Abstract: To provide a liquid curable resin composition which can produce transparent cured products with a high refractive index, high hardness, and superior abrasion resistance, and can be suitably used as a coating material.

Abstract: The invention relates to a copolyether ester composition protected against the influence of light that contains (1) a copolyether ester; (2) a UV-light-absorbing compound; (3) a hindered amine photostabilizer; (4) optionally a thermal-oxidative stabilizer chosen from the group comprising phenolic compounds; (5) optionally other additives, characterized in that the hindered amine photostabilizer is chosen from a group of compounds having the general formula (1). The composition according to the invention shows a very small amount of discoloration in ageing under the influence of light.

Abstract: Methods are provided for the construction of unsymmetrical biaryl compounds and alkylated aromatic compounds from arylnitriles using a nickel or palladium catalyzed coupling in which the catalyst has at least one phosphine or phosphite ligand.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the hydrolytic polymerisation of &egr;-caprolactam to polyamide-6, comprising a step (a) in which ring opening of part of the &egr;-caprolactam to the corresponding amino caproic acid is effected in the presence of water and a step (b) in which polyaddition and polycondensation are effected under preferably anhydrous reaction conditions, in which at least one of the steps (a) and (b) is carried out in a reactor in which a self-renewing interface between the molten phase and the gas phase with a large surface/volume ratio of the molten phase is effected. The method is preferably effected in an horizontal scraped-surface reactor, since relatively strong mixing of the molten phase can be achieved in these and the molten phase is present in a thin layer, a large gas volume is present having a relatively high partial pressure of the water vapour and the thin layer is constantly renewed by shear forces.

Abstract: The invention relates to a granule and granulate and to a process for the preparation of polyamide granules at least comprising a) polymerizing at least one dicarboxylic acid and at least one diamine until a low-molecular prepolymer powder is obtained; b) processing the prepolymer powder obtained in step (a) to form granules, with the prepolymer powder being extruded at a temperature, measured under the chosen extrusion conditions, below the melting point of the prepolymer. The process of the invention allows the production of granules that have a higher granule strength than that according to the state of the art. The process of the invention also produces fewer fines. It is preferred for polyamide-4,6 to be chosen as polyamide. The granules and the granulate obtained by the process of the invention are particularly suited for post-condensation.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a thermosetting powder paint binder composition comprising:

Abstract: A microporous film of polyethylene having an intrinsic viscosity above 5 dl/g is prepared from a homogeneous solution in an evaporable solvent. The film is cooled and evaporable solvent is evaporated at a temperature below the dissolution temperature. The film is stretched to produce the micorporous film and is passed through a calender. The microporous films with a porosity of up to about 70% by volume and a battery separator quality factor (F) of at least 2.5 are described. Battery separators formed from the microporous films are also described.

Abstract: Two cellobiohydrolase polypeptides (CBHA and CBHB) derived from Aspergillus are described and can be used to degrade cellulose. Variants of these peptides are described as well as DNA encoding the peptides, vectors and host cells. The peptides can be used to produce or process food, animal feed, wood pulp, paper and textiles.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for obtaining feed pellets. The method includes the addition of active ingredients to feed pellets after the pellets have been extruded. The method further includes the addition of a solution or suspension of the desired feed or ingredient in a water or oil phase to the pellets under reduced pressure and subsequently increasing the pressure. The method results in pellets with a high degree of loading and in which the active ingredients are homogeneously distributed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a polymer composition containing a semi-crystalline or glass-forming polymer in a rigid phase and, as impact modifier therein, a rubbery polymer. The polymer composition according to the invention is characterized in that it has no morphological inhomogeneities with a diameter larger than 40, preferably 20 micrometer as visible on a Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) picture of the surface of fracture of a test bar broken in a fatigue test. As a result, the elongation at break, the fatigue resistance and the total useful service life of an object manufactured from this composition are much higher.

Abstract: A method for the recovery of a compound formula (I) from a complex mixture, comprising the steps of: (a) acidifying the complex mixture to a pH below 6.5 and maintaining the mixture below said pH at a temperature of between 50° C. and 130° C.; and/or (b) contacting the complex mixture with a carbon dioxide source; and (c) subjecting the mixture obtained after steps (a) and/or (b) to chromatography to obtain the compound of formula (I).

