Embodiments herein are related to hydrophilic open cell foams with particulate fillers. In an embodiment, an article is provided that has an open cell foam structure including a hydrophilic polymer and about 0.1 wt. % to about 40.0 wt. % of a particulate filler dispersed within the hydrophilic polymer. The open cell foam structure can exhibit a rate of absorption of water greater than an otherwise identical foam lacking the particulate filler. Other embodiments are included herein.

The present disclosure can provide a gel precursor, a nucleic acid amplification reagent gel, a storage chip and a using method thereof. The gel precursor includes: a sodium alginate main solution mixed with at least one of the following components: starch, dextrin, chitosan, agarose and gelatin, where the sodium alginate main solution has a mass concentration range from 0.01% w/v to 5% w/v.

The present invention relates to a method of making biopolymer including but not limited to bio plastic from animal by-products, more specifically from poultry feathers wherein the method of making a biopolymer comprises the steps: i) i) pre-treatment of native feathers; ii) extraction of keratin protein from pre-treated feathers in the presence of reducing agent; iii) polymerization by blending keratin protein with one or more plasticizer, one or more additive and one or more cross-linking agent, optionally in presence of at least one alkali hydroxide to obtain a polymer compound using one or more thermal processing techniques at a temperature in the range of 60° C. to 150° C.; and iv) applying pressure and subjecting the polymer compound to thermal processing at a temperature in the range of 100° C. to 220° C. in presence of at least one or more excipients.

Disclosed herein are water-soluble films including a polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) resin blend and optionally one or more additional components such as plasticizers, fillers, surfactants, and other additives. The PVOH resin blend includes a first copolymer including a first anionic monomer unit and a second PVOH copolymer including a second anionic monomer unit. When the PVOH copolymers are blended in particular proportions and/or selected with regard to various criteria related to physical and chemical film properties, the resulting water-soluble film formed from the PVOH resin blend exhibits maintained film stiffness, and pouch tautness when in contact with liquid pouch contents, maintain acceptable clarity properties, and/or demonstrate acceptable band release without impairing the ultimate solubility of the water-soluble film.

In the present invention, biodegradable nanocomposites are introduced which include nanoclay particles, titanium dioxide nanoparticles, polyethylene, polypropylene, starch as a biopolymer, maleic anhydride and glycerol. The obtained nanocomposites have very high physical, mechanical and antimicrobial properties. Proper dispersion and distribution of nanoparticles in composite substrate would help in improving the quality of the product to a great extent. The presence of polypropylene next to polyethylene would eliminate the weak points of polyethylene/biopolymer composite as polypropylene helps to modify the physical and engineering properties of nanocomposites in the presence of nanoclay. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles have antimicrobial properties and would result in products which are useful for food and pharmaceutical industries. Another important aspect of this invention is the production of samples in one step by reaction extrusion method.

Disclosed herein is a liquid pre-blend of starch and oil. The pre-blend comprises starch and oil and can be used (is suitable for use in) a rubber composition. Also disclosed is a process for preparing a starch-filled rubber composition and a starch-filled rubber composition wherein a filler dispersion of at least 90% is achieved.

The present invention provides a water-soluble packaging film which is capable of inhibiting roll contamination, which has favorable unwinding properties to pass through processing steps smoothly, thereby improving the productivity, and which has enhanced water solubility, chemical resistance, visibility, and packaging properties. The present invention relates to a water-soluble packaging film including: polyvinyl alcohol; a plasticizer; and starch, the starch being applied to a front surface and a rear surface of the water-soluble packaging film, the starch being applied in an amount of 0.001 to 0.10 g per 1 m.sup.2 of the water-soluble packaging film, the water-soluble packaging film having a contact angle with distilled water measured by the sessile-drop method of 20° to 50°.

The present invention discloses a biodegradable polyester composition, wherein the biodegradable polyester composition comprises the following components in parts by weight: i) 58 to 80 parts by weight of an aliphatic-aromatic copolyester; ii) 20 to 32 parts by weight of starch; and iii) 0 to 10 parts by weight of a processing agent. The present invention unexpectedly found by research that by using an aliphatic-aromatic copolyester in which an amount of aromatic carboxylic acid accounts for a total amount of diacid is 44 mol % to 48 mol % as a matrix resin, where the aliphatic-aromatic copolyester has a crystallization peak width D of 5° C. to 16° C., and by using starch of which a particle size D (50) is 2 μm to 12 μm as the other phase, and meanwhile by adding a specific amount of a processing agent, the polyester composition prepared has excellent transversal and longitudinal tear strengths, and the polyester composition has a biodegradation rate of 90% or more during the 12-week degradation test, satisfying the industrial compost.

The present invention relates to the use of thermoplastic starch in the manufacture of an adhesive and ultrathin waterproof-breathable film, said thermoplastic starch being provided in the form of an alloy with hydrophilic TPE comprising at least 10% by weight, preferably at least 20% by weight, preferably at least 30% by weight, preferably at least 40% by weight, preferably at least 50% by weight, of polyethylene glycol (PEG), with regard to the weight of the TPE. This film can be used in a textile product in the medical field, hygiene, luggage, the clothing industry, the garment industry, domestic or household equipment, furniture, fitted carpets, the automobile industry, industry, in particular industrial filtration, agriculture and/or the construction industry.

A composition comprises woody core fibers from hemp, kenaf, jute and/or flax that are optionally coated with one or more saccharides or polysaccharides and dispersed in a matrix of polyolefin.