Abstract: Described herein are materials and methods useful in the field of insulation, including building materials, refrigeration, cryogenics, and shipping, amongst others. Advantageously, the provided materials and method provide low thermal conductivities and increased mechanical strength, allowing for efficient insulating in a diverse range of applications. The provided materials and methods include individual particles connected by a polymer network that links individual particles and may include hollow or evacuated capsules and various strengthening agents.

Abstract: A polymer composition characterized by containing a diene-based polymer (A) and a filler (B), the diene-based polymer (A) containing the polymer (A1) and the polymer (A2) described below. Polymer (A1): A diene-based polymer that is a polymer of a conjugate diene compound or a copolymer of the conjugate diene compound and an aromatic vinyl compound, the diene-based polymer being modified with a polar group having affinity for the filler (B), wherein the aromatic vinyl content is 25 mass % or less, and the modification rate is 30-100%. Polymer (A2): A diene-based polymer that is a copolymer of an aromatic vinyl compound and a conjugate diene compound including 1,3-butadiene, wherein the aromatic vinyl content is 30-50 mass %, the vinyl content is 5-30 mass %, and the peak molecular weight in terms of polystyrene measured using gel permeation chromatography is 400,000 to 2,000,000.

Abstract: A layered tetravalent metal phosphate composition (e.g., a layered zirconium phosphate composition) and a first corrosion inhibitor (e.g., cerium (III), a vanadate, a molybdate, a tungstate, a manganous, a manganate, a permanganate, an aluminate, a phosphonate, a thiazole, a triazole, and/or an imidazole) is dispersed in an aqueous solution and stirred to form a first solution. A precipitate of the first solution is collected and washed to form a first corrosion inhibiting material (CIM), which includes the first corrosion inhibitor intercalated in the layered tetravalent metal phosphate composition. The first CIM is added to a first sol-gel composition to form a first CIM-containing sol-gel composition. The first CIM-containing sol-gel composition is applied on a substrate to form a CIM-containing sol-gel layer, cured by UV radiation, and thermally cured to form a corrosion-resistant coating. One or more additional sol-gel composition may be applied on the substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed are a scratch-proof TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) cutting board having increased wear resistance and no toxicity and a method of manufacturing the same, the method according to a preferred embodiment including (1) weighing 72 wt % of TPU, 25 wt % of magnesium sulfate, and 3 wt % of a dispersant, (2) placing the materials weighed in step (1) in a mixing tank and performing mixing with stirring for 40 min, (3) placing the mixed materials in a dryer and performing drying at 80° C. for 3 hr, and (4) placing the dried materials in an injection-molding machine and performing injection molding, whereby the molecular cohesion of TPU and magnesium sulfate is enhanced, whereby the final TPU cutting board has greatly increased wear resistance and friction resistance and is non-toxic, and surface scratches do not occur due to a cutting process when using the cutting board, thereby preventing discoloration of the surface of the cutting board.