North Carolina State University

Other

Eastman Chemical Company

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Richard J Spontak

Saad A Khan

Joseph Desimone

Joseph R Royer

Koushik Ghosh

Teri Anne Walker

Joanna E Roberts

Victoria A Prevysh

Emily Facchine

Srinivas Siripurapu

Soo Ah Jin

Tushar K Ghosh

Yvon J Gay

Ravi Shankar

Orlando Rojas

Aqueous mixtures can include cellulose nanocrystals and sulfonated polyester, where a glass transition temperature (T) of the sulfonated polyester is greater than 25° C. In some instances, exemplary aqueous mixtures also include one or more additives, such as pigment. Exemplary aqueous mixtures can be applied as a film that is typically hydrophobic and resilient against water at room temperature. Upon application of warm water, such as at temperatures of from about 30° C. to about 60° C., the film can be removed with no or limited abrasion and/or with no or little removal oils.

Aqueous mixtures comprising cellulose nanocrystals and sulfonated polyester

Suspensions can include a polar solvent, sulfonated polyester material dispersed in the polar solvent, and cellulose nanofibril material dispersed in the polar solvent. Suspensions disclosed and contemplated herein leverage polyester that can be used to independently control film formation and rheology. In some instances, polyesters used in suspensions disclosed herein can perform the role of two additives: aqueous thickener and film reinforcement.

Suspensions including cellulose nanofibril and polyester

An actuator element formed from an actuator composition is described, along with transducers including the same. The composition comprises: (i) a thermoplastic elastomer copolymer, the copolymer comprising at least one flexible midblock, and at least two glassy or semicrystalline endblocks; and (ii) a liquid modifier that selectively solvates the at least one flexible midblock.

Electroactive nanostructured polymers as tunable organic actuators

Polymeric materials having a plurality of cells formed therein are described. The polymeric materials include a foamed layer comprising a plurality of uniform microcells, nanocells or combinations thereof in a closed cell network, a transition layer positioned adjacent to the foamed layer, and at least one unfoamed outer layer positioned adjacent to the transition layer. The foamed layer may be present in a volume ranging from about 80 to about 99 percent based on the volume of the polymeric material, the transition layer may present in a volume ranging from about 0 to about 10 percent based on the volume of the polymeric material, and the at least one outer layer may be present in a volume ranging from about 0.01 to about 10 percent based on the volume of the polymeric material. Methods of making such polymeric materials are also described, as are apparatus for providing foamed polymeric materials.

Nano-and micro-cellular foamed thin-walled material, and processes and apparatuses for making the same

A method of producing a foamed material comprises contacting a mixture comprising a first thermoplastic polymer and a second thermoplastic polymer with a blowing agent, wherein the first thermoplastic polymer has a higher percent crystallinity that the second thermoplastic polymer; and subjecting the mixture to conditions sufficient to create a thermodynamic instability in the blend foam the mixture, wherein the mixture comprising the first and second thermoplastic polymers has a percent crystallinity lower than the first thermoplastic polymer.

Methods of making foamed materials of blended thermoplastic polymers using carbon dioxide

A method of producing a foamed material comprises contacting a material with a fluid mixture comprising carbon dioxide and a surfactant, wherein the surfactant facilitates the dissolution of the carbon dioxide into the material and then foam the material in the fluid mixture.

Method of making foamed materials using surfactants and carbon dioxide

A method of recycling sodium-based salts used for digesting wood in a digester during the manufacture of pulp and paper. The method comprises collecting a black liquor from the digester, concentrating the black liquor, and adding a salt to the black liquor in an amount sufficient to reduce the viscosity thereof. Preferred salts are thiocyanate salts. The black liquor is then oxidized to produce a green liquor and a causticizer added to the green liquor to produce a white liquor containing the sodium-based salts to be recycled. The white liquor is then returned to the digester.

Growing community of inventors

Raleigh, NC, United States of America

Richard J Spontak