Disclosed is a particulate combined with a silicate in a discontinuous phase dispersed in a continuous polymer phase in a composite having enhanced properties.

Biodegradable pellet compositions comprising: a starch at about 30% to about 80% by weight of the composition, a plasticizer at about 2% to about 30% by weight of the composition; a flexibility agent at about 10% to about 40% by weight; a binder at about 3% to about 13% by weight of the composition; a hydrophobic agent at about 0.1% to about 5% by weight of the composition; and an emulsifier at about 0.1% to about 5% by weight of the composition. The compositions further comprise a defoaming agent where a biodegradable foam pellet is the end product. The compositions may optionally include a plant fiber.

A plant fiber foam board contains: plant fibers, Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) copolymer, calcium carbonate, blowing agent, and cross-linking agent which are mixed and molded in a high temperature and a high pressure. The plant fiber foam board includes multiple air holes foamed thereon, and the multiple air holes do not communicate with one another. A method of making the plant fiber foam board contains steps of: putting and mixing plant fibers, Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) copolymer, calcium carbonate, blowing agent, and cross-linking agent in a mixing machine so as to produce a semi-finished product; and putting the semi-finished product into a mold of a foaming machine so as to be heated and pressurized, such that multiple air holes are foamed on the semi-finished product, and the multiple air holes do not communicate with one another.

A method for producing bioplastic granules includes the steps of subjecting an olive pit waste (prina) from olive oil factories to two different chemical shredding processes, extracting a necessary material for a bioplastic production from a shredded olive pit waste and adding natural polymerizer form holders into the necessary material.

Production process of a granular infill material (402) for a synthetic turf surface (400), the process comprising: providing a granular semi-finished product (2) in form of raw granules; preparing a polymeric blend (3) comprising a polymeric material and a blowing agent; coating the raw granules (2) with the polymeric blend (3); subsequently, drying the polymeric blend (3) to obtain the granular infill material (402) comprising a plurality of granules (200), each one comprising a core comprising one or more of the raw granules and a polymeric coating of the core comprising the polymeric blend (3).

A moisture barrier layer-foamed polymeric composite sheet underlayment article comprising a foamed polymeric sheet and a moisture barrier layer adhered thereto is disclosed. In one aspect, cork particles are present in the composite.

A polymeric composite derived from a reclaimed polymeric material. The polymeric composite in particulate form can be thermally compressed into panels and other embodiments that require a component that possesses sufficient mechanical strength and moisture resistance. In certain embodiments, the panel may be utilized as one layer in a multilayered article.

A method for preparing a composite material that includes the steps of: (i) heat treating natural lignocellulosic fibers at a temperature of 130 to 320 C. for 2 minutes to 24 hours in an atmosphere oxygen-deficient in and in the presence of water vapor, and (ii) mixing the heat treated natural lignocellulosic fibers with at least one thermoplastic polymer in the molten state and whose melting point is less than or equal to 230 C. The method is useful for producing vehicle parts from a composite material having natural lignocellulosic fibers with reduced volatile organic compound odor emissions.

A biodegradable tire includes an elastomeric matrix and a shape memory alloy scaffold integral with the matrix. The elastomeric matrix includes (by weight of the matrix) a flax seed material derived from 14% to 19%, a guayule-derived natural rubber from 55% to 65%, a metal oxide from 12% to 15%, a carbon-based filler from 9% to 12%, and one or both of an antioxidant and an antiozonant, each from 1.8% to 3.1%. Further, the tire is airless. In addition, the shape memory alloy scaffold comprises a NiTi shape memory alloy, a CuZn shape memory alloy, or a combination thereof.

A method of manufacturing a building panel with a decorative surface layer, a core and a balancing and/or protective layer, wherein the method includes applying a first layer of a first powder based mix, including wood fibres and a thermosetting binder, on a core; applying a liquid substance on the first powder based mix; drying the first powder based mix; turning the core with the dried first powder based mix such that the first powder based mix points downwards; applying a second layer on the upper part of the core; and curing the first and second layers by providing heat and pressure, wherein the first layer forms the balancing and/or protective layer and the second layer forms the decorative surface layer in the building panel.