A composite material containing a polymer composition and a very low concentration of carbon nanofillers, in particular carbon nanotubes, having improved mechanical properties. The method for producing said composite material and to the different uses thereof. The use of carbon nanofillers at a concentration of between 0.1 ppm and 99 ppm in order to improve mechanical properties, in particular the tensile properties of a polymer matrix encasing at least one polymer selected from a thermoplastic polymer alone or mixed with an elastomer resin base, while facilitating the shaping thereof into composite parts using any suitable technique, in particular injection, extrusion, compression or molding, and while improving the electrostatic dissipation capability thereof.

A method for the improved extrusion of polyethylene polymers comprising passing polyethylene through a single stage, twin screw extruder comprising a solid polymer conveying zone, a polymer melting zone, a dispersive mixing zone, and a distributive mixing/pumping zone, in which the throughput and screw speed are optimized to reduce the number of gels present, ensure complete polymer melting within the polymer melting zone, and to minimize polymer degradation.

A process for the extrusion of plastics, such as plastics that tend to adhere or stick to parts of an extruder, using a planetary roller extruder in the feed part.

A method of continuously manufacturing a cured membrane includes continuously compounding and mixing a vulcanizable rubber composition in a mixing extruder while continuously removing gasses from the vulcanizable rubber composition during mixing with a vacuum. The vulcanizable rubber composition may be continuously extruded to form an extrudate, which may be continuously calendered to form a green membrane. The green membrane may be continuously cured, such as by a hot air conveyor curing system, to form a cured membrane.

A resin composition includes an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) (A) having an ethylene content of 20 to 50 mol %, an EVOH (B) having an ethylene content of 30 to 60 mol %, and a saturated carbonyl compound (C) having 3 to 8 carbon. The saturated carbonyl compound (C) is a saturated aldehyde, a saturated ketone, or a combination thereof. A value obtained by subtracting the ethylene content of the EVOH (A) from the ethylene content of the EVOH (B) is 8 mol % or greater. The mass ratio (A/B) of the EVOH (A) to the EVOH (B) is 60/40 to 95/5. The content of the saturated carbonyl compound (C) with respect to the resin content is 0.01 ppm or greater and less than 100 ppm.

A planetary roller extruder. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading Abstract of the Disclosure. The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.

An apparatus for continuously producing chemically-modified cellulose, the apparatus having a first mechanism for transporting a fine-powder cellulose fiber starting material and a hydrophobizing chemical substance, a specific extruder, a solvent tank connected to the extruder, and a dryer connected to the solvent tank, and a method for continuously producing chemically-modified cellulose, the method having a step of washing, in the solvent tank, chemically-modified cellulose having been produced out of the fine-powder cellulose fiber starting material and the hydrophobizing chemical substance in the extruder, and then drying the chemically-modified cellulose in the dryer, in order to remove any unreacted hydrophobizing chemical substance.

A polyolefin microporous membrane is disclosed. The membrane includes at least one microporous membrane layer, where the microporous membrane layer has an air permeability between about 100 sec/100 cc and about 220 sec/100 cc, a pin puncture strength of at least 550 gf, and a crystallization half time t.sub.1/2 of from 10 to 35 minutes when subjected to isothermal crystallization at 117? C. The air permeability and the pin puncture strength are normalized to a thickness of 16 ?m.

The present invention provides a film producing apparatus and a method of producing a film both of which reduce the cost of producing a film. A film producing apparatus includes a first plasticizer collecting section and a second plasticizer collecting section each of which collects a portion of a film-forming plasticizer which portion has been separated from the film.

An extruder has a barrel extending from a feed inlet end to an extruder outlet end. The barrel has an inner surface, an outer surface, and a wall thickness between the inner and outer surfaces. The extruder also has at least one heating member positioned provided on the barrel; a screw drive motor drivingly connected to a rotatably mounted screw positioned within the barrel, whereby the screw is rotatable at various revolutions per minute (RPM); and a controller is operably connected to the screw drive motor to adjust the RPM of the screw based upon a temperature of material passing through and/or being extruded from the barrel. Methods for operating an extruder filling a mold are also provided.