This invention relates generally to vulcanization compounds and relates more specifically to vulcanization compositions with reduced allergenic potential that include accelerator compositions for vulcanizing elastomeric articles. Vulcanization compositions are disclosed that include a single fugitive dihydrocarbyl xanthogen polysulfide accelerator and a single aldehyde-aniline condensate accelerator.

This disclosure is to provide a method of manufacturing a rubber composition comprising kneading a rubber composition that includes 100 parts by mass (pbm) of a rubber component (A) including 50 mass % or more of natural rubber, 5-50 pbm of at least one kind of thermoplastic resin (B) selected from among C5-based resins, C5-C9-based resins, C9-based resins, terpene-based resins, terpene-aromatic compound-based resins, rosin-based resins, dicyclopentadiene resins, and alkylphenol-based resins; 20-120 pbm of a filler (C) including silica; at least one kind of vulcanization accelerator (D) selected from among guanidines, sulfenamides, thiazoles, thiourea and diethyl thiourea; a silane coupling agent (E); and a vulcanizing agent (F). The kneading comprises a kneading stage A for kneading components (A)-(C), part or all of component (D), and 2 pbm or more of component (E), and a kneading stage B for kneading component (F) with a kneaded product of the kneading stage A.

This disclosure is to provide a method of manufacturing a rubber composition comprising kneading a rubber composition that includes 100 parts by mass (pbm) of a rubber component (A) including 50 mass % or more of natural rubber, 5-50 pbm of at least one kind of thermoplastic resin (B) selected from among C5-based resins, C5-C9-based resins, C9-based resins, terpene-based resins, terpene-aromatic compound-based resins, rosin-based resins, dicyclopentadiene resins, and alkylphenol-based resins; 20-120 pbm of a filler (C) including silica; at least one kind of vulcanization accelerator (D) selected from among guanidines, sulfenamides, thiazoles, thiourea and diethyl thiourea; a silane coupling agent (E); and a vulcanizing agent (F). The kneading comprises a kneading stage A for kneading components (A)-(C), part or all of component (D), and 2 pbm or more of component (E), and a kneading stage B for kneading component (F) with a kneaded product of the kneading stage A.

Methods of vulcanization using a high content sulfur polymer, instead of elemental sulfur, have been developed. These high sulfur content polymers are referred to as Chalcogenide Hybrid Inorganic/Organic Polymers (CHIP) materials and have good polymer compatibility in that they are soluble in a number of polymers. Furthermore, CHIP materials may have weaker bonds than the SS bonds of elemental sulfur and thus provide for a higher crosslinking efficiency vulcanization.

Methods of vulcanization using a high content sulfur polymer, instead of elemental sulfur, have been developed. These high sulfur content polymers are referred to as Chalcogenide Hybrid Inorganic/Organic Polymers (CHIP) materials and have good polymer compatibility in that they are soluble in a number of polymers. Furthermore, CHIP materials may have weaker bonds than the SS bonds of elemental sulfur and thus provide for a higher crosslinking efficiency vulcanization.

Medical radiation attenuation thin films, methods of making the same, and articles such as gloves made therefrom, are disclosed. The thin films utilize guayule natural rubber, sulfur and an attenuation filler such as Bi.sub.2O.sub.3. The films mix the guayule natural rubber, sulfur and attenuation filler and cure the mixture at about 80 to about 105 C. for about 40 to about 90 minutes.

The invention relates to a composition intended for coating polymer films, making it possible to improve the adhesion between the film and a final coating, and to confer good barrier properties on the coated film. The coating composition comprises at least one acrylic and/or methacrylic polymer which has a gel content of at least 50% by weight, relative to the total weight of acrylic and/or methacryclic polymer, at least one crosslinking agent and at least one polyester comprising sulphonyloxy groups, which is water-soluble or water-dispersible.

The invention relates to a composition intended for coating polymer films, making it possible to improve the adhesion between the film and a final coating, and to confer good barrier properties on the coated film. The coating composition comprises at least one acrylic and/or methacrylic polymer which has a gel content of at least 50% by weight, relative to the total weight of acrylic and/or methacryclic polymer, at least one crosslinking agent and at least one polyester comprising sulphonyloxy groups, which is water-soluble or water-dispersible.

The present invention includes a hydrogel and a method of making a porous hydrogel by preparing an aqueous mixture of an uncrosslinked polymer and a crystallizable molecule; casting the mixture into a vessel; allowing the cast mixture to dry to form an amorphous hydrogel film; seeding the cast mixture with a seed crystal of the crystallizable molecule; growing the crystallizable molecule into a crystal structure within the uncrosslinked polymer; crosslinking the polymer around the crystal structure under conditions in which the crystal structure within the crosslinked polymer is maintained; and dissolving the crystals within the crosslinked polymer to form the porous hydrogel.

A method of making a lightweight foamed recycled leather, the method includes pulverizing the collagen fiber waste generated in a controlling a thickness of the leather during a leather process; neutralizing the resultant of step (a) by a soda ash with a water; (c) dyeing and fat-liquoring process treating the resultant of the step (c); (d) mixing a latex, a dispersant, a coagulant, and a thermally expandable microspheres with the resultant of step (c); (e) coagulating a collagen fiber powder and the latex by adding a coagulant into the resultant of step (d); (f) dehydrating and drying the resultant of step (e); and (g) heat treating the resultant of step (f) to foam thermally expandable microspheres, thereby to impart functionality to the recycled leather.