Abstract: A monofilament for mowing characterized by being produced by spinning a resin composition, said resin composition comprising 70-97 parts by weight of a polylactic acid resin (A) and 30-3 parts by weight of an adipate plasticizer (B), each relative to 100 parts by weight of the sum of the polylactic acid resin (A) and the adipate plasticizer (B). Thus, the monofilament for mowing, which is biodegradable, shows an excellent mowing performance and has a high breakage resistance and high abrasion resistance, is provided.

Abstract: Hot melt adhesive compositions which have enhanced adhesion to difficult substrates, particularly at refrigerator/freezer temperatures or at elevated temperatures. The inventive compositions require a base polymer comprising an ethylene vinyl acetate-containing polymer; a tackifier; an adhesion promoting additive comprising at least one semi-crystalline polymer having a weight average molecular weight of about 30,000 daltons or less; and optional wax; and an optional antioxidant. It has been found that the adhesion promoting additive of this invention enhances the adhesion properties of a hot melt adhesive composition having ethylene vinyl acetate-containing polymer, particularly at elevated temperatures or at low refrigerator and freezer temperatures where other conventional adhesives have been unsuccessful.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention include color change compositions having a color former and color developer composition that transitions from a first color state to a second color state upon application of an applied stimulus and an amount of a copolymer sufficient to eliminate background color of the color former and color developer composition during transition from the first color state to the second color state. Methods for preparing and devices employing the color change compositions of the invention are also described.

Abstract: The coating composition of the present invention is characterized in that hydrophobic microparticles, and flat-shaped microparticles forming a card-house aggregate structure, are dispersed in a binder resin dissolved in a solvent. Preferably, the aspect ratio of table faces and end faces of the flat-shaped microparticles is 10 or higher. Preferably, the average particle size of the flat-shaped microparticles in an aggregated state ranges from 125 nm to 200 ?m. The coating composition of the present invention can form a coating film having few cracks and can impart high water repellency and high oil repellency without the need for a complex operation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a stable aqueous dispersion of multiphase amphoteric polymer particles comprising a crosslinked polymer phase comprising structural units of a phosphorus acid monomer, a carboxylic acid monomer, a multiethylenically unsaturated monomer, and an ethylenically unsaturated nonionic monomer; and a second polymer phase comprising a carboxylic acid monomer and an ethylenically unsaturated nonionic monomer. The present invention also relates to composites of the particles and pigment particles such as TiO2. The composition is useful for preparing dried coatings with improved hiding.

Abstract: An aqueous polymer coating composition comprising at least: a vinyl polymer A having a wt average molecular wt Mw within the range of from 1,000 to 150,000 g/mol and an acid value >5 mgKOH/g; and a vinyl polymer B having a molecular wt Mw of at least 80,000 g/mol and an acid value <35 mgKOH/g; wherein I) the wt % of olefinically unsaturated monomers used to form polymer A and polymer B are in the ratio of 5:70 to 95:30 and add up to 100%; II) at least 20 wt % of at least one of polymer A and or polymer B is derived from at least one bio-renewable olefinically unsaturated monomer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing homogeneously crosslinked polymers, in which at least one crosslinker is added to a polymer in the melt, in which the polymer is further processed from the melt, and in which a thermal crosslinking reaction is brought about by means of the crosslinker, with at least part of the crosslinking reaction taking place after the further processing at a temperature below the melting temperature of the polymer, characterized in that the crosslinker comprises an at least difunctional compound, at least one of the functional groups being an oxazoline group, and the polymer contains functional groups which, at a temperature below the melting temperature of the polymer, are able to react with the oxazolines in a linking reaction in the sense of the thermal crosslinking reaction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to latex compositions comprising hydroxyethyl cellulose grafted acrylic polymer emulsions and methods for preparing same without gelling or coagulation. The latex composition comprises at least about 0.2% of HEC by weight relative to the monomer weight, contains at least about 45% solid, and the average mean volume (mV) latex particle size is in the range of about 320-about 850 nm. Paint compositions incorporating the HEC grafted acrylic latex show high viscosity at static conditions and have no color flow and no syneresis compared paints containing a latex without HEC grafting. The present invention also relates to a cross-linking mechanism that cross-links latex particles at ambient conditions. This cross-linking mechanism comprises diacetone acrylamide (DAAM) and methacrylamide (MAM) with or without styrene.

Abstract: A resin particle aggregate is the resin particle aggregate formed by aggregating a plurality of resin particles including a polymer of a vinyl monomer, includes 100 parts by mass of the resin particles and 1 to 5 parts by mass of a surfactant. The resin particles are cross-linked by a cross-linkable monomer in an amount of 10 to 50% by mass relative to the total mass of the resin particles, the resin particle aggregate contains an inorganic component in an amount of 0.5% by mass or less, the resin particles have a volume average particle diameter D1, particles contained in a dispersion liquid of the resin particle aggregate in water have a volume average particle diameter D2, and the ratio of D2/D1 is 15 or less.

