A method of making a homogeneous mixture of polyolefin solids and liquid additive 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 liquid additive for a period of time sufficient to substantially intermix the polyolefin solids and the liquid additive together and while maintaining temperature of the heterogeneous mixture above the freezing point of the at least one liquid additive and below the melting temperature of the polyolefin solids, thereby making the homogeneous mixture without melting the polyolefin solids.

A homogenizer for homogenously blending a feedstock includes a separator, an agitator and a hopper integrated as a single unit in a common housing. The separator receives a material feed, in the form of a fluid medium carrying a composite feedstock, and separates the composite feedstock from the fluid medium. The agitator receives the separated composite feedstock from the separator, and mixes the composite feedstock to yield the homogenously blended feedstock. The hopper receives the homogenously blended feedstock from the agitator and holds the homogenously blended feedstock for release to either a processing machine or a storage container. The homogenizer is controlled by one or more control units that use signals received from a sensor in the hopper to control the delivery of a material feed to the homogenizer, and the flow of feedstock therethrough.

A homogenizer for homogenously blending a feedstock includes a separator, an agitator and a hopper integrated as a single unit in a common housing. The separator receives a material feed, in the form of a fluid medium carrying a composite feedstock, and separates the composite feedstock from the fluid medium. The agitator receives the separated composite feedstock from the separator, and mixes the composite feedstock to yield the homogenously blended feedstock. The hopper receives the homogenously blended feedstock from the agitator and holds the homogenously blended feedstock for release to either a processing machine or a storage container. The homogenizer is controlled by one or more control units that use signals received from a sensor in the hopper to control the delivery of a material feed to the homogenizer, and the flow of feedstock therethrough.

A method of making a homogeneous mixture of polyolefin solids and a particulate solid additive without melting the polyolefin solids or the particulate solid additive 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 particulate solid additive for a period of time sufficient to substantially intermix the polyolefin solids and the particulate solid additive together and while maintaining temperature of the heterogeneous mixture below the melting point of the at least one particulate solid additive and below the melting temperature of the polyolefin solids, thereby making the homogeneous mixture without melting the polyolefin solids or the at least one particulate solid additive.

A kneading state determination system includes a kneading unit and a determination unit. The kneading unit kneads a kneading material, and transmits a kneading state value indicating a kneading state to the determination unit. Based on the kneading state value transmitted from the kneading unit, the determination unit determines kneading of the kneading material in the kneading unit in accordance with a preset determination condition. The determination condition includes a determination period and a state value range. The state value range is set as a range for the kneading state value. The determination period is a partial period of a period from start to completion of the kneading in the kneading unit.

A kneading state determination system includes a kneading unit and a determination unit. The kneading unit kneads a kneading material, and transmits a kneading state value indicating a kneading state to the determination unit. Based on the kneading state value transmitted from the kneading unit, the determination unit determines kneading of the kneading material in the kneading unit in accordance with a preset determination condition. The determination condition includes a determination period and a state value range. The state value range is set as a range for the kneading state value. The determination period is a partial period of a period from start to completion of the kneading in the kneading unit.

In the manufacturing method and manufacturing arrangement according to the invention for a silicone composition the mixer mixing the different subcomponents of the silicone composition are removed for the duration of downtime and cooled to a temperature, in which the chemical reaction between the different subcomponents of the silicone composition stops. In the manufacturing method of the invention the mixer is reconnected to the manufacturing apparatus arrangement after downtime without cleaning it from the silicone composition subcomponents remaining in the mixer.

Provided are a rubber composition excellent in fracture resistance, wear resistance, and on-ice performance, and a tire obtained therefrom. There are provided a rubber composition containing: a diene-based rubber component; a short fiber; and a surface active agent, in which the surface active agent contains at least one material selected from the group consisting of a fatty acid polyhydric alcohol ester, a nonionic ester type surface active agent, an alkanolamide type surface active agent, and a sulfonic acid type surface active agent, and a tire obtained from the rubber composition, more particularly a studless tire.

A method of forming a composite material includes mixing granules of thermoplastic(s) and granules of reinforcing material(s) using a mixer with an interior friction coating. The friction generated by interaction between the granules and friction coating causes granules of at least one of the thermoplastic(s) to be heated to a liquid or semi-liquid state. The liquid/semi-liquid thermoplastic(s) act a binder for the mixed material. A system for forming such a composite material includes such a mixer with an interior friction coating. The system may also include a mould and/or a press for forming material produced by the mixer into a finished shape. The method and system may use post-consumer and post-industrial material as an input allowing such material to be recycled. In some cases, cross-contaminated or mixed post-consumer/post-industrial material may be recycled, potentially reducing environmental impacts.

Provided are: a nucleating agent composition capable of imparting excellent mechanical properties to a molded article containing a polyolefin-based resin; a resin composition containing the nucleating agent composition; the molded article having excellent mechanical properties; and a method for manufacturing the resin composition. The nucleating agent composition is characterized by containing at least one type of a nucleating agent for a polyolefin-based resin, wherein a ? crystal fraction ranges from 0.2% to 71% as calculated by the following method. Through the use of a sample sampled from the pellets of the resin composition containing the nucleating agent composition, differential scanning calorimetry is performed according to a predetermined program to find a DSC curve, Q=f(?), with the horizontal axis being temperature ?(? C.) and the vertical axis being heat flow rate Q(mW), and a baseline, g(?), thereby obtaining a baseline-corrected DSC curve, Q=h(?)=f(?)?g(?). Subsequently, according to a predetermined procedure, a line area S.sub.t and a ? crystal area S.sub.? are found, thereby calculating the ? crystal fraction (%).

[00001]$?\mathrm{crystal}\mathrm{fraction}=S_{?}/S_t?100\left(\%\right)$