A process for producing particles, the process including pulverizing particles of a compound represented by formula (I) with a median diameter (50% D) of over 100 μm by using a pulverizer in the presence of at least one member selected from the group consisting of silica, talc and clay, to obtain particles of the compound represented by formula (I) with a median diameter (50% D) of 100 μm or less, ##STR00001##
in formula (I), R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or alternatively, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are inked to each other to form a ring together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bound, m represents an integer of 2 to 9, M.sup.n+ represents H.sup.+ or an n-valent metal ion, and n represents an integer of 1 or 2.

A fiber is provided that has been thermally drawn from a fiber preform, having a longitudinal-axis length and including at least one core that has a longitudinal core axis parallel to the longitudinal axis and internally disposed to at least one outer fiber cladding material layer along the fiber length. The fiber is fed through a localized heating site having a heating site temperature, T, that is above a melting temperature of the fiber core, with a feed speed, .sub.f, that melts a portion of the fiber core at the heating site, causing molten droplets to pinch off of fiber core material, one droplet at a time, with a time period of molten droplet formation set by the fiber feed speed, .sub.f. The fiber is fed through the localized heating site to move the molten droplets out of the heating site and solidify the molten droplets into solid in-fiber particles.

A reinforcement means for molded and extruded articles such as tires has a metal structure with a layer of silica gel bonded thereto. The silica gel bonds the reinforcement means to the rubber compound during the molding/vulcanization of the rubber compound without the need for a slow curing stage. The silica gel may be applied to the metal structure by a sol-gel process with the gel formed by drying the sol at a temperature up to 150 C. The reinforcement means is preferably a cable formed from steel wires coated with the silica gel. To further improve bonding of the silica gel to the rubber compound, an organosilane bonding agent may be included in the rubber compound or the reinforcing means provided with a second layer comprising an organosilane as a bonding agent. The reinforcement means are particularly useful for strengthening and providing geometric stability to tires.

Herein is provided a fiber that includes a cladding material disposed along a longitudinal-axis fiber length and a plurality of discrete and disconnected high-stress domains that are disposed as a sequence along a longitudinal line parallel to the longitudinal fiber axis in at least a portion of the fiber length. Each high stress domain has an internal pressure of at least 0.1 GPa and comprises a material that is interior to and different than the fiber cladding material.

A method of preparing a metal nanorod. The method includes seeding a metal nanoparticle within the lumen of a nanotube, and growing a metal nanorod from the seeded metal nanoparticle to form a metal nanorod-nanotube composite. In some cases, the nanotube includes metal binding ligands attached to the inner surface. Growing of the metal nanorod includes incubating the seeded nanotube in a solution that includes: a metal source for the metal in the metal nanorod, the metal source including an ion of the metal; a coordinating ligand that forms a stable complex with the metal ion; a reducing agent for reducing the metal ion, and a capping agent that stabilizes atomic monomers of the metal. Compositions derived from the method are also provided.