Abstract: A bio-renewable flame-retardant compound is disclosed. The bio-renewable flame-retardant compound includes a cyclic structure formed in a reaction with a bio-renewable diene.

Abstract: A flame-retardant vanillin-derived molecule, a process for forming a flame-retardant resin, and an article of manufacture comprising a material that contains the flame-retardant vanillin-derived molecule are disclosed. The flame-retardant vanillin-derived molecule can be synthesized from vanillin obtained from a bio-based source, and can have at least one phosphoryl or phosphonyl moiety with phenyl, allyl, epoxide, propylene carbonate, or thioether substituents. The process for forming the flame-retardant resin can include reacting a vanillin derivative and a flame-retardant phosphorus-based molecule to form the flame-retardant vanillin-derived molecule, and binding the flame-retardant vanillin-derived molecule to a resin. The flame-retardant vanillin-derived molecules can also be bound to polymers. The material in the article of manufacture can be flame-retardant, and contain the flame-retardant vanillin-derived molecules.

Abstract: A flame-retardant vanillin-derived small molecule, a process for forming a flame-retardant polymer, and an article of manufacture comprising a material that contains the flame-retardant vanillin-derived small molecule are disclosed. The flame-retardant vanillin-derived small molecule can be synthesized from vanillin obtained from a bio-based source, and can have at least one phosphoryl or phosphonyl moiety with phenyl, allyl, or thioether substituents. The process for forming the flame-retardant polymer can include reacting a diol vanillin derivative and a flame-retardant phosphorus-based molecule to form the flame-retardant vanillin-derived small molecule, and binding the flame-retardant vanillin-derived small molecule to a polymer. The material in the article of manufacture can be flame-retardant, and contain the flame-retardant vanillin-derived small molecules. Examples of materials that can be in the article of manufacture can include resins, plastics, adhesives, polymers, etc.

Abstract: A flame-retardant vanillin-derived cross-linker, a process for forming a flame-retardant polymer, and an article of manufacture comprising a material that contains the flame-retardant vanillin-derived cross-linker are disclosed. The flame-retardant vanillin-derived cross-linker can be synthesized from vanillin obtained from a bio-based source, and can have at least one phosphoryl or phosphonyl moiety with phenyl, allyl, epoxide, propylene carbonate, or thioether substituents. The process for forming the flame-retardant polymer can include reacting a diol vanillin derivative and a flame-retardant phosphorus-based molecule to form the flame-retardant vanillin-derived cross-linker, and binding the flame-retardant vanillin-derived cross-linker to a polymer. The material in the article of manufacture can be flame-retardant, and contain flame-retardant vanillin-derived cross-linkers. Examples of materials that can be in the article of manufacture can include resins, plastics, adhesives, polymers, etc.

Abstract: A flame-retardant vanillin-derived monomer, a process for forming a flame-retardant polymer, and an article of manufacture comprising a material that contains flame-retardant vanillin-derived monomer are disclosed. The flame-retardant vanillin-derived monomer can be synthesized from vanillin obtained from a bio-based source, and can have at least one phosphoryl or phosphonyl moiety with phenyl, allyl, epoxide, or propylene carbonate substituents. The process for forming the flame-retardant polymer can include reacting a vanillin derivative and a flame-retardant phosphorus-based molecule to form the flame-retardant vanillin-derived monomer, and then polymerizing the flame-retardant vanillin-derived monomer. The material in the article of manufacture can be flame-retardant, and contain the flame-retardant vanillin-derived monomer. Examples of materials that can be in the article of manufacture can include resins, plastics, adhesives, polymers, etc.

Abstract: A coupling that includes a female coupling member having at least one electrically conductive ring on an inner mating surface; a male coupling member having at least one electrically conductive ring on an outer mating surface, the outer mating surface sized to fit within the inner mating surface of the female coupling member; and wherein when the male coupling member is inserted into the female coupling member, alignment of the at least one electrically conductive ring of the female coupling member with the at least one electrically conductive ring of the male coupling member indicates whether the female coupling member and the male coupling member are fully engaged.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a composition is provided that includes an indenofluorene moiety; an alkyl radical, an aryl radical, or a heteroaryl radical chemically bound to the indenofluorene moiety; and an electron donor moiety bound to the indenofluorene moiety. In another embodiment, a device is provided that includes compositions described herein. In another embodiment, a method of forming a donor-acceptor small molecule or a donor-acceptor copolymer is provided that includes forming an indenofluorene moiety; forming an electron donor moiety; and reacting the indenofluorene moiety with the electron donor moiety in a cross-coupling reaction.

Abstract: An article of manufacture. The article of manufacture includes a ring-opened lactide copolymer. The ring-opened lactide copolymer is formed in a process that includes reacting a functionalized lactide monomer with a BPA-derived monomer. The reaction forms a lactide copolymer, which is reacted to form the ring-opened lactide copolymer.

Abstract: An impact-modified composition and a method of making an impact-modified composition are provided. In an embodiment, the method includes reacting a phosphazene material with an acrylamide material to form a functionalized phosphazene material; initiating a polymerization reaction on a reaction mixture comprising the functionalized phosphazene material and one or more monomers to form an impact-modified phosphazene material; and adding the an impact-modified phosphazene material to a polymeric material.

Abstract: A displacement sensor that includes a stationary printed circuit board which includes a first capacitor pad, an indicator, and a battery electrically communicating with the first capacitor pad and the indicator and a sliding card which includes a second capacitor pad, the first capacitor pad and the second capacitor pad being orientated to face each other and in an overlapping relation to each other. An overlap being defined by the first capacitor pad and the second capacitor pad, wherein the overlap of the first capacitor pad and the second capacitor pad generates a capacitance, the generated capacitance changes as the sliding card moves as a result of a change in the overlap of the first capacitor pad and the second capacitor pad. The indicator is activated when the generated capacitance change reaches a threshold value.

