Abstract: The present invention relates to heating panels for underfloor heating, heated flooring elements, and a heating system comprising one or more heating panels. Methods for manufacturing said heating panels are also provided. The heating panels comprise a conductive layer of graphene particles dispersed in a polymer matrix material, wherein the graphene particles have an oxygen content of less than 4 at % and a nitrogen content of at least 3 at %. The heated flooring element comprises one or more heating panels in contact with, and optionally adhered to, at least a portion of a flooring layer.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a tyre and tyre section for a vehicle. The tyre or tyre section comprises a rubber matrix material comprising a butadiene rubber; and carbon nanoparticles comprising functionalised carbon nanoparticles dispersed in the butadiene rubber, wherein the carbon nanoparticles comprise graphene particles and/or carbon nanotubes. Also disclosed are suitable compositions for tyres and tyre sections, as well as methods of making such tyres, tyre sections and compositions, uses of the compositions, and vehicles comprising such tyres or tyre sections.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a shoe sole comprising a rubber matrix material comprising a butadiene rubber; and carbon nanoparticles comprising functionalised carbon nanoparticles, wherein, the carbon nanoparticles consist of graphene particles and/or carbon nanotubes. The present invention also relates to a method of manufacturing the shoe sole.

Abstract: A stretch blow molding method may include fabricating a preform (e.g., by molding, optionally while a core pin rotates within a mold cavity), heating the preform to a softening temperature, stretching and thereby elongating at least a portion of the heated preform, blowing the elongated preform with pressurized fluid within a mold cavity, and cooling the resulting pipette. A system for fabricating a stretch blow molded pipette includes a first mold defining a mold cavity for producing a preform. A stretch rod drive unit is configured to move a stretch rod within an interior of the preform to form an elongated preform, and a second mold defines blow molding cavity and a molding surface to contain expansion of the elongated perform when subjected to blowing by supplying pressurized fluid to an interior thereof.

Abstract: A stretch blow molding method may include fabricating a preform (e.g., by molding, optionally while a core pin rotates within a mold cavity), heating the preform to a softening temperature, stretching and thereby elongating at least a portion of the heated preform, blowing the elongated preform with pressurized fluid within a mold cavity, and cooling the resulting pipette. A system for fabricating a stretch blow molded pipette includes a first mold defining a mold cavity for producing a preform. A stretch rod drive unit is configured to move a stretch rod within an interior of the preform to form an elongated preform, and a second mold defines blow molding cavity and a molding surface to contain expansion of the elongated perform when subjected to blowing by supplying pressurized fluid to an interior thereof.

Abstract: A stretch blow molded pipette is provided that includes a tubular body arranged between a tip region and a mouthpiece region. The tip region has an average wall thickness that is greater than a wall thickness of the tubular body, and the body region has an average wall thickness of less than 0.032 inches (in) and a hoop strength of at least 15 pound-feet (lbf).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for treating a sample using glow-discharge plasma comprising one or more treatment steps, in which the sample for treatment is subject to plasma treatment in a treatment vessel provided with a temperature control system, wherein during the one or more treatment steps the treatment vessel is rotated about an axis in order to agitate the sample and the temperature control system is used to cool or heat the sample. The present invention also relates to an apparatus for use in such a method.

Abstract: The present application relates to methods and apparatus for delivering liquid or solid feedstocks into a plasma treatment vessel. More specifically, the invention provides a method for treating a sample using glow discharge plasma in an apparatus comprising a treatment vessel, the method comprising (i) delivering a gaseous plasma forming feedstock into the treatment vessel through a gas supply line under the control of a gas flow controller, and causing formation of a glow discharge plasma in the treatment vessel from the gaseous plasma forming feedstock; and simultaneously (ii) delivering a reagent into the treatment vessel under the control of a reagent dosing controller, wherein the reagent is a liquid or a solid; and (iii) contacting the sample with the glow discharge plasma and the reagent; wherein the gas flow controller and the reagent dosing controller allow independent control of the rate of delivery of the gaseous plasma forming feedstock and the reagent.

