Abstract: The heat-sink capacity of a thick-walled article being cured with a hot liquid supplying heat to one side of the wall, allows the point of least cure (PLC) to receive a higher rate of cure equivalents even after the hot liquid is replaced with a cold liquid. In the mean while, the other side of the wall continues to be heated. Because such a change-over is effected before the PLC has received the minimum number of cure equivalents required to effect a cure at the PLC (a "pre-cure change-over"), a valving arrangement is provided which allows the change-over to be effected without permitting a pressure drop in the bladder sufficient to permit the tire to "blow" because it is as yet uncured when the change-over is effected. Such a pre-cure change-over cannot be made when steam is replaced with water at ambient temperature.

Abstract: Cyclic formals, other than trioxane, form macromers with an olefinically unsaturated alcohol which functions as a propagating species to form a macromer of polyformal having a molecular weight generally less than about 10,000. A cationically ring-openable ether may be used to provide a polyether spacer in the alkenyl alcohol so that the macromer of polyformal formed contains a polyether block. Thus, the polyformal macromer may have a acryloyl, allyl, or styryl head group. Macromers of polyformal block copolymers are formed sequentially by first forming the block of first formal and then without isolating the macromer so formed, sequentially polymerizing a second formal monomer to form the second formal block. A macromer of randon copolymer may be formed with one or more cyclic formals or a cyclic ether. Macromers of random copolymers may also be formed with formaldehyde or trioxane.

Abstract: Stringent specifications for an extrudate are maintained by accurate control of tread weight per unit length without regard for dimensional changes of the extrudate. This is achieved simply by adjusting the speed of a single variable-speed conveyor, whether the running-weigh-scale ("RWS") conveyor, or, the take-away conveyor, without adjusting the extruder screw, or operation of the extruder, and without measuring any dimension (width or gauge) of the extrudate; therefore, with no regard either to the cross-sectional area, or surface area, or volume of the tread. The accuracy of control depends chiefly on how accurately one can measure the weight/unit length, and how precisely the speed of the single variable-speed conveyor can be controlled. Exceptional on-spec control in the continuous extrusion of a tread stock is achieved because it was recognized that dimensional changes of the tread stock, independent of its change in weight/unit length, do not adversely effect the specifications of the extruded tread.

Abstract: Certain polysubstituted piperazinones (PSP) having two or three methylene groups linking the N.sup.1 atom of the ring to the N atom of a terminal amine group, are found to be peculiarly prone to decomposition when subjected to elevated temperature after being contacted with water, and sensitive to the amount of base used in the base-induced ketoform reaction which generates the PSP represented by the structure ##STR1## These PSP are therefore produced by a modification of the ketoform reaction under essentially anhydrous conditions, using enough ketone to dissolve the PSP formed and a molar ratio of solid alkali metal hydroxide/diamine reactant in the range from at least 5 but less than 7. The PSP produced is recovered as a solution in the ketone, without contacting the PSP with water. The PSP product obtained after the ketone is distilled, is essentially pure.

Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire ("NPT") is integrally molded from a stiff, resilient elastomeric material with particular specifications, to form a unitary structure comprising outer and inner cylindrical coaxial and coextensive members ("hoops"). The outer hoop is supported and cushioned by a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart, planar rib members (ribs) and a planar central web member (web) which connects the hoops at their circumferential center lines. The web lies in a plane perpendicular to the rotational axis of the NPT. The ribs extend axially along the inner and outer hoops, connecting them, and the edges of the ribs lie along the opposite faces of the web. The ribs are angulated in the range from 15.degree. to 75.degree. to radial planes which intersect them at their radially inner ends. A rubber tread is secured to the outer surface of the outer hoop.

Abstract: A method of operating a batch-type pyrolysis furnace to burn organic combustibles so that the effluent from its exhaust stack is essentially free of smoke. This is accomplished without the aid of any catalyst or catalytic device to purify the smoke. For its main heat source, the furnace uses a gas burner or electric heating coil in combination with an afterburner to burn volatiles generated in the furnace's main chamber. A single thermocouple (throat TC) senses the instantaneous temperature in the throat of the furnace and in cooperation with a programmable controller (PC), maintains a preselected ramp and soak temperature profile over the entire burn cycle. When the temperature required by the profile is exceeded, a single water spray is actuated by a signal from the PC to lower the temperature below the profile. The throat TC thus maintains a fire under controlled temperature conditions in the main chamber without an explosion, using a single-stage system.