Abstract: Monitoring seating of a cable connector within a socket is provided by associating a seating monitor with the socket. The seating monitor includes an actuator and a detector. The actuator is partially exposed within the socket, and is engaged by the connector and moved from a cable unplugged position to a cable plugged position with seating of the connector within the socket. The detector monitors seating of the connector within the socket based on position of the actuator. The detector includes a fixed member fixedly positioned within the detector, and a slidable member slidable relative to the fixed member. The slidable member is coupled to the actuator to slide with movement of the actuator. The detector circuit generates a signal representative of position of the slidable member relative to the fixed member, and thus, representative of position of the cable connector within the socket.

Abstract: A material comprises a carbon nanotube and a methyl methacrylate group covalently bonded to a surface of the carbon nanotube. In some examples, the material can further comprise a polymeric chain appended to the surface of the carbon nanotube via the methyl methacrylate group. In some examples, the polymeric chain can include styrene monomer repeating units and butadiene monomer repeating units. In some examples, the polymeric chain can include a flame retardant moiety appended thereon and/or flame retardant monomer repeating units. In some examples, the carbon nanotube can be incorporated or combined with a resin material to provide a composite component. A method to produce a carbon nanotube having a polymeric chain appended thereto is also described.

Abstract: A bio-renewable flame-retardant compound, a process for forming a bio-renewable flame-retardant compound, and an article of manufacture comprising a bio-renewable flame-retardant compound are disclosed. The bio-renewable flame-retardant compound includes a cyclic structure formed in a reaction with a bio-renewable diene. The process for forming a bio-renewable flame-retardant compound includes the selection and reaction of a bio-renewable diene, a dienophile, and optionally a phosphorus compound to form a cyclic compound, reacting the cyclic compound with a phosphorus compound to form a cyclic flame-retardant compound, and forming a bio-renewable flame-retardant polymer that includes the bio-renewable flame-retardant compound. The article of manufacture includes a material containing the bio-renewable flame-retardant compound.

Abstract: A process of forming a lactide copolymer includes forming a dimethylidene lactide molecule from an L-lactide molecule. The process also includes forming a functionalized lactide monomer from the dimethylidene lactide molecule. The process includes forming a mixture that includes the functionalized lactide monomer and a bisphenol A (BPA) monomer or a BPA-derived monomer. The process further includes polymerizing the mixture to form a lactide copolymer.

Abstract: A pinene-derived diisocyanate compound, a process for forming a pinene-derived diisocyanate compound, and an article of manufacture containing a polyurethane polymer are disclosed. The process for forming the pinene-derived diisocyanate compound includes oxidizing the pinene to form a pinene-derived ketone compound, converting the pinene-derived ketone compound to a diamine compound in subsequent reaction steps, and reacting the diamine compound with phosgene to form the pinene-derived diisocyanate compound. The polyurethane polymer is synthesized in a reaction between a pinene-derived diisocyanate compound and a polyol.

Abstract: A pinene-based flame retardant compound, a process for forming a flame retardant polymer, and an article of manufacture comprising a material that contains a pinene-based flame retardant polymer are disclosed. The pinene-based flame retardant compound includes a pinene derivative core and at least one flame retardant substituent having a phosphorus-based moiety. The process for forming the flame retardant polymer includes obtaining pinene, forming a derivative of pinene, obtaining a phosphorus-based compound, reacting the phosphorus-based compound and the pinene derivative to form a pinene-based flame retardant compound, and incorporating the pinene-based flame retardant compound into a polymer to form the pinene-based flame retardant polymer.

Abstract: An elastomer, a process for forming an elastomer, and an article of manufacture are disclosed. The elastomer comprises a phosphazene backbone and at least one polyhexahydrotriazine component. The process for forming the elastomer includes obtaining an amine-terminated cyclotriphosphazene, reacting it with a diamine to form a phosphazene-containing PHT polymer, and then reacting the phosphazene-containing PHT polymer with a side-chain modified cyclic phosphazene to form a PCPHT elastomer with halogen ligands. The PCPHT elastomer with halogen ligands is then reacted with an alkoxide to form a PCPHT elastomer with at least one ether-linked side chain. The article of manufacture comprises a material comprising an elastomer having a phosphazene backbone and at least one PHT component.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a polymer includes less than 99.5 percent by weight of units derived from one or more olefin monomers. The polymer also includes greater than 0.5 percent by weight of units derived from one or more blue light absorbing monomers. In another embodiment, a method includes placing a heated parison of a polymer in a mold. The polymer is formed by polymerizing a mixture of one or more olefin monomers and one or more blue light absorbing monomers. The polymer has one or more blue light absorption characteristics. The method includes closing the mold. The method includes injecting gas into the parison to form a container in the mold. The method also includes removing the container from the mold.

Abstract: A pinene-derived diisocyanate compound, a process for forming a pinene-derived polyurethane, and an article of manufacture that includes the polyurethane are disclosed. The process for forming the polyurethane includes forming a pinene-derived diisocyanate compound, and reacting the pinene-derived diisocyanate compound with a polyol in a polymerization compound.

Abstract: In one aspect, the disclosure is directed to a biocidal-functionalized corrosion inhibitor. The biocidal-functionalized corrosion inhibitor includes a biocidal group linked to a corrosion inhibitor group. The corrosion inhibitor group includes a triazole ring for copper (Cu) corrosion inhibition. In another aspect, the disclosure is directed to a process of forming a biocidal-functionalized corrosion inhibiting small molecule. In yet another aspect, the disclosure is directed to a process of forming a biocidal-functionalized corrosion inhibiting polymeric material.