Abstract: A drawing device for handling a wide range of drawable thermoplastic resin materials including a first pressurizing tank and first buffer tank on an upstream side, and a second pressurizing tank and second buffer tank on a downstream side are disposed along a drawing tank having pressurized steam and a discharge unit connected to it. A medium supply and discharge may be connected to each of the first and second pressurizing tanks, and the first and second buffer tanks. Opening members may be disposed on respective upstream and downstream ports along the drawing tank. Small amounts of pressurizing medium may then be allowed to flow into the drawing tank through upstream and downstream ports. Next, material may be supplied from the upstream port into the drawing tank where pressurized steam may be introduced in airtight conditions, and then drawn to the downstream port, thereby producing a drawable thermoplastic resin material.

Abstract: When a drawable material is forcibly drawn for obtaining a drawn product formed of a crystalline polymer, there is caused a failure such as draw breaking, and the drawn product formed of a crystalline polymer that can be industrially produced by a conventional drawing method has upper limits of physical property values depending upon the material of said drawn product formed of a crystalline polymer. In the present invention, pressurized saturated steam having an absolute pressure of at least 2.

Abstract: A process for the production of insulator-coated black particles, which comprises the steps of (1-a) dispersing particles of silica or a metal oxide in an alcohol-based solvent consisting mainly of an intermediate alcohol to obtain a dispersion of the above particles, (1-c) forming a titanium oxide coating of TiO2 on the surface of each of the particles whose surfaces have been activated in the above step, to obtain titanium oxide-coated particles, (1-d) calcining the titanium oxide-coated particles obtained in the above step in a reducing and/or nitriding atmosphere and thereby blackening the above titanium oxide coatings to obtain black particles, and (1-e) forming an electrical insulator coating on a surface of each of the black particles obtained in the above step, to obtain insulator-coated black particles; characerized in that the process includes a step of (1-b) adding an alkaline aqueous solution to the dispersion obtained instep (1-a) to activate a surface of each of the particles of a metal oxi

Abstract: An optical cable has a plurality of optical fibers. The optical fibers are contained in fiber containing cavities of chamber elements. Each chamber element has a bottom part and a pair of side wall parts, which defines a fiber containing cavity. The individual chamber elements containing the optical fibers are assembled around a thickening layer in an S-Z strand. Each side wall part is formed such that its thickness gradually decreases from its base end portion toward free end portion. Also, the thickness of the bottom part is greater than the thickness of each side wall part.

Abstract: An optical cable has an S-Z stranded part in which plurality of chamber elements containing optical fibers are assembled around a central member in an S-Z strand in the state where their bottom faces are in contact with the central member. Each chamber element has such a characteristic that its flexural rigidity in the depth direction of its fiber containing cavity is smaller than that in the widthwise direction thereof. Assuming, of distortion energy of the chamber element in an S-Z reverse portion within the S-Z stranded part, the distortion energy in the case where the bottom face of the chamber element is in contact with the central member to be U.sub.1, and the distortion energy in the case where a side face of the chamber element is in contact with the central member to be U.sub.2, a relational expression of .DELTA.U=U.sub.1 -U.sub.2 .ltoreq.0.2(mJ/mm) is satisfied.

Abstract: A glass fiber mat for a stampable sheet includes long fibers and short fibers which will not separate even during forming and which are distributed uniformly to make the features of the respective fibers effective. A production system includes a double belt press type laminator which stacks the glass fiber mat, a thermoplastic resin melt and a film which is taken up and applies heat and pressure for impregnation, and cools while maintaining a pressure condition. A supply supplies the glass fiber mat into the laminator. A pair of pressure shearing rollers are arranged between the supply and an endless belt of the laminator for partially cutting the glass fibers into short fibers. The rollers are made of steel to apply line pressure to the glass fiber mat to shear the continuous fibers to uniformly distribute the short fibers in long fibers.

Abstract: A process for the production of insulator-coated black particles, which comprises the steps of(1-a) dispersing particles of silica or a metal oxide in an alcohol-based solvent consisting mainly of an intermediate alcohol to obtain a dispersion of the above particles,(1-c) forming a titanium oxide coating of TiO.sub.2 on the surface of each of the particles whose surfaces have been activated in the above step, to obtain titanium oxide-coated particles,(1-d) calcining the titanium oxide-coated particles obtained in the above step in a reducing and/or nitriding atmosphere and thereby blackening the above titanium oxide coatings to obtain black particles, and(1-e) forming an electrical insulator coating on a surface of each of the black particles obtained in the above step, to obtain insulator-coated black particles; characterized in that the process includes a step of(1-b) adding an alkaline aqueous solution to the dispersion obtained in step (1-a) to activate a surface of each of the particles of a metal oxide.

