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 bead foam is made of thermoplastic polyurethane, a styrene polymer, and an impact modifier. Moldings can be produced from the bead foam and processes for the production of the bead foams and moldings can be utilized. The moldings can be used for shoe intermediate soles, shoe insoles, shoe combisoles, cushioning elements for shoes, bicycle saddles, bicycle tires, damping elements, cushioning, mattresses, underlays, grips, protective films, in components in the automobile-interior sector or automobile-exterior sector, balls and sports equipment, or as floorcovering.

An intermediate material of a thermoplastic prepreg for a fuel cell separation plate comprises a hydrophobic thermoplastic resin film and a fiber base. The hydrophobic thermoplastic resin film has a degree of crystallization of 1 to 20%, a thickness of 3 to 50 μm, and (iii) a content of an electroconductive material of 1 to 20 wt. %. The film is laminated on at least one surface of the fiber base. The thermoplastic prepreg for a fuel cell separation plate is manufactured by pressurizing the thermoplastic prepreg intermediate material at a temperature higher than the melting point of the hydrophobic thermoplastic resin film. A fuel cell separation membrane manufactured using the thermoplastic prepreg intermediate material and thermoplastic prepreg is thin and light-weight, and have a good durability.

A polymer powder having a surface energy of less than 35 mN/m is suitable for melting/sintering powder particles for layer-by-layer production of three-dimensional objects.

A polymer composite wireline cable comprising: a polymeric matrix material; at least one reinforced fiber embedded in the polymeric matrix material; and at least one optical fiber disposed in the polymeric matrix material, the at least one optical fiber having at least one pair of Bragg grating sensors, wherein one of the pair of Bragg grating sensors is configured to experience loading strain and the other of the pair of Bragg grating sensors is configured not to experience loading strain.

Disclosed is a polymer powder having an average particle diameter of 20 μm to 300 μm, with a particle diameter of less than 10 μm of 10 mass % or less, and a particle diameter of greater than 300 μm of 10 mass % or less. Further, disclosed is a method for preparing a polymer powder, comprising: forming a melt of a polymer; introducing a supercritical fluid into the melt of the polymer to form a mixed composition; and spraying the mixed composition to prepare the polymer powder.

The present disclosure relates to a composition comprising a thermoplastic vulcanizate, a propylene-based elastomer and a foaming agent, and to a foamed material comprising said composition. The foamed material has increased tensile properties and tension set while attaining comparable effects of reduction of weight.

Improved soles and insoles for shoes, in particular sports shoes, are described. In an aspect, a sole for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, with at least a first and a second surface region is provided. The first surface region comprises expanded thermoplastic polyurethane (“TPU”). The second surface region is free from expanded TPU.

A molding material for injection molding, extrusion molding or pultrusion molding, which contains carbon fibers having a fiber length of 2 mm or more and a thermoplastic resin, wherein (1) the molding material is a solid having a plane A.sub.1 and one or more other face B.sub.i, one or more cross sections of the carbon fibers are observed in at least one face B.sub.i, and the number of the cross sections of the carbon fibers per unit area observed in the face B.sub.i is twice or more the number of the cross sections of the carbon fibers per unit area observed in the plane A.sub.1, and (2) a ratio of fibers in which 50% or more of an outer peripheral surface of each carbon fiber is coated with the thermoplastic resin is from 80 to 100% to total carbon fibers.

A method of producing a product, for example a stretch blow moulded container having a metallic or pearlescent appearance, comprises selecting a mass, for example a container preform, comprising a thermoplastic polymer which incorporates a carrier polymer and stretching the thermoplastic polymer during production of said product, for example from said mass. Said carrier polymer is suitably polydimethylsiloxane and the mass may be made in a process which comprises contacting a thermoplastic polymer with a liquid formulation comprising carrier polymer and colourant.