Abstract: One aspect of the invention provides a sensor including: one or more fiber optic emitters and one or more fiber optic receivers lying in the same plane and spaced from, but proximate to the one or more fiber optic emitters. Another aspect of the invention provides a sensor including: one or more fiber optic emitters and one or more fiber optic receivers spaced from, but proximate to the one or more fiber optic emitters. Each of the one or more fiber optic receivers have an end that lies outside of a light beam emitted by the one or more fiber optic emitters.

Abstract: A method for solid-state/melt extrusion, as can be accomplished using a unitary extruder apparatus comprising a solid-state shearing zone and a melt-state extrusion zone.

Abstract: A method for producing a macrocyclic polymer comprising: (a) polymerizing a monomer using a dibrominated initiator having either an aromatic or ester moiety via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) to form a polymer precursor having brominated, phenylated end groups; and (b) cyclizing the polymer precursor using intramolecular atom transfer radical coupling (ATRC) to form the macrocyclic polymer.

Abstract: A method for solid-state/melt extrusion, as can be accomplished using a unitary extruder apparatus comprising a solid-state shearing zone and a melt-state extrusion zone.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating hydrophilic material from hydrophobic material, comprising: (a) a body having a first and second parallel walls defining an elongated cavity; (b) a water-absorbing material in the cavity along the first wall and having a surface essentially parallel to the second wall, thereby defining a channel between the surface and the second wall; (c) a first inlet having a first inlet end disposed in the channel, the first inlet being configured for injecting a mixture of hydrophilic and hydrophobic material; (d) a first outlet having a first outlet end disposed in the channel proximate the surface downstream of the first inlet end and configured for removing the hydrophilic material; and (e) a second outlet having a second outlet end disposed in the channel a distance from the surface downstream of the first inlet end and configured for removing the hydrophobic material.