Discloses is a packaging paper for food having a grammage between 20 g/m.sup.2 and 40 g/m.sup.2, and having a filler content of less than 20 wt. % relative to the weight of the uncoated paper. On at least one side the packaging paper has a coating that contains a vegetable oil encapsulated in a polymer, and also talc and a binder. Both sides of the finished packaging paper have a Cobb 60 value of 14 g/m.sup.2 to 22 g/m.sup.2.

A process is presented and described for the production of moldings, comprising the steps of (a) providing a polymer composition comprising from 1 to 99% by weight of polyhydroxyalkanoate and from 1 to 99% by weight of starch-containing polymer; (b) homogenizing the polymer composition with use of thermal and/or mechanical energy; (c) introducing the polymer composition into a mold; (d) molding the molding in the mold; and (e) removing the molding from the mold. The process described is in particular suitable for the production of hard capsules.

A process is presented and described for the production of moldings, comprising the steps of (a) providing a polymer composition comprising from 1 to 99% by weight of polyhydroxyalkanoate and from 1 to 99% by weight of starch-containing polymer; (b) homogenizing the polymer composition with use of thermal and/or mechanical energy; (c) introducing the polymer composition into a mold; (d) molding the molding in the mold; and (e) removing the molding from the mold. The process described is in particular suitable for the production of hard capsules.

A composition used to melt ice and snow is provided. The composition has a large solar radiation absorption bandwidth and good thermal conduction, which can be manually, mechanically or otherwise dispersed over a large or small surface area to aid in melting ice or snow into liquid when exposed to optical radiation. A method for preparing the composition and methods of use of the composition are also provided.

A composition used to melt ice and snow is provided. The composition has a large solar radiation absorption bandwidth and good thermal conduction, which can be manually, mechanically or otherwise dispersed over a large or small surface area to aid in melting ice or snow into liquid when exposed to optical radiation. A method for preparing the composition and methods of use of the composition are also provided.

A method of producing a surface sizing composition, the method comprising: providing a metal salt having at least 3 valence electrons, wherein the metal salt is selected from the group of aluminium sulfate, aluminium chloride, aluminium nitrate, polyaluminium sulfate (PAS), polyaluminium chloride (PAC), and polyaluminium chloride sulfate (PACS), polyaluminium formiate, polyaluminium nitrate, and any combination thereof; providing an aqueous polymer dispersion, wherein the aqueous polymer dispersion is an aqueous polymer dispersion (A) and an aqueous prepolymer composition (B), wherein the aqueous polymer dispersion (A) is obtainable by free radical emulsion copolymerizing a first ethylenically unsaturated monomer blend, and wherein the aqueous prepolymer composition (B) is obtainable by free radical emulsion copolymerizing in a polymerization solvent comprising C1-6-carboxylic acid and C1-6-carboxylic acid anhydride, a second ethylenically unsaturated monomer blend; and mixing the metal salt and the aqueous polymer dispersion to provide a surface sizing composition to be used in papermaking.

A method of producing a surface sizing composition, the method comprising: providing a metal salt having at least 3 valence electrons, wherein the metal salt is selected from the group of aluminium sulfate, aluminium chloride, aluminium nitrate, polyaluminium sulfate (PAS), polyaluminium chloride (PAC), and polyaluminium chloride sulfate (PACS), polyaluminium formiate, polyaluminium nitrate, and any combination thereof; providing an aqueous polymer dispersion, wherein the aqueous polymer dispersion is an aqueous polymer dispersion (A) and an aqueous prepolymer composition (B), wherein the aqueous polymer dispersion (A) is obtainable by free radical emulsion copolymerizing a first ethylenically unsaturated monomer blend, and wherein the aqueous prepolymer composition (B) is obtainable by free radical emulsion copolymerizing in a polymerization solvent comprising C1-6-carboxylic acid and C1-6-carboxylic acid anhydride, a second ethylenically unsaturated monomer blend; and mixing the metal salt and the aqueous polymer dispersion to provide a surface sizing composition to be used in papermaking.

Described herein are blends of carbohydrate-based polymeric materials with other polymeric materials, where the carbohydrate-based polymeric material is intimately blended with the other polymeric material, so as to exhibit very small particles sizes (e.g., less than 2 μm, or less than 1 μm) for the carbohydrate-based polymeric material in the matrix of the other polymeric material. Such intimate dispersion of very small particles provides for far more of the particles dispersed more evenly throughout the matrix of the other polymeric material, which may enhance various performance characteristics of the blended composite material, and provide for more consistent achievement of such characteristics, from batch to batch. Methods of producing articles from such blends exhibiting such small particles and excellent dispersion are also disclosed. While suitable for use in a wide variety of fields, examples may include for the coating of paper cups, and as a capsule material for sustained release fertilizer.

Described herein are blends of carbohydrate-based polymeric materials with other polymeric materials, where the carbohydrate-based polymeric material is intimately blended with the other polymeric material, so as to exhibit very small particles sizes (e.g., less than 2 μm, or less than 1 μm) for the carbohydrate-based polymeric material in the matrix of the other polymeric material. Such intimate dispersion of very small particles provides for far more of the particles dispersed more evenly throughout the matrix of the other polymeric material, which may enhance various performance characteristics of the blended composite material, and provide for more consistent achievement of such characteristics, from batch to batch. Methods of producing articles from such blends exhibiting such small particles and excellent dispersion are also disclosed. While suitable for use in a wide variety of fields, examples may include for the coating of paper cups, and as a capsule material for sustained release fertilizer.

The present disclosure provides biodegradable and compostable playdough compositions. In addition, the present disclosure also relates to playdough compositions based on recycled breads as a primary constituent. Processes of manufacturing the playdough compositions is also disclosed.