Abstract: A polyblend of poly(vinyl chloride) ("PVC") and a copolyester ("CPE") consists essentially of three components in a structure --(MR).sub.x --(MQ).sub.y -- wherein (MR).sub.x represents an ester segment with a repeating unit of mol wt 204 or 220, (MQ).sub.y an ester segment consisting of a residue of a polyester diol, so that the CPE is non-elastomeric and has a m p in the range from above 170.degree. C. to about 220.degree. C. Then the CPE provides a limited plasticizing function in PVC when the CPE is used in the range from about 30 to about 70 parts by wt based on 100 parts of the polyblend. The lack of a typical plasticizing function is evidenced by a relatively flat modulus curve, preferably one having a slope less than 1.2.times.10.sup.5 psi per unit weight of PVC in the polyblend.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for extruding a flat strip of uniformly thick sealant stock from an extruder which extrudes the sealant stock with a rotary helical action. The stock consists essentially of a vulcanizable mixture of a high molecular weight (mol wt) elastomer, a low mol wt elastomer, a curing agent and a processing aid selected from a tackifier and a homogenizer. The strip is less than about 10 mm thick, and at least 10 times as wide as it is thick. The stock does not flow and cannot be poured even at 212.degree. F. The stock is supplied to the extruder by a reciprocating pump which maintains an intermittent pressure yet provides the required uniform thickness of strip. Each component of the stock strongly adheres to any surface, to all metal surfaces and to each other, making it difficult to obtain a homogeneous mixture.

Abstract: The heat-sink capacity of a thick-walled article being cured with a hot liquid supplying heat to one side of the wall, allows the point of least cure (PLC) to receive a higher rate of cure equivalents even after the hot liquid is replaced with a cold liquid. In the mean while, on the other side of the wall continues to be heated. Because such a change-over is effected before the PLC has received the minimum number of cure equivalents required to effect a cure at the PLC (a "pre-cure change-over"), a valving arrangement is provided which allows the changeover to be effected without permitting a pressure drop in the bladder sufficient to permit the tire to "blow" because it is as yet uncured when the change-over is effected. Such a pre-cure change-over cannot be made when steam is replaced with water at ambient temperature.

Abstract: Corrosion of ferrous metal and aluminum surfaces, in particular, is inhibited by a layer of an organic-metallic complex of a polyamine with a (i) metal oxide, or (ii) metallate ion, or (iii) water-soluble metallate salt, in aqueous systems having a pH greater than about 7. The polyamine contains at least four (4) amine groups, two of which are secondary amine groups. The effect of the N atoms stretched over the length of the polyamine produces a "caging effect"0 which immobilizes the oxide, or metallate ions, thus forming the protective layer. The organic-metallic complex deposited on the metal's surface forms the "amine-metallic" layer which may be either an "amine-metal oxide complex" which is a coordination complex, or, an "amine-metallate complex". The amine-metallate complex may be either an ionic complex of "amine.

Abstract: A method for the synthesis of polyarylene polyether (PAPE) oligomers with pendant vinyl groups is presented. Aromatic polyether sulfone (APS) and poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO) backbones are used for specific examples. Terminal vinyl groups may also be provided on the APS by forming the .alpha., .omega.-di(benzyl)APS before the first step of a synthesis to form a pendant groups which step involves the chloromethylation of APS and PPO to provide oligomers with chloromethyl groups. PPO containing bromomethyl groups was obtained by radical bromination of the PPO methyl groups. Both chloromethylated and bromomethylated starting materials are converted to their phosphonium salts, and then subjected to a phase transfer catalyzed Wittig reaction to provide the pendant vinyl groups. An APS containing pendant ethynyl groups is prepared by bromination of the APS with pendant vinyl groups, followed by a phase transfer catalyzed dehydrobromination.

Abstract: When two 4-naphthoxyphenyl moieties are connected through a polar linking group, Y, it does not interfere with an oxidation process which results in dehydrogenative polymerization to yield polyarylene polyether (PAPE) polymers having a weight average mol wt greater than 10,000. Homo- and copolymers having a repeating unit in which a 4,4'-di(1-naphthoxyphenyl) moiety is connected through its phenyl rings to a bivalent polar residue are described. A specific monomer is selected from the group consisting of 4,4'-di(1-naphthoxy)diphenyl sulfone (DNDPS, Y=SO.sub.2) and, 4,4'-di(1-naphthoxy)benzophenone (DNBP, Y=CO). Because the process provides thermoplastic PAPE polymers having a Tg in the range from about 250.degree. C. to about 350.degree. C. with excellent physical properties, the polymers are suitable for use in the fabrication of composites for aerospace vehicles subjected to elevated temperatures.

Abstract: Under certain operating conditions, an emulsion of an acidified unfiltrable tarry bottoms stream from a reactor for the chlorination of ethylene to 1,2-dichloroethane can be demulsified and separated in a phase separation tank. The presence of FeCl.sub.3 in an amount more than 5 ppm Fe in the separated organic waste, fouls the reboiler and lower internals of a "heavies" column in which the separated organic waste is concentrated, and deactivates the catalyst in a Catoxid fluid bed reactor in which the concentrate is burned. By maintaining an iron salt chlorination catalyst in a concentration which results in 2000 ppm to 4000 ppm of Fe in the HTC reactor bottoms, and operating the HTC reactor at a temperature in the range from about 90.degree. C. to 120.degree. C. and a pressure in the range from 9 psig to 12 psig, an unfiltrable reactor bottoms drawoff is produced which may be acidified without forming an emulsion.

