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.

The present invention relates to a process for making a polymer masterbatch with silica nanoparticles highly uniformly dispersed therein by using a stable aqueous emulsion of compatibilized silica nanoparticles, the sizes of which are mechanically reduced to nanoscales. Adequate reduction of the silica particles to nanoscales is essential for the formation of a desired emulsion of highly stability. The said emulsion of compatibilized silica nanoparticle can be easily mixed under mild conditions with a polymer in latex form, which can be high purity natural rubber, synthetic rubber and/or a blend thereof. The bifunctional organosilane coupling agent bonded-Silica nanoparticles are subsequently incorporated into the rubber polymer network during coagulation with formic acid. The inventive rubber-silica masterbatch thus obtained is useful for manufacturing rubber and other polymer composite products.

Provided are a process for efficiently producing a rubber wet master batch in which a dispersibility of carbon black in the rubber is improved, in which a reinforcing property and an abrasion resistance of the rubber can be enhanced by using carbon black having a high surface activity, in which a yield of the carbon black in the wet master batch obtained is not reduced and in which a handling property of the carbon black is good as compared with master batches prepared by using a granulated and dried substance of carbon black prepared by a conventional wet method and non-granulated carbon black, a carbon black-containing rubber wet master batch obtained by the above process and a rubber composition and a tire prepared by using the master batch. It is a process for producing a rubber wet master batch comprising a step for mixing a slurry (A) in which a filler containing carbon black is dispersed with a rubber liquid (B) in which a rubber component is dispersed or dissolved, wherein the slurry (A) is prepared by using a filler containing a carbon black granulated substance which is granulated by a wet method and which stays in a non-drying state.

The invention relates to a rubber composition based on at least one diene elastomer, a reinforcing filler comprising at least carbon black and an inorganic filler with an inorganic filler content of less than or equal to 50 parts by weight per hundred parts of elastomer, characterized in that the composition is obtained from a first masterbatch comprising at least one first diene elastomer and carbon black, and having a dispersion of the carbon black in the elastomeric matrix that has a Z value of greater than or equal to 90, added to which is the inorganic filler and at least one second elastomer, identical to or different from the first elastomer, and also to the process for preparing such a composition.

Provided is a non-metalized blank having superior barrier properties and processes for maintaining such properties.

Copolymers comprising recurring units of a phenyl glycidyl ether and alkylene oxides are disclosed. Some of the copolymers comprise a di- or polyfunctional nucleophilic initiator and recurring units of the phenyl glycidyl ether and an alkylene oxide. The di- or polyfunctional nucleophilic initiator is an alcohol, phenol, amine, thiol, thiophenol, sulfinic acid, or deprotonated species thereof. Other copolymers comprise a monofunctional nucleophilic initiator selected from thiols, thiophenols, aralkylated phenols, sulfinic acids, secondary amines, C.sub.10-C.sub.20 terpene alcohols, and deprotonated species thereof. Pigments dispersions comprising the copolymers are also disclosed. The copolymers meet the growing needs of the industry with their ease of manufacture, diverse structures, and desirable performance attributes for dispersing a wide range of organic and inorganic pigments. Agricultural applications for the copolymers are also disclosed.