Abstract: A device for severing flexible polymeric tube, pipe, or tubular extrudate, such as flexible light pipe, reproducibly, cleanly, and safely is described. The device comprises a block with two specially aligned cylindrical devices for holding the pipe and a slot between the devices for guiding the severing blade with minimum deviation from its path, and a pivot and mounting upon which a blade in a holder is mounted to give even more accurate and uniform control of the path of the severing action.

Abstract: A lubricating oil composition includes from 0.01 weight per cent to 2 weight per cent of a polymer that includes repeating units derived from a (C.sub.8 -C.sub.15)alkyl (meth)acrylate monomer and 98 weight per cent to 99.99 weight per cent of a vegetable oil or a polyol ester.

Abstract: Syndiotactic polystyrene can be impact-modified by a blend of (a) polystyrene-hydrogenated polybutadiene block copolymers and (b) one or more core/shell modifiers based on a lightly or non-crosslinked rubber core, and with at least one shell or intermediate shell stage which is predominantly polystyrene, to produce a material of higher impact strength than the better value of either additive singly at the same total impact modifier level.

Abstract: Polymers containing a high percentage of vinyl alcohol units may be blended with copolymers of alkyl methacrylates and unsaturated organic acids and processed into sheet, film, fiber and other objects which exhibit an useful balance of barrier and strength properties.

Abstract: An improved toughened blend of an aromatic polyester with from 5 to 20 phr of an impact modifier, which impact modifier is a blend of (a) 80 to 85 weight percent of a core/shell impact modifier having a polybutadiene core and at least one shell formed from methyl methacrylate and styrene; and (b) 15 to 20 weight percent of a linear copolymer which contains from 50 to 85 parts of units derived from ethylene, from 5 to 40 parts of units derived from (meth)acrylic esters, and from 2 to 10 parts of a copolymerizable monomer containing an epoxy group. The toughened blend exhibits higher impact strength than would be calculated for the blend using a linear relationship based on values of notched Izod for two blends, each containing only one of the impact modifiers at an equal use level.

Abstract: Poly(vinyl chloride), when impact modified with a core/shell impact modifier whose shell is predominantly formed from a C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 alkyl methacrylate and whose core is a copolymer of butyl acrylate and a specific compositional range of certain higher alkyl acrylate monomers, exhibits improved toughness, especially at lower use levels of the modifier or lower test temperatures for the blend, than when the core of the impact modifier is either substantially formed from butyl acrylate alone or substantially formed from the higher alkyl acrylate alone.

Abstract: Polymers containing a high percentage of vinyl alcohol units are difficult to process into sheet, film, injection-molded objects, or fibers. Such melt-processing is greatly enhanced by admixing certain core/shell copolymers having either a rubbery, crosslinked core mainly formed from polymerization of butadiene and/or of an alkyl acrylate, or a non-cross-linked core derived mainly of units derived from an alkyl acrylate, and an outer shell mainly formed from polymerization of methyl methacrylate. Such copolymers do not require the presence of functional groups capable of reaction with the hydroxyl groups of the poly(vinyl alcohol) to impart the improved processing.

Abstract: Polymer blends of at least one polar polymer are prepared by admixture with a poly(vinyl alcohol) and a (meth)acrylate copolymer also containing vinyl amide and/or unsaturated acid units. The ternary compositions have attractive processing and performance properties.

Abstract: Polymers containing a high percentage of vinyl alcohol units may be blended with copolymers of alkyl methacrylates and unsaturated organic acids and processed into sheet, film, fiber and other objects which exhibit an useful balance of barrier and strength properties.

Abstract: An improved process for preparing core/shell MBS modifiers is disclosed, wherein by adding feeds of the monomers which form the second and/or third stage polymers prior to completion of polymerization of the earlier stages, a process with substantially reduced polymerization time results with no loss in properties of the product. The process further includes agglomeration of the rubbery polymer to increase particle size during the polymerization process.

Abstract: Polymers containing a high percentage of vinyl alcohol units may be blended with copolymers of alkyl methacrylates and unsaturated organic acids and processed into sheet, film, fiber and other objects which exhibit an useful balance of barrier and strength properties.

Abstract: Blends of starch with acrylic polymers containing at least one of copolymerized acid or amide groups may be melt-processed into useful thermoplastic articles.

Abstract: Polymer melt blends of a homopolymer of propylene or a copolymer of propylene with up to 40 weight percent of another monoolefin, with a homopolymer of one or more of a C.sub.10 to C.sub.30 alkyl (meth)acrylate or a copolymer containing at least 70 weight percent of the one or more C.sub.10 to C.sub.30 ester of an alkyl (meth)acrylate with up to 30 weight percent of one or more of a C.sub.1 to C.sub.9 alkyl (meth)acrylate, the homopolymer or copolymer having a weight-average molecular weight of at least 670,000, exhibit a relative characteristic time, as herein described, at least five (5) times that for the unmodified homo- or copolymer of polypropylene, and a melt strength ratio (as judged by relative sag resistance) at least 5 times that of the unmodified homo- or copolymer of polypropylene. Such blends are useful in thermoforming operations wherein sheet is thermoformed into cartons, containers, appliance housings, and the like.

Abstract: Polymers containing a high percentage of vinyl alcohol units may be blended with copolymers of alkyl methacrylates and unsaturated organic acids and processed into sheet, film, fiber and other objects which exhibit an useful balance of barrier and strength properties.

Abstract: Polymers containing a high percentage of vinyl alcohol units may be blended with copolymers of alkyl methacrylates and unsaturated organic acids and processed into sheet, film, fiber and other objects which exhibit an useful balance of barrier and strength properties.

Abstract: Polymer blends of at least one polar polymer are prepared by admixture with a poly(vinyl alcohol) and a (meth)acrylate copolymer also containing vinyl amide and/or unsaturated acid units. The ternary compositions have attractive processing and performance properties.

Abstract: A process for producing a cured composite and flexible light pipe, in which a molten cladding polymer and a crosslinkable core mixture are concurrently and coaxially extruded through a core mixture delivery tube of a coextrusion die, the extruded tubular cladding is filled with the extruded crosslinkable core mixture, and the crosslinkable core mixture is cured within the tubular cladding.

Abstract: Aliphatic alcohol, and high boiling point hydroxy compound additives are added to poly methyl methacrylate to improve the ultraviolet radiation resistance of the polymer. The additives may be incorporated into the poly methyl methacrylate by including the additives with the monomers prior to polymerization. Alternatively, the additives may be incorporated into the poly methylmethacrylate by addition to polymerized methyl methacrylate.

Abstract: An improved process for coloring polymethacrylates or polyglutarimides in an extruder includes admixing the molten thermoplastic, conveyed directly from the polymerization operation, in an extruder mixing zone with a dispersion of at least one pigment, dye, or colorant in a suitable clear carrier, then conveying the admixed colored thermoplastic into an extrusion zone or injection molding zone.

Abstract: An acrylic additive polymer containing free carboxylic acid groups is added to a core-shell impact-property modifier containing free carboxylic acid groups to produce an improved physical-property modifier for polyamide resins.