Abstract: A process of producing an asphalt-impregnated fiberboard comprises the steps of forming an aqueous slurry of a fibrous material and asphalt, the solids content of the slurry being less than about 8 weight percent, mixing the slurry to uniformly distribute its components, dewatering the slurry to form a wet mat, pressing the wet mat to consolidate it, and drying the consolidated wet mat. Fiberboards made by the process can be employed as durable resilient expansion joints between various types of structural members.

Abstract: Methods of sulfonating a polymer are provided. One method of sulfonating a polymer includes exposing sulfur dioxide and oxygen to free radical producing energy and contacting the polymer with the product of preceding step. Desirably, the steps of exposing sulfur dioxide and oxygen to free radical producing energy and contacting the polymer with this product are performed in a reduced pressure environment. Another method of sulfonating a polymer includes contacting the polymer with sulfur dioxide and oxygen and exposing the contacted polymer to free radical producing energy. The polymer may be contacted with a mixture of sulfur dioxide and oxygen or the polymer may be separately contacted with sulfur dioxide and oxygen. When the polymer is separately contacted with sulfur dioxide and oxygen, the polymer may first be contacted with sulfur dioxide and then contacted with oxygen.

Abstract: A carbon-fiber-reinforced composite material is simply produced by molding a resin composition comprising carbon fibers and a matrix resin directly on a base material through injection molding or compression molding without resort to any primer.

Abstract: A shaped adhesive article is prepared by a method comprising the steps of shaping an adhesive mixture in a mold, said mold having one or more featured surfaces, said mixture including a first polymer precursor and a second polymer precursor, or a first polymer precursor and a thermoplastic polymer, polymerizing said first polymer precursor in said mold, to produce a shaped adhesive article having one or more featured surfaces, removing said shaped adhesive article from said mold, and adhering one or more of said featured surfaces to a substrate.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a rust-preventing cover in which sufficient strength during mounting is ensured and which can be easily removed when not needed. The method of manufacturing a rust-preventing cover is carried out by a WFM manufacturing method rather than a conventional DFM manufacturing method. A mixed aqueous solution having paper fibers as a main material thereof is stored in a water tank. A porous rust-preventing cover mold is immersed therein. Then, the mixed aqueous solution is sucked by a vacuum pump. In this way, a paper fiber surface layer, which later becomes a rust-preventing cover, is formed on a surface of a mold main body of the rust-preventing cover mold at portions to which masking has not been applied. By adjusting a suction time of the vacuum pump, a rust-preventing cover of an arbitrary thickness which corresponds to a thickness required during mounting can be obtained.

Abstract: A method of degassing a disk drive component including heating the drive component to a temperature ranging from about 70.degree. C. to 250.degree. C.; subjecting the drive component to vacuum pressure during heating, the vacuum pressure having a first pressure and a second pressure; and monitoring the vacuum pressure to determine the level of degassing of the disk drive component.

Abstract: A process for thermomechanically treating heat bonded thermoplastic and partially thermoplastic nonwoven webs while under low strain rate tension results in significant improvements to the nonwoven web's conformability, softness and impart a high degree of commercially valuable elasticity. The resultant webs find use in all nonwoven applications where softness, conformability and elasticity are useful. The process develops elasticity in only one direction but the two embodiments provide the ability to create elasticity in the machine or cross machine direction of a roll of precursor material. In addition virtually any precursor web containing at least 60% thermally bonded thermoplastic fibers can be used.

Abstract: An injection-molded product is obtained by injection molding a thermoplastic resin material. The thermoplastic resin material comprises a polyglycolic acid homopolymer or copolymer having a repeating unit represented by the following formula (1): ##STR1## in a proportion not lower than 70 wt. % and a repeating unit derived from at least one cyclic comonomer selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxalate and lactide in a proportion not higher than 30 wt. %, and having the following physical properties: (a) a melt viscosity, n*, measured at a temperature of the melting point, Tm, of the polyglycolic acid homopolymer or copolymer +20.degree. C. and a shear rate of 1,000/sec, of 30-10,000 Pa.multidot.s; (b) a melting point, Tm, of at least 150.degree. C.; (c) a melt enthalpy, .DELTA.Hm, of at least 20 J/g; and (d) a density of at least 1.50 g/cm.sup.3 as measured in an unoriented, crystallized form. The injection-molded product has Izod impact strength, unnotched, 25.degree. C., of at least 20 kJ/m.sup.

Abstract: A method of the invention can produce a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin foamed product having less unevenness in a thickness of a surface layer and excellent mechanical strength. In the method, a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin sheet is continuously shaped into a hollow member, and a foaming resin composition containing a thermoplastic resin and a foaming agent is supplied into an interior of the obtained hollow member. The foaming agent is foamed so that the hollow member is shaped into a desired form by the foaming pressure.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a cellulose ester film, the method comprising the steps of dissolving a cellulose ester and a plasticizer in a solvent containing a cyclic diether solvent to obtain a cellulose ester solution, casting the solution on a support to form a cellulose ester film, separating the cellulose ester film from the support, and drying the separated film, wherein the water content of the solution is 0.06 to 15 weight %, and the residual solvent content in the film at the separation step is 50 to 450 weight %.

