The present invention is directed to a plug for sealing a puncture in a tyre, whereby the plug comprises a head portion and a tail portion, the head portion comprising: a porous material that comprises open pores and capable of absorbing >0.02 grams of water per gram of porous material; and an accelerant selected from the group consisting of a salt, a polar solvent, an acid, and any combinations thereof, wherein the accelerant is retained in the pores of the porous material and is configured to react on contact with a curable sealant selected from the group consisting of anionic stabilized sealants, steric stabilized sealants and anionic colloidal dispersions thereby reducing curing time of the sealant, and wherein the porous material does not comprise the sealant.

The invention relates to an article comprising a cut-resistant coating which contains a polymeric matrix and a cut-resistant component distributed in the polymeric matrix characterized in that said cut-resistant component is a plurality of fibers having an average length (L) to an average diameter (D) ratio, i.e. L/D, of at least 10.

The invention relates to a method for modifying the surface of an elastomer product with unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds, in particular a glove, whereby the unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds in the region of the surface are at least partially saturated by a photochemical reaction with at least one thiol or by applying or dipping to apply a layer of latex to at least certain regions of the surface of the elastomer product, the unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds of which in the region of its surface are at least partially saturated by a photochemical reaction with at least one thiol.

In the step (I), the period (minute(s)) for dispersing the carbon black species A showing a nitrogen adsorption specific surface area (N.sub.2SA-(A)value) of 130 m.sup.2/g or less in the dispersing solvent and that minute(s)) for dispersing the carbon black species B showing an N.sub.2SA-(B) value lower than the N.sub.2SA-(A) value by 25 m.sup.2/g or more in the dispersing solvent by (A) and (B), respectively, and further representing the rotation number (rpm) of a rotor of a dispersing machine used in the dispersing when the carbon black species A is dispersed, and that (rpm) of a rotor of a dispersing machine used in the dispersing when the carbon black species B is dispersed by (A) and (B), respectively, the following expression is satisfied:
1.1(B)(B)(A)(A)1.5(B)(B) (1).

Provided herein are methods comprising the use of a macroinitiator and application protocols to apply a hydrophilic coating to latex, or natural rubber, and compositions resulting from such methods. This coating results in e.g., an increased sense of lubrication when in contact with water or an aqueous solution.

The present invention generally relates to an eco-friendly wearable article comprising a nutrient complex capable of efficiently able to reduce or eliminate methane gas emission during biodegradation of the article, and a method of making the eco-friendly wearable article containing the nutrient complex. Preferably, the nutrient complex typically comprises anionic sulphate ions and cationic salts of iron(II) and copper(II), thereby facilitating methane oxidation in an anaerobic environment such as a landfill.

Elastomer compositions comprising uncured elastomer and reclaimed elastomer are described. In one embodiment, the compositions comprise reclaimed elastomer material (micronized rubber powder) of broad particle size distribution, which is less expensive than traditional reclaimed elastomer material with narrow particle size distribution. Further, compositions comprising reclaimed elastomer materials with broad particle size distribution perform comparably to those comprising reclaimed elastomer materials with narrow particle size distribution. In other embodiments, the compositions comprise both vulcanized and devulcanized elastomer materials. Advantageously, by using a combination of vulcanized and devulcanized material, it is possible to incorporate a greater percentage by weight of reclaimed material in to an elastomer composition, thus providing additional cost savings while maintaining high levels of mechanical properties. Further, the use of the reclaimed material reduces landfill waste resulting in a more environmentally friendly product.

The present disclosure is directed to a composition and articles containing the composition. The composition comprises a foam and a plurality of gel particles dispersed in the foam. The gel particles comprise an olefin block copolymer and an oil.

An elastomeric article having a rubber component comprising polyisoprene and an aldehyde aniline condensate, the elastomeric article having less than 1 ppm diisopropyl xanthogen polysulfide residue.

The present invention provides a process for making a silica masterbatch that contains hydrophobated silica, solution-made rubber and emulsion-made rubber. Hydrophobated silica is mixed into a latex emulsion. Solution-rubber crumb in an aqueous suspension is mixed into the latex emulsion, which is coagulated, and a crumb is recovered, further homogenized, dried and baled to yield the silica masterbatch. A well-dispersed mixture of hydrophobated silica and emulsion-made rubber is added into a steam distillation step of a solution-rubber process from which a silica masterbatch is recovered. The emulsion-made rubber can be omitted to make a silica masterbatch of solution rubber and silica without emulsion rubber. The silica masterbatch has physical properties similar to those found in a comparable dry-mixed composition, but the silica masterbatch can be incorporated more easily and less expensively into tires and other rubber products than the dry-mixed composition.