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the hydrogenation of a polymer composed of diene monomer units and nitrile group containing monomer units in which crosslinks formed as a result of the hydrogenation are broken by adding, before, during or after the hydrogenation, a compound that satisfies the formula R1—N(H)—X (I) or (R1)(R2)C═N—Y (II), where R1 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl or cycloalkyl group with 1-30 carbon atoms, or an aromatic group with 6-30 carbon atoms and R2 is an alkyl or cycloalkyl group with 1-30 carbon atoms, or an aromatic group with 6-30 carbon atoms, X is chosen from the group comprising —R3, —OR4, —SR4, —NR5R6, where R3, R4 and R5 are a hydrogen atom, an alkyl or cycloalkyl group with 1-30 carbon atoms or an aromatic group with 6-30 carbon atoms and R6 is an alkyl or cycloalkyl group with 1-30 carbon atoms or an aromatic group with 6-30 carbon atoms Y is chosen from the group comprising —R7, —OR8, —SR8, —NR9R10 an

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing a high-molecular polyamide or polyester by melt-mixing polyamide or polyester having a lower molecular weight with a carbonyl bislactam having formula 1, in which n=an integer of between 3 and 15.

Abstract: A method for the production of melamine from urea via a high-pressure non-catalytic process in which molten urea is reacted to produce melamine, carbon dioxide, and ammonia, the by-product gases are separated from the melamine melt, and the melamine melt is treated with ammonia in a liquid-filled column to remove dissolved carbon dioxide, the treated melamine melt being solidified to produce high-purity melamine. In the liquid-filled column, or bubble column, the melamine melt is treated with between 0.02 and 3 tons of ammonia per ton of melamine, the bubble column being operated at a pressure of between 1 and 40 MPa and at a temperature between the melting point of melamine at prevailing pressure and 450° C., with the residence time of the melamine melt in the bubble column being between 1 minute and 10 hours.

Abstract: Foamed thermoplastic polyolefin elastomer is formed by heating a foamable thermoplastic polyolefin elastomer-containing polymeric composition containing each of a first water-releasing blowing agent which is at least one of metal hydroxide and water hydrate of a salt of a metal of Group 1 or Group 2 of the Periodic Table and a second blowing agent which is neither a metal hydroxide nor a water hydrate of a salt of a metal of Group 1 or Group 2 of the Periodic Table, to a temperature above the melting point of the polyolefin elastomer. The second blowing agent may be a chemical blowing agent and may release, water, a mixture of water and carbon dioxide or another gas, including carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen.

Abstract: The present invention discloses novel amdS genes from fungi previously not known to contain an amdS gene, such as Aspergillus niger and Penicllium chrysogenum. The novel amdS genes can be used as homologous selectable marker genes in the transformation of these fungi. Alternatively, the cloned amdS genes can be used to inactivate the endogenous copy of the gene in order to reduce the background in transformation experiments.

Abstract: The invention relates to a polyamide composition with improved flow behavior that comprises at least 80-99.5 wt. % of a high-molecular polyamide and 0.5-20 wt. % of a polyamide oligomer that has a melting point that is higher than the melting point of the high-molecular polyamide, the amounts being relative to the total weight of the polyamide present in the composition. The high-molecular polyamide is preferably PA-6 or PA-4,6/6 copolymer and the polyamide oligomer is preferably chosen from the group comprising PA-6,6, PA-4,6, PA-4,6/6 copolyamide or copolyamides or mixtures thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for removing pollutants from soil with the aid of a stripping gas which involves (a) injecting the stripping gas into the soil at the level of and/or under the pollutant, (b) volatilizing the pollutant with the stripping gas, so that it rises to the ground level above the pollutant, (c) collecting and further treatment of the volatilized pollutant, a pneumatic screen being provided in the soil along the circumference of the polluted area.

Abstract: The invention relates to a flexible polyamide composition containing at least 50 parts by weight of non-cross-linked rubber per 50 parts by weight of polyamide and the production thereof. The polyamide has a molecular weight such that the melt viscosity at the processing temperature is at most 300 pa.s, preferably at most 200 pa.s. The rubber's Mooney viscosity is at least 40, most preferable is a rubber with a Mooney viscosity of at least 60. The rubber has been functionalized. Preferably a combination of a functionalized and a non-functionalized rubber is used. The rubber particles in the polyamide matrix have a particle size of at most 5 &mgr;m, preferably at most 3 &mgr;m.

Abstract: Process for welding duplex steel in the presence of a shielding gas without use being made of welding aids and with nitrogen being added to the shielding gas and with an austenitic-ferritic duplex steel with a chromium content of between 28 and 35 wt. % and a nickel content of between 3 and 10 wt. % being used.