Abstract: In an aspect of the invention, an array of microprotrusions is formed by providing a mold with cavities corresponding to the negative of the microprotrusions, casting atop the mold a first solution comprising a biocompatible material and a solvent, removing the solvent, casting a second solution atop the first cast solution, removing the solvent from the second solution, and demolding the resulting array from the mold. The first solution preferably contains an active ingredient.

Abstract: Tubular ceramic structures, e.g., anode components of tubular fuel cells, are manufactured by applying ceramic-forming composition to the external surface of the heat shrinkable polymeric tubular mandrel component of a rotating mandrel-spindle assembly, removing the spindle from the assembly after a predetermined thickness of tubular ceramic structure has been built up on the mandrel and thereafter heat shrinking the mandrel to cause the mandrel to separate from the tubular ceramic structure.

Abstract: A pre-filled syringe with excellent air-tightness and liquid-tightness and a mold for forming the gasket are provided. At least a surface of the mold for a gasket laminated with an inactive film for a pre-filled syringe forms a seal sliding surface of an annular protrusion of the gasket is mirror finished to have an arithmetic mean roughness Ra of less than 0.03 ?m.

Abstract: Fabricating a composite material part comprises the steps of making a consolidated fiber preform, the fibers of the preform being carbon or ceramic fibers that are coated in an interphase formed by at least one layer of pyrolytic carbon (PyC) or of boron-doped carbon (BC). Obtaining a partially densified consolidated fiber preform, where partial densification comprises forming a first matrix phase on the interphase, the first matrix phase comprising a plurality of layers of self-healing material alternating with one or more layers of PyC or of BC. Continuing densification by dispersing carbon and/or ceramic powder within the partially densified consolidated preform and by infiltrating molten silicon or a liquid composition formed for the most part of silicon.

Abstract: A wet blanket obtained by impregnating a blanket including bio-soluble inorganic fibers with a colloidal silica liquid. A cured blanket obtained by curing the wet blanket.

Abstract: A prepreg curing process for preparing composites having superior surface finish and high fiber consolidation is provided.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of manufacturing a foam molded product in which a foam molded product (1A, 1B) is formed by integrally adhering together a foam body (2) that is formed by the foaming of a foaming raw material, and an air-permeable component (3) using an apparatus for manufacturing a foam molded product (1A, 1B) that is provided with a cavity (23) between a plurality of mold components (21, 22, 31) that is defined by respective cavity surfaces (21a, 22a, 31a) of the mold components (21, 22, 31).

Abstract: A method of treating a hole formed in a catheter includes providing the catheter with an opening formed in a wall of the catheter from an external surface of the catheter to an internal surface of a lumen of the catheter such that the catheter has a sharp external edge formed between the external surface and the opening and a sharp internal edge formed between the opening and the internal surface of the lumen of the catheter. The method additionally includes pushing a proximal end of a mandrel into the opening formed in the wall of the catheter and rounding the sharp external edge of the opening formed in the wall of the catheter with a distal end of the mandrel. The method further includes maintaining the sharp internal edge formed between the opening and the internal surface of the catheter.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing a length of a flexible polymeric medical tubing of the kind comprising a tubing member defining a lumen, which tubing member is surrounded by spiral convolutions along at least a part of the length of the proximal section and/or the distal section, and which medical tubing has a proximal convoluted section and a distal convoluted section, is disclosed, as well as medical tubings obtained by the methods and their uses. One method comprises the steps of providing a medical tubing wherein the proximal section and the distal section have substantially uniform initial pitch (Pinitial) between adjacent convolutions, and modifying the initial pitch (Pinitial) of at least a part of the proximal section by stretching at least a part of the proximal section to achieve a modified proximal section with a proximal pitch (Pproximal) between adjacent convolutions that is larger than the initial pitch (Pinitial) between adjacent convolutions.

Abstract: An insulating plate (20) made of synthetic resin for transferring heat transferred from conductors to nuts (10) to a heat sink (40) is provided with nut accommodating recesses (21) for accommodating the nuts (10). Each nut accommodating recess (21) includes a bottom plate (22) to be sandwiched between the nuts (10) and the heat sink (40) and a surrounding wall (23) vertically extending from the bottom plate (22) to surround the side surface of the nut (10). The surrounding walls (23) are provided with first and second pressing surfaces (28, 29) to be pressed by ejector pins (83).