Abstract: Vinyl chloride (VC) resins, particularly poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and chlorinated poly(vinyl chloride) (CPVC) are reinforced with glass fibers which have been sized with a particular aminosilane coupling agent and a particularly characterized basic film former. At the processing temperature of VC resin, containing a stabilizer against degradation during thermoforming, for example in an extruder, or on a mixing mill used to blend the resin with sized glass fibers, a reaction occurs between an aminosilane coupling agent and the VC resin which reaction involves C.dbd.C bonds in the homopolymer, provided the polymer film former in the size is more basic than poly(vinyl acetate) ("PVA"). The film former catalyzes the thermal dehydrohalogenation of the VC homopolymer at the fiber-resin interface so as to generate allylic Cl moieties in chains of the homopolymer, which moieties react with the amine groups of the aminosilane.

Abstract: Excellent stabilization of polypropylene (PP) is obtained with a hindered amine containing a polysubstituted piperazin-2-one (PSP) moiety, for example, a C.sub.2 -C.sub.12 alkylene connecting two PSP moieties, or a polyalkylene polyamine having pendant substituted oxo-piperazinyltriazine moieties (PIP-T), that is, having pendant triazine rings substituted with PSP substituents. The stabilizers are particularly effective for PP irradiated with high energy gamma-radiation. Irradiated articles made from PP stabilized with such a hindered amine have improved strength and discoloration resistance, compared to articles made from polymer stabilized with several other hindered amines tested, particularly the 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidyl sebacate.

Abstract: Preparation of a macromolecular monomer of a lactone allows the preparation of copolymers of lactones with commonly available olefinically unsaturated monomers. There is no known method for the preparation of such copolymers. A cationic ring-opening polymerization of a lactone in conjunction with an unsaturated alcohol (propagator) having an acryloyl, allyl or styryl double bond, produces a polylactone macromer having an ethylenic double bond at one end and a hydroxyl group at the other. The polymerization proceeds by polyaddition of the lactone to the OH group which is the propagating species. The polylactone may include a polymeric or non-polymeric spacer. The propagator is a primary or secondary alcohol which, if cyclic may have a single internal double bond in one ring. The catalyst is an oxonium salt, or etherate of boron trifluoride. The macromer may be copolymerized with a wide variety of olefinically unsaturated monomers to form a macromer copolymer with pendant polylactone chains.

Abstract: A synthetic rubber (SR) tire tread of styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) and butyl rubber which SR is essentially free of natural rubber (NR), upon vulcanization with sulfur in the presence of a combination of sulfenamide accelerators, provides excellent oxidative stability, resistance to hardening, and flex resistance, despite increasing the level of sulfur to an amount in the range from 2.0-3.0 phr, as long as the total amount of sulfenamide accelerators is less than 2.0 phr and there is more TCS than BTS. The crosslink network generated by the use of TCS in combination with BTS, which combination produces poor oxidation stability in a predominantly NR containing rubber, is not produced in SR.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for evaluating the level of objectionable noise associated with the operation of a tire by virtue of its tread contacting a road surface, which comprises digitizing the tread design on a coordinate system so as to define load-supporting portions of the tread in contact with the pavement, and distinguish them in binary form from those portions of the tread which are not in contact, as multiple matrix elements; defining a generally arcuate profile of a leading or trailing edge of a footprint of the tread by fitting an equation to the edge; sequentially performing the time ensemble summation, of the noise produced by each matrix element, over every matrix element on the entire circumferential surface; converting the sequence of summation to a periodic analog signal; converting the analog signal to a sound; and, aurally evaluating the sound. In a simplified case 0's and 1's along at least one footprint edge are sequentially summed around the circumference of the tire.

Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire with an annular body of resilient elastomeric material and an outer cylindrical member supported by circumferentially spaced-apart ribs, is provided with four vibration-reducing features. First, the tire has an outer tread surface with a crown radius. Secondly, the tread has a pattern with a plurality of circumferential grooves and lateral grooves arranged to reduce uneven contact pressures caused by radial forces carried by the tire's ribs. Thirdly, the spacing of the ribs is randomly varied around the circumference of the tire to broaden a vibration spectrum caused by the ribs and reduce peak vibrations. Fourthly, a wheel rim that supports the annular body is provided with a structurally incorporated hoop to reduce deflection of the wheel rim during tire operation.

Abstract: N-(substituted)-1-(piperazinealkyl)-.alpha.-(3,5-dialkyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)-. alpha.,.alpha.-disubstited acetamides, are novel compounds prepared by a novel modification of the ketoform process. The compounds are useful as stabilizers for organic materials subject to degradation in an environment in which the materials are exposed to heat, oxidation and light, particularly ultraviolet light. The compounds are especially useful in combination with known secondary stabilizers.