Abstract: A polyester composition is disclosed which includes a polyester, (a) a thermoplastic elastomer and (b) a carbodiimide compound having at least one carbodiimide group and which exhibits improved impact resistance at low temperatures and stability to heat, hot water and steam. The composition is useful to form parts which are exposed to low temperatures. A polyalkylene terephthalate resin composition is also disclosed which includes a polyalkylene terephthalate resin, (a) at least one selected from the group consisting of ethylene/alkyl acrylate and a thermoplastic polyester elastomer and (b) at least one selected from the group consisting of an epoxy resin containing at least two carbodiimide groups in the molecule.

Abstract: A resin composition of the invention, exhibiting the anisotropism when melted, comprises (1) a resin having rigid structure and exhibiting the anisotropism when melted and (2) a resin having a rigid structure portion and a soft structure portion, both resins having been uniformly mixed with each other.

Abstract: The invention relates to polyoxymethylene molding composition exhibiting improved toughness and containing from about 50 to about 95 wt. % of a polyoxymethylene, from about 5 to about 40 wt. % of a multiphase composite interpolymer and from about 0.05 to about 5.0 wt. % of a reactive titanate, such as neoalkoxy, tri(n-ethylaminoethylamino) titanate, based on the total weight of the composition and based on 100% reactivity of the reactive titanate.

Abstract: A solid polymerization product is continuously produced from a liquid stock by employing a continuous agitator-mixer type reactor including two parallel shafts rotatable in same direction or in opposite directions, a multiplicity of paddles mounted on each of the shafts, and a barrel with its inner periphery proximate to the outer peripheries of the paddles, said paddles being arranged so that the major axis end of each paddle on one of the shafts is allowed to periodically come close to the minor axis ends of a corresponding paddle on the other shaft, said reactor being such that feed stock is charged from an inlet port provided at one end of the longitudinal of the reactor and polymerization product is discharged from an outlet port provided at the other end, said method of continuous polymerization being characterized in that the rear-side portion of the reactor including the outlet port is raised so that the major axis of the reactor has a slope angle of 1.degree.-10.degree.

Abstract: A low warp, filled oxymethylene polymer composition which when molded into products, exhibits improved surface appearance and low warpage as compared to products molded from glass fiber filled oxymethylene polymer compositions. The composition contains an oxymethylene polymer, a minor proportion of a phenoxy resin which is a compound of the formula: ##STR1## and glass beads.

Abstract: The present invention provides a permanently antistatic, injection moldable thermoplastic composition comprising a polybutylene terephthalate resin having an intrinsic viscosity in the range of about 0.7 to about 1.4 deciliters per gram measured in ortho-chlorophenol at 25.degree. C., an antistatic dopant comprising an electron acceptor compound, an electron donor compound, and polytetrafluoroethlene, and less than about 10 percent by weight based on the total weight of the molding composition of carbon fibers having lengths between about 0.1 and about 1.0 inch. Such a molding composition exhibits a volume resistivity of less than 1.times.10.sup.8 ohm-cm, exceptional low wear performance, excellent mechanical properties, and ease of manufacture.

Abstract: A polyacetal composition which comprises polyacetal, an aliphatic ester of a polyhydric alcohol having a hydroxy group, polyethylene glycol, and an organometallic salt, wherein the organometallic salt is present in an amount of from 0.01 to 5 percent by weight based on the total composition.

Abstract: Polyacetal resin composition containing electrically conductive carbon black is improved in respect to stability to heat by incorporating thereinto an amide compound.

Abstract: A trioxane copolymer is manufactured by adding to trioxane and a co-monomer, 0.0001 to 2.0 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the monomers, of one or more sterically hindered phenols, then co-polymerizing the resultant mixture in the presence of a cation-active catalyst, and then treating the resultant copolymer by heating it at a temperature which is higher than the melting point of the copolymer to melt the copolymer and decompose and remove unstable parts of the copolymer.

Abstract: A crude polyacetal polymer obtained by polymerization or copolymerization and having as a principal component thereof connected oxymethylene radicals in a main chain is treated in a non-soluble liquid medium at temperatures higher than 80.degree. C. but lower than the melting point of the polymer and at heterogeneous equilibrium, moving the crude polymer and the non-soluble medium in opposite directions relative to each other.

Abstract: The sputtering on polyacetal article is improved by coating the article, before the sputtering step, with a primer solution of a chlorinated polyolefin in a chlorine-containing solvent in respect to adhesion between the article and the sputtering layer.

Abstract: Polytetramethylene terephthalate is manufactured from terephthalic acid and 1,4-butanediol in two stages, a first stage comprising an esterification reaction employing an esterification catalyst and a second stage comprising a condensation-polymerization reaction. The esterification reaction is carried out in the presence of at least one acid amide compound, preferably selected from urea, a derivative thereof, mono- or poly-carboxylic acid amides having 1 to 9 carbon atoms, polyamides, phosphoric acid amides and sulfonic acid amides, whereby the production of tetrahydrofuran as a by-product is appreciably inhibited and the time required for the esterification reaction is reduced.