Abstract: The present invention relates to crosslinked resin-coated silica fine particles each of which has a crosslinked resin coating formed of a structure of a single layer or a plurality of layers formed on the surface of each calcined silica fine particle through a vinyl-containing silane coupling agent, and the crosslinked resin-coated silica fine particles of the present invention have characteristic features in that the peeling of the resin coatings substantially do not occur when they are dispersed in a dispersing medium with ultrasonic vibration, and that they substantially do not move after the formation of a liquid crystal cell and substantially do not affect a liquid crystal itself and its orientation when used as a spacer for a liquid crystal display device.

Abstract: The invention relates to a stampable sheet made of fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin whose reinforcement is a glass fiber mat in which a non-oriented fiber layer and a unidirectional fiber layer are mechanically intertwined with each other. In the stampable sheet made of the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin according to the invention, a content of the glass long-fiber bundles forming the unidirectional fiber layer, in the glass fiber mat is 20 wt % to 80 wt %, and the glass fiber mat, in which a significant amount of glass long-fiber bundles among the glass long-fiber bundles forming the unidirectional fiber layer or a significant amount of glass long-fibers in the glass long-fiber bundles forming the unidirectional fiber layer is substantially under a relaxation condition, is used in an amount of 20 wt %.about.55 wt %. A molded article comprising at least one stampable sheet is also part of the invention.

Abstract: A porous fiber having sufficient chemical resistance to a variety of substances to be adsorbed, and having a large specific surface area and a large void percentage. The porous fiber provided by the present invention features a main fiber body formed of a high-density polyethylene having a melt flow rate of 0.3 to 20 g/10 minutes and numerous pores. The pores are formed by mixing the high-density polyethylene with a paraffin wax while they are melted, melt-spinning a fiber with an extruder at a draft ratio of 200 or less, stretching the fiber, heat-treating the stretched fiber, mechanically crimping it and then removing the paraffin wax. In the porous fiber, the main fiber body has a specific surface area of 20 m.sup.2 /g or more, the ratio of the pores to the main fiber body is 20% or more and the main fiber body has a size of not more than 50 denier.

Abstract: A fiber reinforced polyamide resin composite material is suitable for use as a molding material. A liquid lactam added with an anionic polymerization catalyst and another liquid lactam added with an activator are supplied to an impregnation chamber while being mixed together at a predetermined or selected ratio. In the impregnation chamber, long reinforcing fibers are impregnated with the mixed liquid to form a strand. Then a coating layer of thermoplastic resin is continuously formed all over the outer peripheral surface of the strand, after which the strand is introduced into a heated polymerization chamber for anionic polymerization of the mixed liquid in the reinforcing fibers. The strand is cut into pellets of a predetermined or selected length after or without removing the coating layer. The composite material manufactured by this method has a high adhesive strength between the reinforcing fibers and the resin and provides excellent physical properties to ultimate moldings.

Abstract: In a method of and an apparatus for manufacturing a glass fiber mat, bundles of glass fibers shake down onto a conveyor unit arranged horizontally, to form a non-oriented fiber layer. The non-oriented fiber layer is dried by a drier. Bundles of uni-directional fibers are supplied onto the dried non-oriented fiber layer, by a bundle supply device, to laminate the uni-directional fiber layer onto the dried non-oriented fiber layer. At the laminating, the bundles of uni-directional fibers are guided in parallel relation to each other at regular intervals in a widthwise direction of the conveyor unit. The uni-directional and non-oriented fiber layers, which are laminated one upon the other, are supplied to a needler and are needled thereby, to form the glass fiber mat. The glass fiber mat is carried out by a delivery roller unit.

Abstract: In the manufacture of a fiber reinforced plastic armored cable, long reinforcing fibers are impregnated with an uncured thermosetting resin and formed into a predetermined shape to obtain a plurality of rod-like members with the thermosetting resin held uncured. Then the uncured rod-like members are passed through a die of a melt extruder, by which the rod-like members are each coated with a thermoplastic resin layer. The coated layers of the rod-like members are immediately cooled to simultaneously form a plurality of fiber reinforced plastic armoring strands with the thermosetting resin held uncured. The armoring strands thus obtained are wound around a cable which is fed while being rotated. The cable having wound thereon the strands is passed through a die portion of a melt extruder, by which the cable is sheathed with a thermoplastic resin layer which is immediately cooled and solidified.

