A fine fiber production method and a fine fiber production apparatus are provided. The fine fiber production method includes: discharging a flowable polymer compound from a discharge port provided at an extruder; forming fibers having a fiber diameter of from 50 nm to 15 μm by spraying, in a direction intersecting with a discharge direction of the flowable polymer compound, a pressurized gas from an air nozzle to the discharged flowable polymer compound, the air nozzle including a temperature control member and a spindle-shaped nozzle or a De Laval nozzle; and collecting the fibers using a collection member provided downstream in a gas spraying direction.

The measured value of a rubber temperature parameter that is related to the temperature of a rubber material to be kneaded by a mixing machine 2 and measured values of correlation parameters that have a correlation with a change in the value of the rubber temperature parameter are acquired. The measured values are assigned to an operational control parameter-calculation model equation, which is modified from a rubber temperature parameter-calculation model equation including operational control parameters and the correlation parameters, and a constant and coefficients of the operational control parameters and the correlation parameters are calculated using a machine learning algorithm. A predetermined operational control parameter, which is required in a case in which the rubber temperature parameter is controlled to a predetermined value, is calculated using an operational control parameter-calculation equation that is specified by the coefficients and the constant calculated using the machine learning algorithm.

This cellulose composition contains: (A) a water-soluble cellulose ether, (B) water-insoluble cellulose particles and (C) water. The cellulose composition serves as a novel biomass material which uses biodegradable cellulose that places little burden on the environment, and exhibits excellent shape retention properties.

A method for producing a densified material includes: obtaining a film including at least one first layer of plastic material and one second layer with a composition distinct from the first layer, the first layer having a first melting temperature, or obtaining pieces of such a film; compressing the obtained film or the obtained pieces of film through at least one die of at least one extruder, and obtaining a profile of densified material, the extruder including at least one rotary endless screw pushing the obtained film or pieces of film along a screw axis; and optionally cutting the profile in order to obtain granules of densified material, the compression step being carried out at a maximum compression temperature for the obtained film or pieces of film, the maximum compression temperature being less than the first melting temperature. Also disclosed are installation and use of the densified material.

A process for the production of a geopolymer composite. The disclosure further relates to a geopolymer composite, and the use of a geopolymer, a geopolymer in combination with an athermanous additive, or the geopolymer composite in expanded vinyl polymer, preferably vinyl aromatic polymer. Furthermore, the disclosure relates to a process for the production of expandable vinyl aromatic polymer granulate, and expandable vinyl aromatic polymer granulate. Finally, the disclosure relates to expanded vinyl foam, preferably vinyl aromatic polymer, and to a masterbatch comprising vinyl polymer and a), b), or c).

A conveyance portion, a barrier portion, and a path are provided at places of a portion of a screw main body in which a kneading portion is provided. In at least one of the places, an entrance is opened to cause raw materials, conveyance of which is limited by a barrier portion to increase pressure on the raw materials, to flow in. The raw materials flowing in from the entrance flow through the path in the opposite direction to a conveyance direction of the conveyance portion. An exit is opened in an outer circumferential surface of the screw main body at a position outside the conveyance portion in which the entrance is opened.

A melting device includes a container capable of melting a material supplied in a free-flowing state and storing the material in a liquid state. The container includes a first storage section for storing the material in the free-flowing state, a second storage section for storing the material in the liquid state, and a dividing section provided between the first storage section and the second storage section and configured to hold back the material, when the material is in a non-molten or free-flowing state and to allow passage of the material from the first storage section into the second storage section, when the material is in a molten or liquid state.

A screw machine includes an inductive heating device for processing of material to be processed. The inductive heating device is used to heat the material in a heating zone. In the heating zone, at least one housing portion is made of an electromagnetically transparent material at least partly, the material being non-magnetic and electrically non-conductive, whereas at least one treatment element shaft is made of an electrically conductive material at least partly. The inductive heating device includes at least one coil formed integrally with a component of the at least one housing portion, in particular in such a way as to form a hybrid component. During the processing of the material, the inductive heating device generates an alternating magnetic field that produces eddy current losses in the at least one treatment element shaft, the eddy current losses leading to a temperature increase of the at least one treatment element shaft.

In one aspect, the invention provides a substantially exfoliated nanocomposite material including starch and hydrophobically modified layered silicate clay. In another aspect, the invention provides packaging made from material including the substantially exfoliated nanocomposite material described above. The nanocomposite material has improved mechanical and rheological properties and reduced sensitivity to moisture in that the rates of moisture update and/or loss are reduced. In another aspect, the invention provides a process for preparing the substantially exfoliated nanocomposite material described above, including a step of mixing the starch in the form of an aqueous gel with the hydrophobic clay in a melt mixing device. In a further aspect, the invention provides a process for preparing the substantially exfoliated nanocomposite material, including the steps of mixing the starch with the hydrophobic clay to form a masterbatch (hereinafter “the masterbatch process”) and mixing the masterbatch with further starch.

Provided is a shaping material supply device for use in a three-dimensional shaping apparatus, which includes a first flow path through which a shaping material flows, a nozzle that communicates with the first flow path and discharges the shaping material, and a flow rate regulation mechanism that includes a butterfly valve provided in the first flow path.