A carbon fiber bundle for resin reinforcement, wherein there are adhered by 0.1-5.0 mass % to a carbon fiber bundle in which multiple lengths of filament are bundled, a mixture created by mixing an organic polymer (A) having a mass-average molecular weight of 10000 or more and an organic compound (B) the thermal reduction rate specified in claim 1 of which is 5 mass % or more or an organic compound (B) the thermal reduction rate specified in claim 2 of which is 0.8 mass % or more, the amount of the organic polymer (A) adhered being 0.1 mass % or more.

Polymer powders useful for additive manufacturing may be made by contacting carbon dioxide and a crystallizable polymer having at least one carbonyl, sulfur oxide or sulfone group; permeating the carbon dioxide into the polymer for a crystallizing time sufficient to induce crystallization forming an induced crystalized polymer; removing the carbon dioxide; and forming induced crystalized polymer particles having a D90 particle size of at most 300 micrometers and average particle size of 1 micrometer to 100 micrometers equivalent spherical diameter. The carbon dioxide is desirably supercritical carbon dioxide for at least a portion of the crystallizing time. The polymer powders upon heating during additive manufacturing may result in a polymer having less crystallinity or become amorphous.

A chemical blowing agent is described that includes at least one tertiary alkyl carbamate. The chemical blowing agent can be activated thermally and is suitable for foaming thermoplastic materials and can, for example, be incorporated into thermally expandable baffle and/or reinforcement elements, which can be used in automotive manufacturing and building insulation.

A method and apparatus is presented. A portion is cut from a thermoplastic sheet of a first thermoplastic material based on a three dimensional model. The portion is secured to a mold. The portion and the mold are heated under vacuum to form a structure. The structure may take the form of a protective covering. In some illustrative examples, the mold may be formed of a second thermoplastic material based on the three dimensional model using additive manufacturing.

The invention relates to the use of thermoplastic molding compositions comprising D) from 30 to 99% by weight of a thermoplastic polyamide E) from 0.01 to 10% by weight of an organic isocyanate or diisocyanate, or a mixture of these F) from 0 to 60% by weight of other additional substances,
where the sum of the percentages by weight of A) to C) is 100%,
for the production of moldings of any type with improved haze (measured in accordance with ASTM D1003) and/or improved clarity (measured in accordance with ASTM D1003) and/or increased laser transparency (measured at a wavelength of 1064 nm by means of a thermoelectric power measurement).

The present disclosure relates to compositions comprising 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene that may be useful as heat transfer compositions, aerosol propellants, foaming agents, blowing agents, solvents, cleaning agents, carrier fluids, displacement drying agents, buffing abrasion agents, polymerization media, expansion agents for polyolefins and polyurethane, gaseous dielectrics, extinguishing agents, and fire suppression agents in liquid or gaseous form. Additionally, the present disclosure relates to compositions comprising 1,1,2,3-tetrachloropropene, 2-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene, or 2-chloro-1,1,1,2-tetrafluoropropane, which may be useful in processes to produce 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene.

Modified thermoplastic hydrocarbon thermoplastic resins are provided, as well as methods of their manufacture and uses thereof in rubber compositions. The modified thermoplastic resins are modified by decreasing the relative quantity of the dimer, trimer, tetramer, and pentamer oligomers as compared to the corresponding unmodified thermoplastic resin polymers, resulting in a product that exhibits a greater shift in the glass transition temperature of the elastomer(s) used in tire formulations. This translates to better viscoelastic predictors of tire tread performance, such as wet grip and rolling resistance. The modified thermoplastic resins impart remarkable properties on various rubber compositions, such as tires, belts, hoses, brakes, and the like. Automobile tires incorporating the modified thermoplastic resins are shown to possess excellent results in balancing the properties of rolling resistance, tire wear, snow performance, and wet braking performance.

A method and system for the production of fibers for use in biocomposites is provided that includes the ability to use both retted and unretted straw, that keeps the molecular structure of the fibers intact by subjecting the fibers to minimal stress, that maximizes the fiber's aspect ratio, that maximizes the strength of the fibers, and that minimizes time and energy inputs, along with maintaining the fibers in good condition for bonding to the polymer(s) used with the fibers to form the biocomposite material. This consequently increases the functionality of the biocomposites produced (i.e. reinforcement, sound absorption, light weight, heat capacity, etc.), increasing their marketability. Additionally, as the disclosed method does not damage the fibers, oilseed flax straw, as well as all types of fibrous materials (i.e. fiber flax, banana, jute, industrial hemp, sisal, coir) etc., can be processed in bio composite materials.

A method of preparing a foamed thermoplastic polymer comprises contacting a chemical blowing agent (A) which is a semi-carbazide with a thermoplastic polymer or a precursor of a thermoplastic polymer. Blowing agent (A) is preferably p-toluenesulfonyl semi-carbazide and said polymer is preferably PVC. Formulations, including liquid formulations which include the blowing agent (A) and other ingredients, are also described.

Provided is a hollow carbon fiber tube formed by winding a composite material body. The composite material body includes a plurality of carbon fiber prepreg layers and at least one graphene-containing resin layer. Each of the at least one graphene-containing resin layer is disposed between two adjacent carbon fiber prepreg layers. The total thickness of the at least one graphene-containing resin layer is 1/15 to ⅓ of the thickness of the composite material body.