Abstract: Resin solid matter having a chemical structure represented by the following chemical formula (1) is contacted with a mixture (A), which contains (a) an acidic compound and (b) water as essential components, and which does not dissolve the resin solid matter, to thereby break the bonds in the chemical structure of the above formula (1). Thereafter, the resultant resin solid matter is removed from a base material by a solvant, whereby both of the base material and the removed resin can be recycled, and the solution for removing the resin can be repeatedly used.

Abstract: As the read capabilities of magnetic disk systems improve due to advanced GMR heads, it becomes necessary to correspondingly reduce the area of recorded data. This requires a narrowing of the stitched sub-pole at the write gap. This has proved difficult for pole widths less than about 0.4 microns because of problems in filling the mold. In the present invention this is overcome by introducing a layer of PMGI (polydimethylglutarimide) between the planarized positive photoresist layer that comprises the mold and the non-magnetic write gap layer on which the mold rests. This greatly facilitates formation of a high aspect ratio hole with a clean flat bottom and essentially vertical sides as well as the subsequent removal of the photoresist after said hole has been filled through electroplating to form a stitched sub-pole.

Abstract: A dilution tool (100) and a method to prepare a solution by mixing of two fluids in a filter (130) to form a desired solution. Sealless pumps (141, 142) are driven by a common motor (143) to pump the fluids at a constant ratio of their respective flow rates while the flow rate of the solution varies. The conductivity or resistivity of the solution is measured with a measurement device (166) to determine the concentration.

Abstract: A totally biodegradable oil absorption material is utilized to clean up oil spills on both land and water. Particles of coconut coir pith between about one-quarter of an inch and one inch in size are utilized for this purpose. The flakes or granules of coconut coir pith are spread upon the surface of the oil spill. The coconut coir pith readily absorbs the oil and remains in a form that can be easily recovered by scooping or raking. Once recovery is complete, the oil-saturated coconut coir pith can be subjected to squeezing by pressure to liberate the oil collected. Following extraction of the absorbed oil, the coconut coir pith can be reused for subsequent oil cleanup operations. Also, the oil extracted from the coconut coir pith is not contaminated and can be used as well. Coconut coir pith is a byproduct obtained from the husks of coconuts as those husks are processed to make fiber ropes and other articles.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing a flexible circuit board having gold selectively plated on only desired elements of the conductive circuits. These desired elements typically are attachment sites, such as wire bond pads or ball grid array pads, for semiconductor chips. This method eliminates the requirement to buss all circuits to a common plating contact by using a background seed metal for plating continuity. This method also provides a means to alleviate the requirement for precise registration or alignment when multiple photoresist layers are employed in order to selectively plate only a portion of the metallic elements present on the flexible circuit board. The defect of resist lifting followed by nickel/gold underplating is eliminated by conditioning the intermediate photoresist to survive the nickel/gold plating bath.