point of at least 70° C. can be used to waterproof cellulose based materials like paper and board. Suitable waxes include sugarcane wax and rice-bran wax. A surfactant such as stearic acid improves the adhesion of the composition to the underlying material. The resulting waterproof laminate can be economically recycled. Hot beverage cups made from the laminate are waterproof and recyclable without first being separated into components. Coffee pods and drinking straws that are waterproof and recyclable are manufactured with the waterproof laminate.

Wall panels for building construction may include a corrugated sheet including a first series of peaks on a first side of the corrugated sheet configured for positioning to face a room interior. The corrugated sheet may also include a second series of peaks on a second, opposite side of the corrugated sheet configured for positioning to face a room exterior. A radiant barrier including a material reflective to heat may be secured only to the second series of peaks. The corrugated sheet may form pockets of air between the radiant barrier and the corrugated sheet.

A curative for epoxidized plant-based oils and epoxidized natural rubber is created from the reaction between a naturally occurring polyfunctional acid and an epoxidized plant-based oil is disclosed. The curative may be used to produce at least one of six different materials, wherein each type of material may be configured as a thermosetting elastomer that is crosslinked with β-hydroxyester linkages. The materials may be configured as a leather-like material, a foam material, a molded elastomer, a coating, an adhesive, and/or a rigid or semi-rigid material. Illustrative articles made from any combination of the six materials may be recycled using a mechano-chemical process to de-crosslink the thermosetting elastomer.

A curative for epoxidized plant-based oils and epoxidized natural rubber is created from the reaction between a naturally occurring polyfunctional acid and an epoxidized plant-based oil is disclosed. The curative may be used to produce at least one of six different materials, wherein each type of material may be configured as a thermosetting elastomer that is crosslinked with β-hydroxyester linkages. The materials may be configured as a leather-like material, a foam material, a molded elastomer, a coating, an adhesive, and/or a rigid or semi-rigid material. Illustrative articles made from any combination of the six materials may be recycled using a mechano-chemical process to de-crosslink the thermosetting elastomer.

A flexible inkjet-printed article is prepared by: A′) providing an ink receptive medium having a substrate and an aqueous-based ink-receptive layer. This layer has: (a) a water-soluble salt of a multivalent metal cation; (b) one or both of a polyvinyl alcohol and a polyvinyl amine (or a copolymer derived from a vinyl alcohol and a vinyl amine) at 0.5-30 weight %; and optionally, (c) a crosslinking agent and (d) silica particles. At least one aqueous pigment-based ink is deposited directly on the aqueous-based ink-receptive layer, each having: a) an anionically-stabilized pigment colorant; and b) a water-miscible humectant at 1-20 weight %, each having a carbon to oxygen atom ratio of ≥1.0:1.0 and only two hydroxy groups. After drying, a functional layer with adhesive composition is formed on the inkjet-printed image and a flexible material is laminated to the functional layer, to form a flexible inkjet printed article.

A temperature exposure indicator includes a reservoir of meltable material having a melting point at an activation threshold of the temperature exposure indicator. The temperature exposure indicator also includes a light scattering material having voids and an indicia overlayed by the light scattering material such that the indicia is initially obscured by the light scattering material prior to the meltable material being exposed to a temperature above the activation threshold. The reservoir is in fluid communication with the light scattering material, such that the meltable material, when exposed to a temperature at or above the activation threshold, is configured to melt and flow into the voids of the light scattering material thereby causing the light scattering material to transition from an obscuring form to a non-obscuring form so that the indicia is viewable through the light scattering material.

The disclosure relates to a reversible adhesive composition including a copolymer between a vinyl spacer monomer unit and a vinyl reversible binder monomer unit. Each monomer unit can be based on acrylate monomer, a vinyl ester monomer, or a vinyl ether monomer, with the spacer monomer unit generally having a shorter pendant chain (such as 1-3 carbon atoms) and the reversible binder monomer unit having a longer pendant chain (such as 3-20 carbon atoms). A corresponding article includes first and second surfaces (or substrates) that are in contact with and bonded to the reversible adhesive composition at an interface therebetween. The reversible adhesive composition generally involves non-covalent and/or non-ionic bonding forces, for example H-bonding, permanent dipole, electron donor-acceptor moieties, and/or van der Waals forces, between the copolymer chains. The first and second surfaces can be repeatedly bonded, separated, and re-bonded while retaining the adhesive strength of the reversible adhesive composition.

The disclosure relates to a reversible adhesive composition including a copolymer between a vinyl spacer monomer unit and a vinyl reversible binder monomer unit. Each monomer unit can be based on acrylate monomer, a vinyl ester monomer, or a vinyl ether monomer, with the spacer monomer unit generally having a shorter pendant chain (such as 1-3 carbon atoms) and the reversible binder monomer unit having a longer pendant chain (such as 3-20 carbon atoms). A corresponding article includes first and second surfaces (or substrates) that are in contact with and bonded to the reversible adhesive composition at an interface therebetween. The reversible adhesive composition generally involves non-covalent and/or non-ionic bonding forces, for example H-bonding, permanent dipole, electron donor-acceptor moieties, and/or van der Waals forces, between the copolymer chains. The first and second surfaces can be repeatedly bonded, separated, and re-bonded while retaining the adhesive strength of the reversible adhesive composition.

A curative for epoxidized plant-based oils and epoxidized natural rubber is created from the reaction between a naturally occurring polyfunctional acid and an epoxidized plant-based oil is disclosed. The curative may be used to produce at least one of six different materials, wherein each type of material may be configured as a thermosetting elastomer that is crosslinked with ß-hydroxyester linkages. The materials may be configured as a leather-like material, a foam material, a molded elastomer, a coating, an adhesive, and/or a rigid or semi-rigid material. Illustrative articles made from any combination of the six materials may be recycled using a mechano-chemical process to de-crosslink the thermosetting elastomer.