A composite and method for producing the composite by incorporating wood or wood pulp fibres with a suitable thermoplastic polymer and coupling agent are described. Homogeneous, void-free transparent/translucent thermoplastic materials in the form of pellets, films or three-dimensional moldable products are produced. The wood pulp fibres can be discrete natural fibres, and flexible assemblies of nano to micro elements, e.g., assemblies of aggregated carbon nanotubes. It is also possible to use our vacuum-assisted co-extrusion process to produce hybrid composites comprising the wood pulp fibre and a further rigid fibre, like glass or carbon fibres, and a flexible fibre or fibrillar network, like cellulose fibres or cellulose filaments. The thermoplastic resin can be, but not limited to, polyolefins, like polypropylene or polyethylene, or polyesters, like polylactic acid, or co-polymers, like acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer.

A resin composition suitable for profile extrusion processing is provided. Based on the total weight of the resin composition, the resin composition includes 40 wt. % to 92.1 wt. % of polyester; 2 wt. % to 15 wt. % of modifier, 0.2 wt. % to 1.5 wt. % of tackifier, and 0.1 wt. % to 40 wt. % of filler.

Assay cartridges are described that have a detection chamber, preferably having integrated electrodes, and other fluidic components which may include sample chambers, waste chambers, conduits, vents, bubble traps, reagent chambers, thy reagent pill zones and the like. In certain embodiments, these cartridges are adapted to receive and analyze a sample collected on an applicator stick. Also described are kits including such cartridges and a cartridge reader configured to analyze an assay conducted using an assay cartridge.

A method of melt blending a polypropylene and the melt blended polypropylene therefrom, comprising providing a base-polypropylene having a MFR of less than 15 g/10 min and a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) within the range from 5 to 16, and comprising hindered phenol and phosphorous-type antioxidants, and within the range from 5 ppm to 4000 ppm of an alkyl radical scavenger relative to the total weight of the components to form a melt blended polypropylene; melt blending the melt blended polypropylene at a temperature of at least 210° C.; and isolating a melt blended, melt blended polypropylene.

A method of melt blending a polypropylene and the melt blended polypropylene therefrom, comprising providing a base-polypropylene having a MFR of less than 15 g/10 min and a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) within the range from 5 to 16, and comprising hindered phenol and phosphorous-type antioxidants, and within the range from 5 ppm to 4000 ppm of an alkyl radical scavenger relative to the total weight of the components to form a melt blended polypropylene; melt blending the melt blended polypropylene at a temperature of at least 210° C.; and isolating a melt blended, melt blended polypropylene.

The present invention relates to a polymer composition comprising (A) from 60 to 90 wt % of a non-elastomeric polyethylene; (B) from 9.0 to 38 wt % of an elastomer; wherein onto component (A) or components (A) and (B) an acid grafting agent (C) has been grafted in an amount of from 0.01 to 3.0 wt %, all based on the total weight of the polymer composition, and wherein the polymer composition has two distinct peaks and a valley between said peaks in the GPC curve and a Z value, determined from the areas below the two peaks of the GPC curve, of at least −0.3, wherein the Z-value is determined according to formula (I) Z=s/Abs(B−A) (I) wherein Abs(B−A) is the absolute value of (B−A); A=the area, between the tangent parallel to the MW axis going through log M (Min) and the LS15 signal, from log M of 5.1 to log M value where the LS signal is minimum log M (Min), in the log M range between 5.1 and 6; B=the area, between the tangent parallel to the MW axis going through log M (Min) and the LS 15 signal, from log M(Min) to the point where the LS signal is crossed again; and s is the slope between the two peaks of the GPC curve, defined at log M of 5.1 and 6, wherein the GPC curve is defined as the concentration normalized LS 15 signal along the molecular weight of conventional GPC, obtained from the GPC-VISC-LS analysis, a multi-layer structure such as a coated metal pipe, comprising one layer comprising said polymer composition and the use of said polymer composition as adhesive polymer composition and for the production of a multi-layer structure.

Process for producing a polymer composition, a polymer composition obtainable by said process and the use of said polymer composition as adhesive polymer composition and for the production of a multilayer structure, such as a three-layer metal pipe coating, with improved peel strength.

A resin infusion method that incorporates a melt-on-demand approach. The method includes: (a) providing a curable resin composition in the form of a block of frozen resin (20); (b) coupling the block of frozen resin (20) to an inlet port of a heated extruder (22), which comprises at least one rotating screw (24) housed within a heated barrel (25); (c) progressively melting the block of frozen resin (20) at the inlet port and concurrently feeding the melt resin through the heated barrel (25) to produce a liquid resin having a viscosity suitable for resin infusion; (d) continuously feeding the liquid resin exiting from the extruder to a mold, which contains a fibrous preform; and (e) introducing the liquid resin into the fibrous preform, wherein the block of frozen resin (20) provides an amount of resin composition sufficient for infusing the entire fibrous preform.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to methods and systems for producing a preferably strand-like extrudate.

A barrel of a plastics extruder or a plasticizing cylinder of an injection-molding machine includes the barrel or cylinder having a wall, at least one spiral recess formed in the wall, and at least one heating element arranged in one spiral recess. The barrel or cylinder has at least one cooling element arranged in another spiral recess and the spiral recesses extend parallel to one another along the surface of the barrel or cylinder. Also, the cooling element is formed as a tube and the tube is or can have a liquid cooling medium flowing therethrough.