Abstract: Unitary measuring pipettes include a tubular body of biaxially oriented thermoplastic material, together with size reduction, elimination, and/or reorientation of longitudinally spaced, raised circumferential witness features, to mitigate or avoid interference between such witness features and graduated volumetric markings on an outside surface of the tubular body. Methods and apparatus for vacuum forming of unitary measuring pipettes are also provided. Gas permeable apertures or pores having a maximum width of no greater than 150 microns, in ranges of 10-100 microns, 10-50 microns, or subranges thereof, may be defined in face plates or inserts received by mold blanks, or defined in molding surface of cooperating mold bodies, and may be used to produce a tubular pipette body having reduced height witness features. Cooperating mold bodies may each be produced from multiple mold body sections with gas passages defined therein and/or therebetween.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for treating a sample using glow-discharge plasma, in an apparatus comprising a treatment vessel, an electrode, a counter-electrode, and a power supply comprising one or more transformers and having a first transformer setting and a second transformer setting, the method comprising: (i) a loading step, involving loading the sample into the treatment vessel; (ii) a first treatment step involving treating the sample in a glow-discharge plasma formed within the treatment vessel by applying an electric field between the electrode and counter-electrode at the first transformer setting; (iii) a second treatment step involving treating the sample in a glow-discharge plasma formed within the treatment vessel by applying an electric field between the electrode and counter-electrode at the second transformer setting; and (iv) a removal step, involving removing treated sample from the treatment vessel. The method can be used to functionalize a sample.

Abstract: Unitary measuring pipettes include a tubular body of biaxially oriented thermoplastic material, together with size reduction, elimination, and/or reorientation of longitudinally spaced, raised circumferential witness features, to mitigate or avoid interference between such witness features and graduated volumetric markings on an outside surface of the tubular body. Methods and apparatus for vacuum forming of unitary measuring pipettes are also provided. Gas permeable apertures or pores having a maximum width of no greater than 150 microns, in ranges of 10-100 microns, 10-50 microns, or subranges thereof, may be defined in face plates or inserts received by mold blanks, or defined in molding surface of cooperating mold bodies, and may be used to produce a tubular pipette body having reduced height witness features. Cooperating mold bodies may each be produced from multiple mold body sections with gas passages defined therein and/or therebetween.

Abstract: Measuring pipettes including integral or encapsulated filters, as well as methods and apparatuses for forming the same, are provided. A filter material (e.g., a discrete element in solid form) or a filter material precursor (e.g., a foamable thermoplastic composition and a blowing agent) to be introduced into a hollow interior of a softened thermoplastic material present within a mold during pipette fabrication. A pipette includes a filter element comprising foamed polymeric material within a mouthpiece region, wherein an outer portion of the filter element is bound to or encapsulated in an inner wall of the mouthpiece region. A filter material precursor may be supplied coaxially with a tubular flow of thermoplastic material into the mold, may be supplied laterally through a mold wall, or may be injected into a molten thermoplastic pipette forming material upstream of an extruder outlet.

Abstract: A method for producing pipettes (110, 111, 112) is provided. The method includes extruding a polymer melt into at least one mold segment of a mold assembly (120) having a plurality of mold segments to form a parison (50) or preform, wherein the plurality of mold segments (122) comprise cavities (42) that are shaped to form pipettes when in communication with the cavity of an adjacent mold segment; forming at least two pipettes in the shape of the mold segment cavities by blow-molding or vacuum forming the parison or preform, each of the at least two pipettes having proximal and distal ends; heating the pipettes to form a locally heated portion of the at least two pipettes; and separating the pipettes by cutting the locally heated portion of the at least two pipettes with separation feature (64, 66, 194, 196).

