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This paper presents the tensile, thermal, dielectric and morphological properties of composites based on polyoxymethylene (POM) and nanosilica (NS) prepared by melt mixing method at 190 °C. Based on the torque readings, the processing of POM/NS composites were found to be easier in comparison to only POM. The FT-IR spectra analysis of the POM/NS nanocomposites showed the presence of peak at approximately 910 cm-1, attributed to the Si-O and C-O groups in NS and POM on the POM/NS nanocomposite. The absorption at these peaks increased on gradually increasing the content of NS. Tensile property testing (tensile strength, elongation at break, and Young's modulus) indicated that the tensile strength of POM/NS nanocomposites increases as the NS content increases from 0.5 wt.% to 1.5 wt.%, and sharply dropped when the NS content was more than 2 wt.%. A similar trend was observed for Young's modulus and elongation at break of the nanocomposites. The DSC analysis of the nanocomposites showed that the melting temperature (Tm) of POM/NC composites increased in the presence of low weight % of NS which can be attributed to the interaction between POM and NS leading to the rising crystallinity of all nanocomposites. POM/NS have a slightly higher temperature resistance as confirmed from the TGA analysis and POM/NS 1.5 wt.% had the maximum degradation temperature (Tmax) value and consequently the lowest weight loss. The dielectric constant of the nanocomposites increased from 3.26 to 3.56, while the dielectric loss tangent and volume resistivity were dropped, corresponding to the NS content from 0.5 to 2 wt.%. The SEM images of POM/NS nanocomposites demonstrated that the NS particles were dispersed relatively regularly into POM with a size in the range of 100 to 500 nm. They were dispersed more regularly into the polymer matrix at 1.5 wt.% NS. Based on the obtained results, the suitable NS content for the preparation of the POM/NS nanocomposites was found to be 1.5 wt.%.

In this work, nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR)/chloroprene rubber (CR) blends were prepared and investigated. The results showed that NBR and CR in the NBR/CR (50/50) blend were partially compatible. This blend had a relatively regular and compact structure, which improved the mechanical properties as well as the weather resistance, thermal stability, and oil, grease resistances. At the DLH compatibilizer content of 1% (made from Cashew nut shell liquid) or D01 (made from Tung oil), the materials possess better mechanical and physical properties due to much more regular and compact structure. NBR/CR blends can be potential materials for industrial applications which demand high oil and grease resistance and good weather resistance as well as good thermal stability.

The international issue to be addressed towards realizing a low-carbon society is to reduce the amount of carbon-based underground reserves such as coal, petroleum, and coke, and strongly encouraged to use carbon neutral biomass-derived resources. Woodceramics is a hybrid porous carbon material composed of wood-based biomass and phenolic resin, characterized by high far-infrared emissivity and large specific surface area. Woodceramics has been studied as heating elements and humidity and gas sensors, etc. If this is applied to the inner walls of aging and grain drying furnaces for vegetables and fruits, both ripening and drying are greatly promoted and fossil fuels used in boilers can be significantly reduced. In fact, it can produce black garlic with far infrared rays using a woodceramics brick efficiently. Furthermore, as a substitute for phenolic resin, if plant-based liquefied materials from cashew nut shell oil can be prepared and can be used for manufacturing woodceramics, then all carbon neutral circulating woodceramics made from wood-based biomass is possible to manufacture. On the other hand, woodplastics is a composite material that can be made of wooden materials and plastics, and able to expect the effective use of wood-based biomass and waste plastics.