Abstract: Bottles can be made, especially by extrusion stretch blow moulding, using a thermoplastic polymer composition comprising a polymer, preferably a polyester, which contains metal particles especially of sb, which intrinsically absorb radiation in the wavelength region 500 nm to 2000 nm, in a quantity such that the reheat time of the polymer is less than the reheat time of the polymer in the absence of that quantity of particles. A method of making such metal containing polymer compositions by reducing a metal compound in situ is also described.

Abstract: Explosive grade ammonium nitrate (EGAN) prills are made by a process comprising the steps of:a. continuously spraying a 95 to 98% by weight solution/melt of ammonium nitrate (or a mixture of ammonium nitrate and minor proportions of one or more other EGAN--acceptable nitrates) in/with water under spray-head conditions causing the emergent jets to break into cascades of substantially mono-sized droplets;b. allowing the formed droplets to fall within a vertical duct;c. continuously feeding a stream of cooling gas upwards through the duct to effect cooling and solidification of the falling droplets and some removal of moisture so as to form substantially mono-sized EGAN prills of up to about 4 mm diameter, andd.