The present disclosure pertains to methods and/or systems for making a SIPN and/or an IPN by physically mixing at least one vinyl functional thermoset with at least one thermoplastic resin. For example, a method of producing a resin composition comprising: mixing at least one vinyl functional thermoset resin with at least one thermoplastic resin wherein: the two resins are sufficiently miscible at a mixing viscosity of at least at least 5,000 cPs measured at the temperature of mixing and the mixing results in sufficient laminar flow such that a substantial portion of the resin mixture forms an IPN and/or a SIPN. The IPNs and/or SPINs formed have one or more superior properties over mixtures of the same resins.

Provided is a method of recycling an additively manufactured object into a reusable thermoplastic polymer, which method in some embodiments may include: (a) providing at least one additively manufactured object produced by stereolithography from a dual cure resin, the object comprising (i) a light polymerized polymer, and (ii) a heat polymerized polymer intermixed with said light polymerized polymer; (b) comminuting the object to produce a particulate material therefrom; (c) contacting the particulate material to a polar, aprotic solvent for a time and at a temperature sufficient to extract the heat polymerized polymer from the particulate material into said solvent, leaving residual particulate material comprising said light polymerized polymer in solid form; (d) separating the residual particulate material from said solvent; and then (e) separating the heat polymerized polymer from said solvent to provide a reusable thermoplastic polymer material in solid form.

A soft material comprises a film and a gel system covered by the film. The film is made of polydimethylsiloxane, polytetrafluoroethylene, polymethyl methacrylate, polyxylene, polystyrene, rubber or nylon. The gel system comprises a gel and saline solution. The gel is a polymer network structure, and the saline solution is infilled in interspaces of the polymer network structure. The film is electrostatically neutral, and the soft material has an original electrostatic equilibrium state. When the original electrostatic equilibrium state is broken by electrostatic induction (such as being rubbed by a human hand), the gel expands or shrinks. The disclosure also provides a method for auto-deforming the soft material and a soft robot using the soft material.

An organic-inorganic composite anion exchange membrane for non-aqueous redox flow batteries, which contains a polyvinylidene fluoride polymer, and a method for preparing the same are disclosed.

The present disclosure pertains to methods and/or systems for making a SIPN and/or an IPN by physically mixing at least one vinyl functional thermoset with at least one thermoplastic resin. For example, a method of producing a resin composition comprising: mixing at least one vinyl functional thermoset resin with at least one thermoplastic resin wherein: the two resins are sufficiently miscible at a mixing viscosity of at least at least 5,000 cPs measured at the temperature of mixing and the mixing results in sufficient laminar flow such that a substantial portion of the resin mixture forms an IPN and/or a SIPN. The IPNs and/or SPINs formed have one or more superior properties over mixtures of the same resins.

The various embodiments of the present invention disclose an peroxide-vulcanised TPVs based on Hevea Brasiliensis natural rubber, polypropylene and solid sulfonic acid doped polyaniline [PAni.DBSA] with useful electrical conductivities (up to about 2.1+0.2 S/cm] can be produced by using an internal mixer. The peroxide-vulcanised TPVs exhibit useful physical properties and also possess a reasonable good electromagnetic interferences shielding effectiveness. These peroxide-vulcanised TPVs could be recycled up to 4 times without significant loss of their EMI SE, electrical and physical properties. As a result, they have good potential to be used for manufacturing any EMI shielding products, such as EMI shielding seals and gaskets.

A method for modifying a heterophasic polymer composition comprises the steps of providing a compatibilizing agent, providing a heterophasic polymer composition comprising a propylene polymer phase and an ethylene polymer phase, mixing the compatibilizing agent and the heterophasic polymer composition, and generating free radicals in the propylene phase and the ethylene phase. At least a portion of the compatibilizing agent then reacts with free radicals in both the propylene polymer phase and the ethylene polymer phase to form a bond with a propylene polymer in the propylene polymer phase and a bond with an ethylene polymer in the ethylene polymer phase.

A formulation of polymeric mixtures for the production of cross-linked expanded PVC foams, of the type comprising PVC, isocyanates, anhydrides and one or more nucleating agents, wherein the nucleating agents are composed of nucleating materials having a porosity of 1-100 nm, preferably 2-50 nm. With respect to known formulations for the production of cross-linked PVC foams, a formulation according to the invention offers the advantage of obtaining the desired degrees of stabilization, nucleation and expansion, even without the use of diazocompounds.

A method of producing a delivery device for delivering a chemical compound includes i) providing an interpenetrating polymer substrate (IP substrate) having a first continuous polymer comprising rubber and a second polymer having hydrogel or a hydrogelable precursor, where the second polymer is interpenetrating in the first polymer; ii) providing the chemical compound and a loading solvent for the chemical compound; and iii) loading the IP substrate with the chemical compound by subjecting the IP substrate to the loading solvent having the chemical compound under conditions where the loading solvent at least partially swells the second polymer. The chemical compound, the second polymer and the loading solvent are selected such that the work of adhesion (W.sub.hc) between the second polymer and the chemical compound during at least a part of the loading is at least about 0 J/m.sup.2.

A method for making a tough and compliant hydrogel. A precursor hydrogel is made of a first polymer selected to maintain high elasticity and a second polymer selected to dissipate mechanical energy. The precursor hydrogel is stretched to a multiple of its original length to form a pre-stretched hydrogel. The pre-stretched hydrogel is allowed to relax and is soaked in a biocompatible solvent to reach equilibrium swelling of the pre-stretched hydrogel whereby shear modulus of the hydrogel is reduced.