A method for hydrating a water-insoluble polymer capable of containing intermediate water, comprising; a solution generation step of dissolving a water-insoluble polymer capable of containing intermediate water by hydration in a polar organic solvent to obtain a solution, and a precipitation step hydrating and precipitating the water-insoluble polymer by mixing the solution with an aqueous phase.

A toughened polyester composite comprising: (i) a polyester matrix and (ii) droplets of a high boiling point liquid having a boiling point of at least 140° C. dispersed in said polyester matrix, wherein the high boiling point liquid is present in an amount of 0.1-10 wt % by weight of the toughened polyester composite, and wherein the composite may further include: (iii) a modifier selected from polycarboxylic, polyol, and polyamine compounds, wherein the modifier is present in an amount of 0.1-10 wt % by weight of the toughened polyester composite. Methods for producing the polyester composite are also described.

The invention relates to a method for producing a biodegradable thermoplastic starch-based article intended to come into contact with foodstuffs. In this method, the semi-crystalline starch granules are transformed into a homogeneous and almost amorphous material, called thermoplastic starch, by the addition of plasticizers at high temperatures and under shear. Thermoplastic starch is modified with organic acid during melt processing to prevent the retrogradation of starch. Moreover, cellulose derivatives are used as the reinforcement filler of thermoplastic starch. The article is produced using hot-pressing and then coating by immersion in a waterproofing solution.

A pre-dispersant composition includes a hydrogenated nitrile-butadiene rubber and an amide-based dispersion medium, wherein viscosity is in a range of 70 cPs to 3,000 cPs when measured with a Brookfield viscometer at 25° C., and a moisture content is 0.9 wt % or less. An electrode slurry composition including the pre-dispersant composition, and an electrode for a secondary battery and a secondary battery which are prepared by using the electrode slurry composition are also provided.

The invention relates to a composition and method for producing a solid extracting agent for extraction of scandium from sulfuric acid solutions. There is provided a solid extracting agent (Solex) for extraction of scandium from scandium-containing solutions comprising a styrene-divinylbenzene matrix with di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid. The extracting agent further comprises tri-n-octylphosphine oxide, tributyl phosphate, isododecane, in the following ratio of components, wt. %: di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid 32.0-37.5, tri-n-octylphosphine oxide 4.2-8.0, tributyl phosphate 0.8-1.7, isododecane 16.7-20.0, the remainder styrene-divinylbenzene, with the styrene/divinylbenzene ratio in the matrix equal to 75-80 to 20-25 wt. %. There is also provided a method of producing the Solex. The technical result is the production of a scandium-selective Solex with a high dynamic exchange capacity.

A biopolymer blend is provided that comprises a combination of three components: poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT); agriculture sourced polylactic acid (PLA); and engineered proteinaceous eggshell nanoparticles. The two polymer components can be present in any ratio but an approximate 70:30 ratio is preferred. The engineered proteinaceous eggshell nanoparticles are preferably about 10-25 nanometers. Also provided are methods of preparing biopolymer film and packaging components. Pelleted poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) and agriculture sourced polylactic acid (PLA) are dissolved in chloroform and mixed together to form a polymer blend, and engineered proteinaceous eggshell nanoparticles are incorporated into the polymer blend, which is then extruded to create a biopolymer film or component.

Described is a method of manufacturing a binder and the use of the binder to manufacture a roading mixture through mixing with aggregate, or a composite plastic product through the mixture of binder with particulate matter and/or fibre. The binder comprises mixing a plastic with two or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers in a mixing tank. The two or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers may have different homopolymer glass transition temperatures (TO wherein a first monomer structural unit has a homopolymer T.sub.g of greater than 80° C. and a second monomer having a homopolymer T.sub.g of less than 80° C. The plastic may be selected from a plastic comprising a styrene homopolymer, a styrene copolymer, a copolymer of an alkene and vinyl acetate, acrylic polymer and nylon based polymers or co-polymers, polyester-based thermoplastic polymer resin, propylene-based thermoplastic polymer and homo-polymer of an alkene or combination thereof.

The present disclosure provides a method for preparing biopolymer particles, said method comprising a membrane emulsification of a dispersed phase into a continuous phase wherein the dispersed phase comprises the biopolymer in a solvent, and wherein passing the dispersed phase through the membrane forms an emulsion of the biopolymer in the continuous phase; and a phase inversion with an anti-solvent to form particles of the biopolymer; wherein prior to (b), the emulsion is cooled to a temperature, T1. Also provided are biopolymer particles obtained from the method.

A solution is prepared that contains (A) a polymer compound that includes at least one of a hydrolyzable polymer compound or a thermally-decomposable polymer compound, (B) an oxoacid-based compound that includes at least one of a phosphate-based compound, a sulfate-based compound, a sulfonate-based compound, or a perchlorate-based compound, and (C) a laminate of layered substances, and the solution is irradiated with at least one of sonic waves or radio waves, or the solution is heated.

The present application is directed to a nanocomposite organo gel having a continuous polymeric network structure, wherein polymer chains are held together by ionic interaction between polymer chain ends, interparticle chain entanglements, layered silicate surface modifier, ionic salt, and layered silicate. The present application is also directed to methods of making and using the nanocomposite organo gel.