Abstract: An extrusion device is provided. The extrusion device includes an extrusion die having a die bushing comprising a channel extending to an opening of the die bushing, a die pin positioned in the channel, and at least one die pin support feature extending between the die pin and the die bushing.

Abstract: A pipette may comprise a length, a longitudinal axis, and an inner curved surface enclosing a space. The pipette may have a tip region having a tip thickness. The tip region may be connected to a body region having a body thickness. The tip thickness may be greater than the body thickness. The body region may be connected to a mouth region having a mouth thickness. The mouth thickness may be greater than the body thickness. The inner curved surface may not contain bumps or ridges either between the tip region and the body region or between the body region and the mouth region. The pipette may be formed by blow molding or vacuum forming.

Abstract: A serological pipette has an elongated hollow tubular body having an optical transmission of 40 to 70% over a range of 390 to 700 nm. The pipette body is formed from a polymer composition that includes 5 to 30 wt. % poly(styrene-butadiene-styrene) and 70 to 95 wt. % polystyrene. The tubular body is formed by extrusion at a barrel temperature ranging from 400 to 500 F.

Abstract: A stretch blow molding method may include fabricating a preform (e.g., by molding, optionally while a core pin rotates within a mold cavity), heating the preform to a softening temperature, stretching and thereby elongating at least a portion of the heated preform, blowing the elongated preform with pressurized fluid within a mold cavity, and cooling the resulting pipette. A system for fabricating a stretch blow molded pipette includes a first mold defining a mold cavity for producing a preform. A stretch rod drive unit is configured to move a stretch rod within an interior of the preform to form an elongated preform, and a second mold defines blow molding cavity and a molding surface to contain expansion of the elongated perform when subjected to blowing by supplying pressurized fluid to an interior thereof.

Abstract: Measuring pipettes including integral or encapsulated filters, as well as methods and apparatuses for forming the same, are provided. A filter material (e.g., a discrete element in solid form) or a filter material precursor (e.g., a foamable thermoplastic composition and a blowing agent) to be introduced into a hollow interior of a softened thermoplastic material present within a mold during pipette fabrication. A pipette includes a filter element comprising foamed polymeric material within a mouthpiece region, wherein an outer portion of the filter element is bound to or encapsulated in an inner wall of the mouthpiece region. A filter material precursor may be supplied coaxially with a tubular flow of thermoplastic material into the mold, may be supplied laterally through a mold wall, or may be injected into a molten thermoplastic pipette forming material upstream of an extruder outlet.

Abstract: Unitary measuring pipettes include a tubular body of biaxially oriented thermoplastic material, together with size reduction, elimination, and/or reorientation of longitudinally spaced, raised circumferential witness features, to mitigate or avoid interference between such witness features and graduated volumetric markings on an outside surface of the tubular body. Methods and apparatus for vacuum forming of unitary measuring pipettes are also provided. Gas permeable apertures or pores having a maximum width of no greater than 150 microns, in ranges of 10-100 microns, 10-50 microns, or subranges thereof, may be defined in face plates or inserts received by mold blanks, or defined in molding surface of cooperating mold bodies, and may be used to produce a tubular pipette body having reduced height witness features. Cooperating mold bodies may each be produced from multiple mold body sections with gas passages defined therein and/or therebetween.

Abstract: A method for producing pipettes (110, 111, 112) is provided. The method includes extruding a polymer melt into at least one mold segment of a mold assembly (120) having a plurality of mold segments to form a parison (50) or preform, wherein the plurality of mold segments (122) comprise cavities (42) that are shaped to form pipettes when in communication with the cavity of an adjacent mold segment; forming at least two pipettes in the shape of the mold segment cavities by blow-molding or vacuum forming the parison or preform, each of the at least two pipettes having proximal and distal ends; heating the pipettes to form a locally heated portion of the at least two pipettes; and separating the pipettes by cutting the locally heated portion of the at least two pipettes with separation feature (64, 66, 194, 196).