Plantic Technologies Limited

Ceram Polymorik Pty Limited

Antonietta Genovese

Robert Shanks

Graeme Moad

Kishan Khemani

Guoxin Li

Lance Nichols

George Simon

Jana Habsuda

Edmond Lascaris

Wasantha Gunaratne

Jaleh Mansouri

Pulahinge Don Dayananda Rodrigo

Yi-Bing Cheng

Graeme Alexander

Robert Paul Burford

Kenneth Willis Barber

Christopher Wood

Alma Hodzic

In one aspect, the invention provides a substantially exfoliated nanocomposite material including starch and hydrophobically modified layered silicate clay. In another aspect, the invention provides packaging made from material including the substantially exfoliated nanocomposite material described above. The nanocomposite material has improved mechanical and rheological properties and reduced sensitivity to moisture in that the rates of moisture update and/or loss are reduced. In another aspect, the invention provides a process for preparing the substantially exfoliated nanocomposite material described above, including a step of mixing the starch in the form of an aqueous gel with the hydrophobic clay in a melt mixing device. In a further aspect, the invention provides a process for preparing the substantially exfoliated nanocomposite material, including the steps of mixing the starch with the hydrophobic clay to form a masterbatch (hereinafter 'the masterbatch process') and mixing the masterbatch with further starch.

Starch nanocomposite materials

A fire resistant composition comprising: a silicone polymer; mica in an amount of from 5% to 30% by weight based on the total weight of the composition; and a limited amount of glass additive sufficient to enable the formation of a self supporting ceramic material at temperatures above the decomposition temperature of the silicone polymer and below the fire rating temperature of the composition. The glass additive addition required to produce the self supporting ceramic material has been found to be preferably from 0.3% to 8% by weight based on the total weight of the composition. The composition is applicable to products formed for fire wall linings, fire partitions, screens, ceilings or linings, structural fire protection, fire door inserts, window or door seals, intumescent seals, in electrical switchboard cabinets or cables. In one cable application, the composition may be used as the extruded intermediate material () between the conductor () and extruded sheath ().

Fire-resistant silicone polymer compositions

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Sandringham, Australia

Antonietta Genovese