Abstract: Described herein are a wood plastic composite including an oleaginous microbial biomass, a thermoplastic composite including a heterotrophically cultivated microalgal biomass, and related articles and methods.

Abstract: A composition comprising in Part 1: a) one or more isocyanate functional components having aromatic isocyanate functional groups; and b) one or more isocyanate functional components having aliphatic isocyanate functional groups; and in Part 2 c) one or more compounds having more than one isocyanate reactive groups: wherein the ratio of aromatic isocyanate functional groups to isocyanate reactive groups is from 0.95 to 1.05 and the ratio of aromatic isocyanate functional groups and aliphatic isocyanate functional groups (total isocyanate groups) to isocyanate reactive groups is from 1.10 to 1.30.

Abstract: A production method of a compound for realization of modified bitumen for asphalts is disclosed, and includes the following steps: grinding of vulcanized rubber to obtain vulcanized crumb rubber with granulometry lower than 0.4 mm; mixing of the vulcanized crumb rubber, SBS and lubricant in an extruder, wherein the weight percentage of lubricant is between 1% and 50% compared to mixture weight and the vulcanized crumb rubber is in a weight percentage of 70-100% compared to SBS weight; in such way to obtain an extruded compound containing the vulcanized crumb rubber, SBS and lubricant.

Abstract: A method of forming a particle includes, in a disperse phase within an aqueous suspension, polymerizing a plurality of mer units of a hydrophilic monomer having a hydrophobic protection group, thereby forming a polymeric particle including a plurality of the hydrophobic protection groups. The method further includes converting the polymeric particle to a hydrophilic particle.

Abstract: Methods of synthesizing a binary polymer functionalized nanoparticle are generally provided. In one embodiment, a first anchoring compound is attached to a nanoparticle, and a first plurality of first monomers are polymerized on the first anchoring compound to form a first polymeric chain covalently bonded to the nanoparticle via the first anchoring compound. In another embodiment, a first polymeric chain can be attached to the nanoparticle, where the first polymeric chain has been polymerized prior to attachment to the nanoparticle. Thereafter, a second anchoring compound is attached to the nanoparticle, and a second plurality of second monomers are polymerized on the second anchoring compound to form a second polymeric chain covalently bonded to the nanoparticle via the second anchoring compound. Nanoparticles are also generally provided having multiple polymeric assemblies.

Abstract: A high-hardness clear coating material capable of improving hardness and corrosion resistance of an aluminum material surface includes, in % by weight, 10 to 20% of a melamine curing agent, 10 to 15% of silica, 1 to 5% of a phenol resin, and a remainder of an acrylic resin and other unavoidable impurities.

Abstract: Modified polyphenol binder compositions and methods for making and using same are provided. In at least one specific embodiment, the binder composition can include at least one unsaturated monomer and at least one polyphenolic compound. The polyphenolic compound can include a lignin, a tannin, a novolac resin, a modified phenol formaldehyde resin, bis-phenol A, humic acid, or any mixture thereof.

Abstract: This invention relates to polymer compositions comprising: (1) at least one polymer selected from the groups consisting of: nylon, polyesters, copolyesters, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamides; polystyrene, polystyrene copolymers, styrene acrylonitrile copolymers, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymers, poly(methylmethacrylate), acrylic copolymers, poly(ether-imides); polyphenylene oxides or poly(phenylene oxide)/polystyrene blends, polystyrene resins; polyphenylene sulfides; polyphenylene sulfide/sulfones; poly(ester-carbonates); polycarbonates; polysulfones; polysulfone ethers; and poly(ether-ketones); or mixtures of any of the other foregoing polymers, and (2) at least one fluoroalkyl derivative.

Abstract: The invention is a room-temperature-curable resin composition including a phosphazene skeleton-containing organosilicon compound shown by the following general formula (1). This provides a room-temperature-curable resin composition which is curable in short time, free from generation of an odor due to the catalyst, free from a heavy environmental load; and has sufficient hardness, elongation at shear, and tensile strength after curing.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to methods for resolving water and oil emulsions in the produced fluid of an oil production system comprising adding a reverse emulsion breaker to the produced fluid of the crude oil production system in an amount effective for resolving an oil-in-water emulsion. In particular, these methods for resolving an oil-in-water emulsion can be used in separation processes where the oil and solids in the produced fluid are separated from the produced water in the produced fluid.

Abstract: A process for the synthesis of a diene copolymer comprising at least two blocks, at least one of the blocks being composed of a diene elastomer, characterized in that it comprises a stage of 1,3-dipolar reaction of two polymers defined as being: a) a diene elastomer bearing an alkyne functional group at one or each of its chain ends, and b) a polymer bearing at least one azide functional group. This process of synthesis can be adjusted, whatever the nature of the monomers necessary to form each of the blocks of the copolymer. Each block can be synthesized with an appropriate chemistry, independently of the other block.