A biopolymer film is provided that comprises a combination of crystalline nano cellulose (CNC)/esterified crystalline nano cellulose (ECNC) reinforced with chitosan. The two polymer components can be present in any ratio, but an approximate CNC to ECNC 70:30 ratio is preferred. The chitosan component is derived from exoskeletons of crustaceans. Also provided are methods of preparing biopolymer film and preparing food packaging components from said biopolymer film. The CNC/ECNC mixture is dissolved in an ethanol solution and the chitin is dissolved in acetic acid and mixed together to form a polymer blend.

A method of making an article of manufacture is disclosed, wherein the article includes a polymer with recycle content. In one or more embodiments, the polymer with recycle content is selected from the group consisting of (i) a recycle content polyester; and (ii) a recycle content cellulose ester.

A powder comprising hydrolyzable resin particle, containing particles which do not pass through a sieve having an opening size of 500 μm in an amount of 50 mass % or more and having a repose angle of 51° or more. This powder is preferably used as an additive for drilling to enhance the drilling properties of a drilling fluid and improve the retentivity of a fracture extending from a winze.

A biopolymer film is provided that comprises a combination of: crystalline nano cellulose (CNC)/esterified crystalline nano cellulose (ECNC) reinforced with chitosan. The two polymer components can be present in any ratio but an approximate CNC to ECNC 70:30 ratio is preferred. The chitosan component is derived from exoskeletons of crustaceans. Also provided are methods of preparing biopolymer film and preparing food packaging components from said biopolymer film. The CNC/ECNC mixture is dissolved in an ethanol solution and the chitin is dissolved in acetic acid and mixed together to form a polymer blend.

A fibrous cellulose composite resin being excellent in strength, a method for producing the same, and a reinforcing material for resins capable of significantly improving resin strength are provided. The fibrous cellulose composite resin includes fibrous cellulose containing microfiber cellulose, a resin, and an acid-modified resin, wherein the microfiber cellulose has an average fiber width of 0.1 μm or larger, an average fiber length of 0.02 to 2.0 mm, and a percentage of fibrillation of 1.0% or higher, and hydroxyl groups substituted with carbamate groups, and the carbamate groups are ionically bonded to acidic groups of the acid-modified resin.

A porous film having favorable characteristics is manufactured. A method of manufacturing the porous film of the present invention includes: (a) a step of modifying a first filler to be hydrophobic by mixture of the first filler and an additive; (b) a step of forming a coating liquid by mixture of the hydrophobic first filler, a second filler and solvent; and (c) a step of forming a coating film (CF) by application of the coating liquid onto a surface of a porous base substance (S). In the step (a), the first filler is a cellulose, and a hydrophilic group of the cellulose is substituted with a hydrophobic group by a reaction between the cellulose and the additive. When the coating film is formed on the surface of the porous base substance as described above, mechanical strength and heat resistance of the porous film (separator) can be improved. For example, thermal deformation of the porous film (separator) can be equal to or lower than 5%.

A method is designed to prepare foamed, opacifying elements each having a target light blocking value (LBV.sub.T) of at least 3, using a textile fabric substrate with a light blocking value (LBV.sub.S). The LBV.sub.T-S difference is calculated; a foamable aqueous composition is chosen; a dry coating weight for the foamable aqueous composition (when foamed) is determined to form a single dry opacifying layer that is foamed, dried, and densified to provide a dry thickness at least 20% less than the original dry thickness. The single dry opacifying layer a has light blocking value that is equal to LBV.sub.T-S, ±15%. The desired foamable aqueous composition can be chosen from a set of similar compositions to achieve the desired LBV.sub.T with the noted textile fabric substrate using suitable mathematical formula relating dry coating weight to light blocking value and a suitable data processor.

The present invention provides water-soluble films for preparing beverages comprising one or more tea, herbal or fruit extracts and a water-soluble polymer. Methods of preparing water-soluble films for preparing a beverage comprising: (i) combining (a) one or more tea, herbal or fruit extracts, (b) a water-soluble polymer, and optionally, (c) a plasticizer, in water to form a tea, herbal or fruit extract composition; (b) optionally, heating the tea, herbal or fruit extract composition to a temperature in the range of about 25° C. to about 100° C.; (iii) forming a layer of the tea, herbal or fruit extract composition on a surface; and (iv) drying the layer of the tea, herbal or fruit extract composition to form a water-soluble film.

Provided is a resin composite having high mechanical properties which make the resin composite moldable into and usable as members for use in applications such as vehicle-mounted members and electrical materials. The resin composite comprises 0.5-40 mass % chemically modified, fine cellulose fibers and a resin, wherein the chemically modified, fine cellulose fibers have a pyrolysis initiation temperature (T.sub.D) of 270° C. or higher, a number-average fiber diameter of 10 nm or larger but less than 1 μm, and a degree of crystallinity of 60% or higher. In a preferred embodiment, the chemically modified, fine cellulose fibers have a coefficient of variation (CV) in DS unevenness ratio, DSs/DSt, of 50% or less, the DS unevenness ratio being the ratio of the modification degree (DSs) of the surface layers of the fibers to the modification degree (DSt) of the whole of the fibers.

A foamed, opacifying element has a substrate with opposing planar surfaces and a foamed opacifying layer disposed on one opposing surface. The foamed opacifying layer contains (a) 0.1-80 weight % of nonporous polymeric particles; (b) 10-80 weight % of a matrix material derived from a (b) binder material having a glass transition temperature of less than 40 C.; (c) 0.0001-50 weight % of certain additives; (d) less than 5 weight % of water; and (e) at least 0.002 weight % of an opacifying colorant different from all of the (c) additives. Foamable and foamed aqueous compositions can be used to provide these foamed, opacifying elements for use as light-blocking window shades, curtains, or other materials. These light-blocking articles can also have a printable outer surface that accepts ink for making printed images that are not observable from the opposite surface.