A method of making a homogeneous mixture of polyolefin solids and carbon solids without melting the polyolefin solids during the making. The method comprises applying acoustic energy at a frequency of from 20 to 100 hertz to a heterogeneous mixture comprising the polyolefin solids and the carbon solids for a period of time sufficient to substantially intermix the polyolefin solids and the carbon solids together while maintaining temperature of the heterogeneous mixture below the melting temperature of the polyolefin solids, thereby making the homogeneous mixture without melting the polyolefin solids.

A method of making a homogeneous mixture of polyolefin solids and carbon solids without melting the polyolefin solids during the making. The method comprises applying acoustic energy at a frequency of from 20 to 100 hertz to a heterogeneous mixture comprising the polyolefin solids and the carbon solids for a period of time sufficient to substantially intermix the polyolefin solids and the carbon solids together while maintaining temperature of the heterogeneous mixture below the melting temperature of the polyolefin solids, thereby making the homogeneous mixture without melting the polyolefin solids.

A filled self-cured dental material is described comprising inorganic boron nitride and/or zirconia particles, an ultrasonic homogenizer technique entrains the nanoparticles in a solvent dispersion agent to enhance both strength and stiffness of the dental material.

The present invention generally relates to a thermoplastic resin which is functionalized by an initiator- or linker-free process and imparted with functional properties, and related methods of fabrication. In particular, the present invention relates to methods of covalently modifying the thermoplastic resin using plasma before or after being introduced with an active agent having said functional properties.

A method of manufacturing a nanocomposite includes exposing dry nanoparticles to a dry, solid matrix material or pellets in a container to form a combination which is then agitated by rotating about an axis transverse to a direction of gravity, at room temperature and without grinding objects, to cause a tumbling action between the pellets and the nanoparticles to thereby evenly disperse and coat the nanoparticles directly on outer surfaces of the pellets which remain in a solid phase and of the same size throughout rotating. The method also includes processing the resulting combination, particularly polypropylene pellets and carbon black nanoparticles, by heating to form a viscous combination which is then drawn to form a nanocomposite fiber having carbon black nanoparticles dispersed evenly throughout the polypropylene, with a resulting fiber having a diameter of 30 m-100 m and tensile strength of 300-1500% greater than a similar polypropylene fiber produced without the nanoparticles.

A method of manufacturing a nanocomposite includes exposing dry nanoparticles to a dry, solid matrix material or pellets in a container to form a combination which is then agitated by rotating about an axis transverse to a direction of gravity, at room temperature and without grinding objects, to cause a tumbling action between the pellets and the nanoparticles to thereby evenly disperse and coat the nanoparticles directly on outer surfaces of the pellets which remain in a solid phase and of the same size throughout rotating. The method also includes processing the resulting combination, particularly polypropylene pellets and carbon black nanoparticles, by heating to form a viscous combination which is then drawn to form a nanocomposite fiber having carbon black nanoparticles dispersed evenly throughout the polypropylene, with a resulting fiber having a diameter of 30 m-100 m and tensile strength of 300-1500% greater than a similar polypropylene fiber produced without the nanoparticles.

The present invention relates to a method for assembling particles having a long axis, a short axis and an average aspect ratio of 10-10,000. The method includes agitating a combination of a first solution, a second solution and the particles in any order to form a mixture wherein one of the first solution and the second solution is in the form of droplets dispersed in the other of the first solution and the second solution and the long axis of the particles is longer than a diameter of the droplets in the mixture, and continuing the agitation until the particles assemble into aggregates of particles with at least 30% of the particles aligned in parallel along the long axis. Aggregate or aggregate composites form by the method are also described.

The present invention relates to a method for assembling particles having a long axis, a short axis and an average aspect ratio of 10-10,000. The method includes agitating a combination of a first solution, a second solution and the particles in any order to form a mixture wherein one of the first solution and the second solution is in the form of droplets dispersed in the other of the first solution and the second solution and the long axis of the particles is longer than a diameter of the droplets in the mixture, and continuing the agitation until the particles assemble into aggregates of particles with at least 30% of the particles aligned in parallel along the long axis. Aggregate or aggregate composites form by the method are also described.

The disclosed technology relates to plastics recycling, and more specifically, to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) blend compositions and methods for increasing the recyclability of post-consumer plastics waste in injection molded hard goods. In some embodiments, the PET blend composition including virgin polyethylene terephthalate (vPET), recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET), and a polyester-based chain extender. In some embodiments, the composition is a PET blend composition including approximately 25-50% by weight of rPET, approximately 47-75% by weight of vPET, and approximately 0-3% by weight of the polyester-based chain extender.

The disclosed technology relates to plastics recycling, and more specifically, to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) blend compositions and methods for increasing the recyclability of post-consumer plastics waste in injection molded hard goods. In some embodiments, the PET blend composition including virgin polyethylene terephthalate (vPET), recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET), and a polyester-based chain extender. In some embodiments, the composition is a PET blend composition including approximately 25-50% by weight of rPET, approximately 47-75% by weight of vPET, and approximately 0-3% by weight of the polyester-based chain extender.