Abstract: In the perforation of sheet material by light energy, a continuous focused laser beam is reflected from different locations along the beam axis to provide separate pulsed beams and the beams are issued onto the sheet material with the same beam cross-sectional area. In one aspect, the lengths of respective different light paths for conveyance of light from the point of focus of the laser to final image locations are made equal. In another aspect, different focusing elements may be included in light paths to provide for sameness of beam cross-sectional area at the final image locations. The light paths are preferably provided in part by light conducting apparatus having light-reflective elements mounted for movement, such that different perforation matrices may be readily attained.

Abstract: A process and solution for delignifying and brightening lignocellulosic pulp. The solution comprises from about 0.1 to about 5% by weight, based on oven-dried pulp of a peroxide and about 0.5 to about 20 mole percent, based on the moles of peroxide, of a metal ion selected from the group consisting of tungsten, molybdenum, chromium, osmium and selenium. The preferred process of this invention comprises contacting a lignocellulosic pulp with about 0.5 to about 20 mole percent, based on moles of peroxide, of a metal ion selected from the group consisting of tungsten, molybdenum, chromium, osmium and selenium at a temperature below about 50.degree. C.; adjusting the pH of the resultant pulp slurry to between about 1 and about 7; adding 0.1 to about 5% by weight based on oven-dried pulp of peroxide and effecting pulp delignification and brightening at about 30.degree. C. to about 100.degree. C. until most of the peroxide has been consumed.

Abstract: A method of in vitro clonal propagation of plantlets from excised gymnosperm tissue in which the excised tissue is pulse treated on a nutrient medium containing at least about 10 mg/L, preferably at least about 20 mg/L, of a cytokinin for a time sufficient to induce formation of adventitious buds on the excised tissue and is then transferred to a nutrient medium free of exogenous growth factors and maintained thereon until the induced adventitious buds produce rootable shoots. The rootable shoots may then be rooted by conventional means but preferably are pulse treated on a nutrient medium containing a phenolic compound, preferably in an amount of at least about 5 mg/L, and an auxin, preferably in an amount of at least about 5 mg/L, for a time sufficient to induce formation of adventitious roots and then transferred to a nutrient medium free of exogenous growth factors until the shoots are rooted.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for increasing the filling power of tobacco lamina filler without the use of exogenous impregnants by contacting the filler with a heat transfer medium such that heat is transferred rapidly and substantially uniformly from the medium to the filler for a total contact time sufficient to stiffen and expand the filler. The filler has an OV value, immediately before treatment, within the range of from about 8% to about 30% and, most preferably, within the range of from about 10% to about 14%. The filler, immediately before treatment, is preferably at ambient temperature and it is preferred that the entire process be conducted at atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: A surgical stapling assembly including a resiliently mounted anvil member and a staple holding assembly containing a plurality of surgical staples and mounted relative to the anvil member for movement into substantially parallel spaced relation thereto to clamp tissue inserted between the anvil member and staple holding assembly for stapling. If the surgical stapling assembly is overloaded with tissue and clamped, the clamping force results in a displacement of the anvil member relative to the staple holding assembly in the general direction of the clamping force. The amount of displacement of the anvil member permitted by the resilient means is large enough to prevent excessive pressure on the tissue, but not so large that the anvil member is no longer sufficiently close to the staple holding assembly to perform its function of crimping the ends of the staples driven from the staple holding assembly.

Abstract: A mouthpiece for a filter-tipped smoking product or a filtered cigarette holder which has an inlet end adjacent the mouth end of the filter and an outlet end opposite the inlet end through which smoke may leave the cigarette or cigarette holder for passage into the mouth of the smoker. The outlet end has at least one orifice therein and the orifice is of smaller area in transverse section than the filter. The inlet end is of substantially the same transverse area as the filter and is connected to the orifice by a continuous channel which continuously decreases in transverse sectional area from the inlet end to a point between the inlet end and the outlet end and from which point to the orifice is either the same or continuously increasing until it is the same transverse sectional area as the orifice. Smoke exiting the filter passes into the channel at the inlet end of the mouthpiece, passes exclusively through the channel and exits through the orifice in a narrow pattern.

Abstract: An improved peroxide based brightening and delignifying solution and process for liqnocellulosic pulp, characterized by selective delignification and pulp viscosity retention is disclosed. The process comprises maintaining a pulp slurry to a temperature between 40.degree. C. and 120.degree. C. for 0.5 hours to 8 hours. The slurry comprises lignocellulosic pulp; from 0.1% to 20% by weight based on O.D. pulp of peroxide; from 0.1% to 10% by weight based on O.D. pulp of a metal-containing additive whose metallic portion is selected from the group consisting of tin, titanium, and vanadium; and sufficient acid to maintain the .sub.f H of the slurry between about 1 and about 7. In a preferred embodiment of this invention, a tin additive is employed and the partially delignified and brightened pulp is further bleached with the unconsumed peroxide by adjusting the pH of the slurry to between 8 and 12 and maintaining the temperature of the slurry from 40.degree. C. to 90.degree. C. for 0.1 to 4 hours.

Abstract: A polymer blend of a polyarylate with a minor amount of a segmented polyesteramide is useful as a molding composition, with improved impact strength and elongation.