Abstract: An agglomerate and a process for its manufacture by providing a dry particulated fibrous organic material, mixing it with a powdered mineral to obtain a first mixture, adding a binding agent to the first mixture to obtain a second mixture, agglomerating the second mixture in an agglomeration dish and drying the agglomerate to a desired dried state.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of making sheet articles, for example, abrasive articles, retroreflective articles (such as traffic signs), pavement marking articles, or traction or non-skid articles. The method includes passing particles through a thermal sprayer to heat the particles and impinging the heated particles into a polymeric sheet so that the particles are at least partially embedded in the polymeric sheet. Preferably, the polymeric sheet is heated before impingement of the heated particles. One preferred method of softening the sheet is by a thermal sprayer that is used to heat the particles. A preferred thermal sprayer is a flame sprayer having a nozzle for emitting a flame, where the nozzle has a cross-web width and a downweb thickness, the width being substantially greater than the thickness.

Abstract: The present invention provides a carbon composite material which is a molded material comprising (a) an expanded graphite powder and (b) a thermoplastic resin or a thermosetting resin or a fired product of the thermosetting resin, and the expanded graphite powder (a) being dispersed in the component (b), wherein the expanded graphite powder has an average particle diameter of 5-12 .mu.m and at least 80% of the total particles of the expanded graphite powder have particle diameters of 0.1-20 .mu.m; and a process for producing a carbon composite material, which comprises mixing and dispersing a thermoplastic or thermosetting resin and the expanded graphite powder as mentioned above, and then pressure-molding the resulting mixture at room temperature to 400.degree. C., or a process for producing a carbon composite material, which comprises mixing and dispersing a thermosetting resin and the expanded graphite powder as mentioned above, pressure-molding the resulting mixture at room temperature to 400.degree. C.

Abstract: A combination flashing and mortar and debris collection device for use with cavity wall constructions. The device comprises a flashing member having a mortar and debris collection material applied to at least a portion of the surface thereof. The flashing member includes an upper portion that is received within the inner wall at an elevation above the floor of the cavity, an inclined central portion that extends from an elevated portion of the inner wall through the cavity to the base portion of the outer wall, and a lower portion that is received at the base of the outer wall. The lower portion of the flashing member includes means to define weep holes.

Abstract: A membrane structure employing a structure in which a lipid membrane is held by a hydrophilic polymer. The hydrophilic polymer layer contains an aqueous phase. There are functional molecules distributed selectively throughout each layer. The membrane structure is adaptable to applications as a separating agent, filler or delivery agent by performing physical and chemical operations.

Abstract: A method to fabricate plastic cards is disclosed. A substrate tape is perforated with evenly spaced holes, and when placed in a working station, positioning pins engage into the holes. The spacing between two sets of pins is then slightly increased thereby tensioning the tape without stretching it thereby providing for highly accurate alignment.

Abstract: A process for producing polyolefin materials is disclosed which comprises the steps of (a) preparing a molded article of an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyolefin having a viscosity-average molecular weight of more than 500,000; (b) stretching said article by more than thirty-fold; (c) contracting the thus stretched article to an extent ranging from 0.3 to 80% in the direction of stretch; and (d) re-stretching the thus contracted article. The resulting polyolefin materials are improved in mechanical strength and elasticity modulus.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for uniform granulation is disclosed. The method involves the use of an initial feedstock having particle size of -150 mesh and 90% or greater particle size of 200 mesh. The feedstock may be contacted in a pan granulator which includes a minor amount of nucleating material of about -35 mesh. Binder is introduced into the pan granulator to progressively layer the feedstock material onto the nucleating to form a final product having a size distribution -8 mesh to +4 mesh. The method is designed to be interruptible and is particularly useful for forming granules having a plurality of layers of differing material. The method has marked improvement over the prior art methods since a particularly fine granule can be formed in a relatively expedient process to result in a granule having high commercial value and high break strength. These factors are achievable in addition to 100% product usage with no waste.

Abstract: A carbonaceous material for an electrical double layer capacitor is produced by performing a halogenation treatment step wherein a halogenated dry-distilled charcoal is obtained by bringing a dry-distilled charcoal into contact with a halogen gas; a molding treatment step of adding a binding agent to the halogenated dry-distilled charcoal to form a molded article; and a dehalogenation treatment step wherein a part or all of the halogen in the molded article is eliminated. The carbonaceous material for an electrical double layer capacitor obtained by this method is impregnated with sulfuric acid to form a carbon electrode for an electrical double layer capacitor. This electrode is used to form an electrical double layer capacitor.

Abstract: A process for dissolving a binder off a fiber web bonded therewith includes treating the fiber web, which is bonded with a polymeric binder having carboxylate groups crosslinked via alkaline earth metal cations, with an aqueous solution of an alkali metal salt to form a sparingly soluble salt or complex between the anion of the alkali metal salt and the alkaline earth metal cations, and then removing the fiber freed of the binder.