Provided is a method of making a polymeric material with a spatially controlled distribution of one or more additives including the steps of blending the one or more additives with a polymeric material, consolidating the polymeric material, heating at least a portion of at least one surface of the consolidated additive-blended polymeric material, and cooling the heated consolidated additive-blended polymeric material, thereby forming a polymeric material with a spatially controlled distribution of additive.

A rubber composition for vulcanization molding which can be manufactured into a rubber product with good dimensional stability, good appearance and sufficiently light weight, a process for manufacturing the same, and applications thereof. A rubber composition for vulcanization molding containing hollow particles and a base rubber, wherein the hollow particles are composed of a thermoplastic resin shell and a thermally vaporizable blowing agent encapsulated therein and have a specified further expansion ratio, and the base rubber has a Mooney viscosity ML (1+4) ranging from 5 to 90 at 100 C. Also disclosed is a process for manufacturing the rubber composition, hollow particles used for manufacturing the rubber composition, a masterbatch including the hollow particles and a rubber product manufactured from the rubber composition.

A method for augmenting a tissue including introducing into the tissue a first thermoplastic material at a first condition; treating the first thermoplastic material to achieve a second condition that includes an at least partially crystalline skin; and introducing a second material into the tissue whereby the first thermoplastic material and the second material are contained by the at least partially crystalline skin. Also a method of fracture reduction in a tissue including exposing to gamma radiation a mass of polycaprolactone characterized by a first shape; heating the mass of irradiated polycaprolactone above its melting temperature; introducing the heated mass of polycaprolactone into the tissue annulus to deform it from the first shape; allowing the material to return to the first shape.

Processing methods are described for improving the physical properties of elastomeric materials including elastomeric tubing. The methods include heating tubing in a post-cured step for a specified time and at a specified temperature. The methods also include irradiating the tubing with a desired dose of radiation. Embodiments can include treatment of silicon-based elastomers and/or non-silicon-based elastomers. The improved elastomers can be utilized in pumps.

A composite tube includes an inner layer including a silicone polymer, wherein the inner layer has a surface that defines a central lumen of the composite tube; an adhesive layer adjacent to the inner layer, wherein the adhesive layer includes an adhesive silicone material including a silicone polymer and an adhesion promoter, and an outer layer adjacent to the adhesive layer, wherein the outer layer includes a thermoplastic polymer having a functional group that forms a chemical bond with the adhesion promoter of the adhesive silicone material.

A physically crosslinked, closed cell continuous multilayer foam structure comprising at least one polypropylene/polyethylene coextruded foam layer is obtained. The multilayer foam structure is obtained by coextruding a multilayer structure comprising at least one foam composition layer, irradiating the coextruded structure with ionizing radiation, and continuously foaming the irradiated structure.

Method of making a golf ball comprising: providing a subassembly and a thermoset polymer composition; partially curing the thermoset polymer composition and elongating same while in a partial cure state; forming a layer about the subassembly comprising the thermoset polymer composition; and further curing the thermoset polymer composition. A moldable thermoset polymer composition may be elongated while in state of partial cure. The thermoset polymer composition may be stepwise elongated by: stretching a thermoset polymer composition in at least one plane while in partial cure state and before forming into first and second half shells; forming the thermoset polymer composition into first and second half shells and elongating the thermoset polymer composition in three dimensions while in the partial cure state and before mating the first and second half shells about the subassembly; and mating the first and second half shells about the subassembly and forming a stepwise-elongated thermoset layer.

A method for augmenting a tissue including introducing into the tissue a first thermoplastic material at a first condition; treating the first thermoplastic material to achieve a second condition that includes an at least partially crystalline skin; and introducing a second material into the tissue whereby the first thermoplastic material and the second material are contained by the at least partially crystalline skin. Also a method of fracture reduction in a tissue including exposing to gamma radiation a mass of polycaprolactone characterized by a first shape; heating the mass of irradiated polycaprolactone above its melting temperature; introducing the heated mass of polycaprolactone into the tissue annulus to deform it from the first shape; allowing the material to return to the first shape.

Provided is a method of making a polymeric material with a spatially controlled distribution of one or more additives including the steps of blending the one or more additives with a polymeric material, consolidating the polymeric material, heating at least a portion of at least one surface of the consolidated additive-blended polymeric material, and cooling the heated consolidated additive-blended polymeric material, thereby forming a polymeric material with a spatially controlled distribution of additive.

The polyglycolic acid having a content of low molecular weight substance of less than 1% by weight; and a molded article thereof having a thickness of 2 mm or greater, the time at which immersion of the molded article in water at 66 C. is started to the time at which the polyglycolic acid decomposed by the water starts to elute being 1 hour or longer by 30 hours or shorter, and a rate of embrittlement, at which embrittlement proceeds due to the elution of the polyglycolic acid, being 0.025 mm/h or greater.