Abstract: A vulcanization apparatus provided with a vulcanization vessel for vulcanizing a green tire and a suction line for sucking out gas from inside the vulcanization vessel after the vulcanization vessel has been opened. Accordingly, oily smoke generated when vulcanized rubber has been removed from a bladder and an inner wall of a mold can be more efficiently discharged than in cases in which gas inside a vulcanization vessel is sucked out and additional air is introduced into the vulcanization vessel only prior to opening the vulcanization vessel.

Abstract: A pattern forming method includes determining an amount of curable resin to be formed on a substrate, the curable resin having volatility, the amount of the curable resin being determined by a calculation considering volatile loss of the curable resin, the calculation being performed for each of a plurality of regions of the substrate, forming the curable resin having the determined amount on the substrate, the forming the curable resin being performed for each of the plurality of regions of the substrate, contacting the curable resin formed on the substrate with a template, the template including a pattern to be filled with the curable resin by the contacting, and curing the curable resin under a condition where the curable resin is in contact with the template.

Abstract: An optical film comprising a first domain of a polymer composition and a second domain disposed inside the first domain, wherein the second domain is a bubble having a morphology anisotropy, and the mean alignment direction of the main chain of the polymer molecule in the first domain differs from the mean direction of the major axis of the second domain, is capable of contributing toward display performance unification and body thickness reduction of an image display device.

Abstract: A foamed article is made by infusing the article of thermoplastic elastomer with a supercritical fluid, then removing the article from the supercritical fluid and either (i) immersing the article in a heated fluid or (ii) irradiating the article with infrared or microwave radiation.

Abstract: A bladder monitoring apparatus and method for monitoring an inflatable bladder during curing of composite material in an autoclave. The bladder may be wrapped with composite material and have an impermeable membrane sealed around the composite material. The method may include the steps of fluidly coupling a vacuum port of the impermeable membrane with a vacuum source and fluidly coupling a vent of the bladder with a first port of a flow meter located outward of the autoclave. A second port of the flow meter may also be fluidly coupled with atmosphere within the autoclave. The method may then include evacuating air from within the impermeable membrane. If a flow above a threshold flow is detected by the flow meter, the leak in the bladder may be located and repaired or a valve of the flow meter between the first and second ports may be closed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a steering column for a motor vehicle, comprising a steering spindle mounted rotatably in a steering spindle bearing unit, and comprising a guide bracket for connecting the steering spindle bearing unit to a body of the motor vehicle, wherein at least one component of the steering column is formed at least in part from a fiber-reinforced composite material, wherein a component has a thin-walled braided core which corresponds to the shape of the subsequent component, is formed from a thermoplastic material, and is braided with a fiber material, wherein the braided core is produced in an injection molding method and contains functional elements molded therein.

Abstract: A method for making a polymer with a porous layer from a solid piece of polymer is disclosed. In various embodiments, the method includes heating a surface of a solid piece of polymer to a processing temperature below a melting point of the polymer and holding the processing temperature while displacing a porogen layer through the surface of the polymer to create a matrix layer of the solid polymer body comprising the polymer and the porogen layer. In at least one embodiment, the method also includes removing at least a portion of the layer of porogen from the matrix layer to create a porous layer of the solid piece of polymer.

Abstract: The application discloses methods of fabricating three-dimensional (3D) graphene crystalline foam, based on mixing a carbon source with a skelet (scaffold) powder. In one embodiment heat and pressure are used to compact the carbon and a metal powder into a close packed structure. In another embodiment a 3D crystalline graphene foam is fabricated with a large surface area (550 m2/g) from a 3D metal foam, depositing a layer of graphene using chemical vapor deposition (CVD), depositing a polymer support and removing the metal via wet chemical etching, such that the graphene retains the configuration, and then finally removing the polymer. A method of fabricating the metal foam framework and coating the metal with graphene are also disclosed.

Abstract: An aliphatic polyester film is obtained by melt-extruding an aliphatic polyester as a film, controlling the entrained air stream between a casting drum and the film while inhibiting the variations of the film edge portion landing points on the casting drum, and subsequently bringing the film into contact with the casting drum over the entire width of the film.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rotary tablet press comprising: a rotatingly drivable rotor, having a die plate comprising die holes and assigned to the die holes upper and lower punches, rotating synchronously with the die plate, whose axial movement is controlled by upper and lower control cams, having at least one filling station comprising at least one filling device for filling the die holes with material to be pressed, having at least one compression station disposed downstream of the filling station in the rotational direction of the rotor, comprising at least one pressing device which presses the upper and/or lower punches into the die holes when passing through the compression station in order to press the filled material in the die holes, and having at least one ejector station, disposed downstream of the compression station in the rotational direction of the rotor, comprising an ejector device for ejecting the pressed tablets in the die holes, characterized in that at least one vibration generator is pr