The present invention relates to a method for obtaining rubber from rubber-containing plant material, the method comprising the steps of subjecting a composition comprising rubber-containing plant material and a fermentation culture to conditions allowing anaerobic fermentation, wherein the composition preferably has a water content of less than 95 wt. %. The fermentation preferably does not involve movement of the rubber-containing plant material (or parts thereof), and preferably the fermentation is performed in the absence of oxygen ventilation. Additionally, it is preferred that the fermentation culture is cycled through the composition by percolation. A further step of the method involves obtaining the rubber from the composition.

The present invention relates to a process for separating natural rubber deriving from non-Hevea type plants, in the form of solid crumbs, from solutions in an organic solvent system including it, where said organic solvent system may comprise at least one nonpolar organic solvent, or a mixture of at least one nonpolar organic solvent and at least one polar organic solvent, and the concomitant removal of said organic solvent system from said rubber, where the aforementioned process comprises subjecting said solution to a stripping stage by means of water vapor, in presence of a dispersing system, separating the aforementioned crumbs of natural rubber from the liquid phase, obtained through the stripping stage, and subjecting said crumbs to drying.

The present invention relates to a process for separating natural rubber deriving from non-Hevea type plants, in the form of solid crumbs, from solutions in an organic solvent system including it, where said organic solvent system may comprise at least one nonpolar organic solvent, or a mixture of at least one nonpolar organic solvent and at least one polar organic solvent, and the concomitant removal of said organic solvent system from said rubber, where the aforementioned process comprises subjecting said solution to a stripping stage by means of water vapor, in presence of a dispersing system, separating the aforementioned crumbs of natural rubber from the liquid phase, obtained through the stripping stage, and subjecting said crumbs to drying.

The present invention provides processes (100, 200, 300, 400) for making a flexible packaging substrate having one or more Fresnel lenses (410, 602) and a product made therefrom. The said process comprises providing one or more Fresnel lenses (410, 602) on a first surface (408a, 610a) of a substrate/film (408, 610); and overlapping a predetermined portion (411, 603) of the Fresnel lenses (410, 602) on the substrate/film (408, 610) by printing or foil stamping. The flexible packaging substrate having one or more Fresnel lenses comprises a substrate (408) having the Fresnel lens or the pattern of Fresnel lenses (410) on the first surface (408a) thereof, wherein a predetermined portion (411) of the Fresnel lenses (410) is covered to hide irregular/uneven/torn edges.

The present invention provides processes (100, 200, 300, 400) for making a flexible packaging substrate having one or more Fresnel lenses (410, 602) and a product made therefrom. The said process comprises providing one or more Fresnel lenses (410, 602) on a first surface (408a, 610a) of a substrate/film (408, 610); and overlapping a predetermined portion (411, 603) of the Fresnel lenses (410, 602) on the substrate/film (408, 610) by printing or foil stamping. The flexible packaging substrate having one or more Fresnel lenses comprises a substrate (408) having the Fresnel lens or the pattern of Fresnel lenses (410) on the first surface (408a) thereof, wherein a predetermined portion (411) of the Fresnel lenses (410) is covered to hide irregular/uneven/torn edges.

A method for recovering an unreacted ,-ethylenically unsaturated nitrile monomer contained in a latex of a nitrile rubber obtained by emulsion polymerizing a monomer mixture comprising an ,-ethylenically unsaturated nitrile monomer and a carboxyl group-containing monomer is provided. The method includes the steps of: adjusting a pH of the latex of the carboxyl group-containing nitrile rubber to 6.5 or more; decompressing the latex of the carboxyl group-containing nitrile rubber having the pH adjusted to 6.5 or more under a heating condition; and recovering a component evaporated by the decompression under the heating condition.

The present invention relates to a method for obtaining rubber from rubber-containing plant material, the method comprising the steps of subjecting a composition comprising rubber-containing plant material and a fermentation culture to conditions allowing anaerobic fermentation, wherein the composition preferably has a water content of less than 95 wt. %. The fermentation preferably does not involve movement of the rubber-containing plant material (or parts thereof), and preferably the fermentation is performed in the absence of oxygen ventilation. Additionally, it is preferred that the fermentation culture is cycled through the composition by percolation. A further step of the method involves obtaining the rubber from the composition.

The present invention relates to a method for obtaining rubber from rubber-containing plant material, the method comprising the steps of subjecting a composition comprising rubber-containing plant material and a fermentation culture to conditions allowing anaerobic fermentation, wherein the composition preferably has a water content of less than 95 wt. %. The fermentation preferably does not involve movement of the rubber-containing plant material (or parts thereof), and preferably the fermentation is performed in the absence of oxygen ventilation. Additionally, it is preferred that the fermentation culture is cycled through the composition by percolation. A further step of the method involves obtaining the rubber from the composition.

An extractor suitable for using a solvent to separate a compound from a solid or semisolid substance containing the compound. The extractor includes a conveying assembly having an inclined conveyor for receiving the substance from a substance inlet and moving the substance through the solvent, an inclined upper surface associated with the first conveyor and an inclined lower surface associated with the first conveyor. The conveyor is configured to move the substance downward through the solvent along the upper surface toward a lower end of the conveyor and upward through the solvent along the lower surface toward an upper end of the conveyor.

An extractor suitable for using a solvent to separate a compound from a solid or semisolid substance containing the compound. The extractor includes a conveying assembly having an inclined conveyor for receiving the substance from a substance inlet and moving the substance through the solvent, an inclined upper surface associated with the first conveyor and an inclined lower surface associated with the first conveyor. The conveyor is configured to move the substance downward through the solvent along the upper surface toward a lower end of the conveyor and upward through the solvent along the lower surface toward an upper end of the conveyor.