The present invention provides methods for reducing extractables from plastic articles made from recycled plastic. The method includes the steps of: (a) providing a plastic article in a chamber; and (b) providing a fluorination gas in the chamber, thereby exposing the plastic article to the fluorination gas. The method results in the reduction of the extractables from the plastic article.

Thermoformed polymeric foam articles are described herein In some embodiments, the articles are made by a manufacturing method (e.g., a continuous process) which involves the extrusion and subsequent thermoforming of a blowing agent containing thermoplastic sheet. The thermoformed polymeric foam articles may have a lower density than the precursor sheet from which they are formed. In some but not all embodiments, the precursor sheet is a multi-layer sheet which includes at least one foam layer. In such embodiments, the thermoformed articles also include multiple layers and at least one foam layer.

A process for treating a recycled polyolefin with an emulsion comprising aqueous and organic phases, as well as the use of said process and/or emulsion for the at least partial removal of volatile organic compounds.

A packaging material and a process of making this material are provided. The material contains an organic additive that promotes oxidative degradation and the subsequent bio-degradation of polyolefin polymers. This material and process are believed to be superior to existing materials and processes in terms of enhancing plastic degradation. The packaging material is formed from a composition that includes calcium carbonate (CaCO.sub.3), a polymer and casein and/or caseinate.

The present invention relates to a masterbatch composition comprising high concentration of biological entities having a polymer-degrading activity and uses thereof for manufacturing biodegradable plastic articles.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an article comprising a reinforced glass mat. In some embodiments, the reinforced glass mat includes a glass mat and a reinforcement material. In some embodiments, the glass mat includes a web of glass fibers. In some embodiments, the reinforcement material is embedded into the web of glass fibers of the glass mat. In some embodiments, the reinforced glass mat includes a sufficient amount of the reinforcement material, so as to result in a nail shank shear resistance of 13 lbs to 17 lbs, when the article is tested according to ASTM 1761 at 140° F. Methods of making the article, specific embodiments of the reinforcement material in the form of a polymeric binder, and methods of forming a roofing shingle from the article are also disclosed.

A method of microcellular foam molding an article is provided with, in one embodiment, filling a mold with a polyolefin compound; adding a crosslinking agent to the polyolefin compound to form a crosslinked mold; placing the crosslinked mold in a second mold having vent holes; placing the second mold in a pressure vessel; dissolving gas under high pressure to form a supercritical fluid (SCF) in the pressure vessel; effusing the SCF through the vent holes into the crosslinked mold to form a SCF permeated mold; releasing pressure of the pressure vessel to cause the SCF permeated mold to foam; and finishing a foamed article in the second mold.

The aim of the invention is to provide a flat material that is as stable as possible and can be produced as easily as possible. According to the invention, this is achieved in that the flat material comprises a thermoplastic polymer matrix material in which a fiber material is received, wherein the fiber material comprises fibers or is made of fibers that are arranged at least approximately parallel to one another, and the proportion of the fiber material to the flat material equals approximately 75 wt. % or more, based on the total mass of the flat material.

A composite article comprises an article presenting a surface and a thermally expandable composition disposed on the surface of the article. The thermally expandable composition comprises (a) from about 35 to about 65 percent by weight of a polyolefin resin; (b) from about 2 to about 15 percent by weight of a thermoplastic resin; (c) from about 1 to about 6 percent by weight of a curing agent suitable for cross-linking the polyolefin resin (a); (d) from about 15 to about 45 percent by weight of filler; and (e) from about 1 to about 10 percent by weight of a chemical blowing agent which is activated at an activation temperature, each based on the total weight of the thermally expandable composition. Methods of preparing and using the composite article, and an assembly formed from the composite article, are also disclosed.

Described herein are hydrocarbon polymer modifiers for use in various applications. The hydrocarbon polymer modifier comprises a cyclic component, and has a glass transition temperature and Mn defined by the following two equations: (1) Tg≥95-2.2*(% H Ar); and (2) Tg≥125−(0.08*Mn) and an aromaticity content of less than or equal to 6 mole %, wherein Tg is glass transition temperature as expressed in ° C. of the modifier, the % H Ar represents the content of aromatic protons in the hydrocarbon polymer modifier, and Mn represents the number average molecular weight of the hydrocarbon polymer modifier, and the cyclic component is selected from the group of a distillation cut from a petroleum refinery stream, and/or C.sub.4 C.sub.5 or C.sub.6 cyclic olefins and mixtures thereof, and wherein the hydrocarbon polymer modifier has number average molecular weight (Mn) of between 150 and 800 g/mol. The hydrocarbon modifiers are particularly useful in high Tg applications where compatibility with the polymer systems and/or ease of manufacturing are desirable.