Abstract: A high throughput, automated process for coating ceramic monoliths used as catalytic converters that overcomes problems with coating monoliths individually in a mold. The monoliths are provided with end caps to cover the open functional ends, then loaded serially into an inlet channel leading to an extrusion chamber. As each monolith is pushed into the channel, one monolith enters the extrusion chamber, and the monolith just coated in the extrusion chamber is made to exit onto a finished part conveyor. Thereafter, the end caps are removed and cleaned for reuse on new monoliths yet to be coated.

Abstract: A spunbond nonwoven fabric useful as a topsheet is produced from polypropylene filaments including a high level of reclaimed polypropylene, while maintaining a product quality, including superior formation, comparable to that obtained when using 100 percent virgin polymer. The spunbond nonwoven fabric is made with multicomponent filaments having at least two different polymer components occupying different areas within the filament cross section, and wherein one of the polymer components comprises reclaimed polypropylene recovered from previously spun polypropylene fiber or webs comprised of previously spun polypropylene fiber. In a specific embodiment, the filaments are sheath-core bicomponent filaments and the reclaimed polypropylene is present in the core component. The core of the bicomponent filament can be comprised of up to 100% reclaimed polypropylene.

Abstract: An adhesive tape which comprises: (1) a backing film, wherein the backing film has at least two intermeshed coextruded layers of different composition, whose interface has a nonlinear course in cross section, which continues laminarly in the machine direction and has been oriented in the machine direction, and has plane-parallel outer faces; and (2) at least one adhesive layer which is attached to the backing film.

Abstract: The present invention includes a process for making a magnetically readable card. The process includes providing a polymeric extrudable substrate material and one or more magnetic strips. The substrate is extruded in an extruder. The magnetic strips are aligned and coextruded with the polymeric substrate in the extruder to form a continuous length of magnetic strips and polymeric material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fibrous material which includes a plurality of polylactide containing fibers. The plurality of polylactide containing fibers can be considered low shrinkage or high shrinkage. The plurality of polylactide containing fibers are considered low shrinkage fibers if they provide a boiling water shrinkage propensity of less than about 20%. The plurality of polylactide containing fibers are considered high shrink fibers if they provide an average fiber boiling water shrinkage propensity of greater than about 10% and a heat of fusion of less than about 25 J/g. The invention additionally relates to the use of an extrusion process to provide low shrinkage fibers and high shrinkage fibers. The invention further relates to the use of these fibers in desirable products.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for producing a drip irrigation line, comprising a continuous tubing with spaced-apart drip outlets and a plurality of self-regulating emitter elements for drip irrigation arranged therein, wherein each of said elements is made from a thermoplastic material, injection-molded as a single unit, which material is cross-linked for improved elasticity, said method comprising sequentially introducing a plurality of said emitter elements at predetermined intervals into the extrusion head of a continuous tubing-producing extruder, whereby said elements are each heat-welded within said tubing before the cooling thereof and subsequently cross-linking said thermoplastic material of each of said elements while inside said continuous tubing.

Abstract: A composite railroad cross tie supporting railroad track rails on a ballast or concrete roadbed is provided comprising an elongated wooden core, an end cap positioned over each end of the core and an outer shell or coating. The wooden core consists of virgin or recycled natural wood or of man made engineered wood such as oriented strand board (OSB), plywood, and the like. The outer coating can consist of virgin or recycled thermoplastic, thermoset resin, and/or rubber, with or without fillers or reinforcements. In manufacture, the core member is sized to a dimension which is less than the desired dimension of the finished composite cross tie. The end caps are then positioned over ends of the core member. Following the positioning of the end caps, the coating is applied to the core member in a continuous process by passing a series of core members with their end caps in a substantially end-to-end configuration through a cross head die.

Abstract: The invention relates to a three-layer, biaxially oriented polyester film which has better abrasion properties than prior art films, together with very good electromagnetic properties. The structure on the two sides of the film in composed of at least one base layer B and, applied to this base layer, outer layers A and C, wherein the outer layer A has a roughness gas flow greater than 1000 sec and less than 2000 sec, and the outer layer C has a roughness profile gas flow of less than 600 sec. The invention further relates to a process for producing the film, and to its use as a magnetic tape film.

Abstract: A process for preparing fibers containing intrinsically conductive polymers comprises extruding two or more filaments, applying a coating formulation containing a salt of an intrinsically conductive polymer to at least one of the filaments to form a coated filament, combining the filaments to form a filament bundle, and processing the bundle into a fiber. A filament coated with an intrinsically conductive polymer and a fiber comprising at least one coated filament are also provided which are useful in preparing textiles and other materials which exhibit conductivity.