Abstract: A twisted FRP structure having sufficient strength and flexibility is produced by providing a rod member disposed centrally and twist a plurality of side strands twisted around the rod member in the same direction at a predetermined pitch. At least the side strand includes a composite strand having an FRP element from by impregnating fibers with an uncured thermosetting resin and a thermoplastic coating on such FRP element, the thermosetting resin being cured after the side strands are twisted around the rod member. The twisting pitch is not less than 25 times the outside diameter of the FRP element in the side strand.

Abstract: Continuous rod-like molding having a FRP core and an outer skin of thermoplastic resin is shaped by introducing the molding into a passage of a heated die, the passage having a diameter slightly smaller at an exit thereof than an initial diameter of the molding, plasticizing the thermoplastic resin by passing the molding through the passage, thereby removing a part of the outer skin, and solidifying the thermoplastic resin, thereby obtaining a product having a diameter equal to the diameter of the exit of the passage.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of an asymmetric triorganotin halide which is represented by the general formula [III] ##STR1## wherein R represents alkyl or phenyl, R* represents cyclohexyl or neophyl, and X represents a chlorine or bromine atom,which comprises reacting in the presence or absence of an inert organic solvent an asymmetric tetraorganotin compound of the general formula [I] ##STR2## with a tin (IV) halide of the general formula [II]SnX.sub.4 [II]in approximately equimolar amounts to yield a reaction mixture including compounds of the general formula of [III] and [IV] ##STR3## and subsequently, without the isolation of the asymmetric triorganotin halide [III], reacting the reaction mixture with substantially twice the molar amount, based on monoorganotin trihalide [IV], of an ether solution of organomagnesium halide of the general formula of [V]R*MgX [V].

Abstract: A synthetic vascular prosthesis comprises a hollow tubular base member having a multitude of continuous pores and formed of an elastomer material, and a hydrogel layer formed on the inner surface of the base member. The hydrogel layer is partly embedded in the inner portion of the base member at the pores, thereby permitting anchoring adhesion between the hydrogel layer and the base member. A method for manufacturing the synthetic vascular prosthesis is also disclosed, in which the formation of pores in the base member is effected by two separate steps and the hydrogel layer is formed after formation of an inner porous portion of the base member.

Abstract: A compound of the formula: ##STR1## in which R.sup.1 represents alkyl, cycloalkyl or aralkyl, R* represents fluorophenyl or trifluoromethylphenyl when R.sup.1 is alkyl; R* represents dichlorophenyl, neopentyl, trimethylsilylmethyl, dimethylphenylsilylmethyl or a group of the formula: ##STR2## wherein R.sup.2 represents halogen, trifluoromethyl, lower alkyl or lower alkoxy when R.sup.1 is cycloalkyl; or R* represents 2-thienyl, 3-thienyl, neopentyl, trimethylsilylmethyl, dimethylphenylsilylmethyl or a group of the formula: ##STR3## wherein R.sup.3, R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 independently represent halogen, trifluoromethyl, lower alkyl or lower alkoxy when R.sup.1 is aralkyl, m represents 1 or 2, and X represents halogen, imidazolyl, triazolyl, phenylthio or a radical selected from the group consisting of: ##STR4## wherein R.sup.6 represents alkyl, R.sup.7 and R.sup.8 independently represent lower alkyl and R.sup.9 and R.sup.

Abstract: In an optical fiber carrying spacer which has helical grooves for carrying optical fibers with each groove changing the direction of its helix for each turn about the spacer, each helical groove includes extra-length portions and compensating portions both formed at a smaller angle to a longitudinal axis of the spacer than main groove portions. The extra-length portions are each provided at a position where the direction of the helix changes. The compensating portions are each provided between adjacent extra-length portions at an angular distance ranging from 1/4 to 3/4 of the circumference of the spacer. The spacer effectively prevents stresses from being applied to the optical fibers along the longitudinal direction when the spacer is bent or curved.

Abstract: A synthetic vascular prosthesis comprises a hollow tubular base member having a multitude of continuous pores and formed of an elastomer material, and a hydrogel layer formed on the inner surface of the base member. The hydrogel layer is partly embedded in the inner portion of the base member at the pores, thereby permitting anchoring adhesion between the hydrogel layer and the base member. A method for manufacturing the synthetic vascular prosthesis is also disclosed, in which the formation of pores in the base member is effected by two separate steps and the hydrogel layer is formed after formation of an inner porous portion of the base member.