Abstract: An in-mold primer coating adapted to be applied in-mold to a thermoplastic substrate and heat cured to form a thermoset surface coating on the molded substrate. The in-mold primer coating comprises a coreactive polymerizable composition comprising an epoxy-acrylate oligomer having a molecular weight from about 350 to about 2500, a hydroxyl functional acrylate or methacrylate, a vinyl aromatic monomer such as styrene, and a small amount of acrylic or methacrylic acid, with the balance being other diacrylate and/or other ethylenically unsaturated monomer(s), if any.

Abstract: A method and system for forming an article having an optical effect is provided. An original texture is obtained which is digitized using a scanner. The scanner causes a shadow effect on the texture based on the scanning direction. The digitized texture is then edited to define a selected shape. The texture within the selected shape is offset such that its direction is changed. The digitized texture is then engraved by a laser onto the surface of an article. The selected shape is then visually distinct from the other areas of the texture at certain viewing angles caused by the difference in their texture direction. With the present invention, lines or seams between areas of the texture are eliminated.

Abstract: A mold runner for a runner or sprue type injection molding apparatus. The mold runner allows the passage of a substrate material from an injection source into a mold cavity and contains a containment shroud which utilizes the relative incompressibility of the substrate material in the containment shroud which prevents an in-mold coating, which is injected into the mold cavity in a subsequent step, from flowing into the injection substrate source thereby contaminating the same.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for continuously seaming cured EPDM membrane to form a composite sheet of predetermined width and indefinite length. The method includes the steps of providing at least two rolls of cured EPDM membrane having longitudinal marginal edges and feeding the cured EPDM membrane from the at least two rolls in a first direction. The longitudinal marginal edges of the cured EPDM membranes are positioned in an overlapping relationship as the cured EPDM membranes are fed in the first direction and then the overlapping longitudinal marginal edges are continuously seamed to form a composite sheet of indefinite length.

Abstract: The present invention is a process for producing an injection-molded thermoplastic work piece having a thermoset coating bonded thereto, comprising the steps of introducing into a closed mold a thermoplastic material, such as a polyolefin, heated to a temperature above its melting point and molding said material to form a work piece; followed by introducing a thermoset coating composition capable of generating free radicals into the closed mold to contact at least a portion of a surface of the work piece, the temperature of which is at or above the temperature at which free radicals contained in the coating composition are generated. The mold is then opened and the work piece is removed after the coating composition has at least partially cured. The present invention is also directed to a molded article made by the described process.

Abstract: A composition comprises an oxetane oligomer or polymer or copolymer block wherein each repeat group has at least one ether side chain which is terminated by a fluorinated aliphatic group and optionally with the proviso that at least two different repeat units of the oligomer or polymer or copolymer have different Rf groups. The oxetane block is connected to a hydrocarbon polymer block derived from a mono or polyhydroxyl initiator. The terminal fluorinated alkyl groups impart good stain resistance to the oligomer or polymer or copolymer. In another embodiment, a fluorinated aliphatic or alkyl alcohol is reacted with an amino dicarboxylic acid with the reaction product thereof being subsequently grafted to a maleated polyolefin or a maleated polymer derived from a vinyl substituted aromatic monomer. The fluorinated alcohol also imparts good stain resistance to the grafted copolymer. Both compounds can be utilized as an additive in polymers as for example various polyolefins.

Abstract: Acrylate, or methacrylate, or allylic, functionalized polyfluorooxetanes are disclosed for use in radiation curable coating compositions. These acrylate, or methacrylate, or allylic, functionalized polymers provide improvements in wetting and surface properties that have previously been provided by migratory chemicals such as waxes and oils. The partially or fully fluorinated side groups of the fluorooxetanes are believed to be disproportionately present at the interfaces between the coating and the substrate and between the coating and the atmosphere.

Abstract: A large width single-ply heat-weldable roof membrane. The roof membrane includes at least two sheets of a thermoplastic polyolefin and one fold strip of a thermoplastic elastomer. The sheets have side edges. The fold strip is bonded to the sheets to join the sheets and form the large width single-ply roof membrane. The thermoplastic elastomer consists of a highly cross-linked rubbery polymer and a thermoplastic polymer.

Abstract: Monofunctional polyfluorooxetane oligomers, polymers, and copolymers are prepared by the cationic polymerization of fluorooxetane monomers with a monoalcohol. In addition to serving as an initiator, the monoalcohol can also serve as a solvent for the fluorooxetane or other monomers to produce oligomers, polymers, or copolymers having low cyclic content. Suitable comonomers generally include various cyclic ethers. The polyfluorooxetane oligomer, polymer, or copolymer having a single hydroxyl end group can be functionalized with a variety of compounds so as to yield a functional end group such as an acrylate, a methacrylate, an allylic, an amine, etc., with the functionalized oligomer or polymer being suitable for use in radiation curable or thermal curable coating compositions. These functionalized polymers can be copolymerized and cured to provide improvements in wetting and surface properties.

Abstract: In a first embodiment a polyoxetane-polyester polymer comprising a hydroxyl terminated polyoxetane prepolymer containing repeat units derived from polymerized oxetane monomers having one or two pendant —CH2—O— (CH2)n-Rf groups wherein Rf is partially or fully fluorinated, where the polyoxetane prepolymer is esterified with polyester forming reactants to form the polyoxetane-polyester polymer, and said polymer is mixed with a reactive lower alkyl etherified melamine formaldehyde to form a thermoformable coating composition. In a second embodiment, the coating composition is based on a polyester mixed with the lower alkyl etherified melamine formaldehyde and is substantially free of the polyoxetane. The coating composition is partially cured in a first stage heating at less than about 180° F. to provide a thermoformable partially cured, tack-free, non-blocking, coating layer, followed by application to generally a contoured substrate and thermoformed to conform thereto.

Abstract: A method and system for forming an article having an optical effect is provided. An original texture is obtained which is digitized using a scanner. The scanner causes a shadow effect on the texture based on the scanning direction. The digitized texture is then edited to define a selected shape. The texture within the selected shape is offset such that its direction is changed. The digitized texture is then engraved by a laser onto the surface of an article. The selected shape is then visually distinct from the other areas of the texture at certain viewing angles caused by the difference in their texture direction. With the present invention, lines or seams between areas of the texture are eliminated.

Abstract: A polyester polymer includes at least one hydroxyl terminated polyoxetane block containing repeat units derived from polymerizing at least one oxetane monomer having a pendant —CH2—O—(CH2)n—Rf group wherein said Rf group is partially or fully fluorinated. A preferred process for forming said polymer is by reacting a hydroxyl terminated polyoxetane with a polycarboxylic acid under appropriate conditions to form an ester linkage and then adding and reacting that product with polyester forming reactants. The polyester polymer containing at least one polyoxetane block therein when reacted with an amino resin curative can be used as a coating on a substrate wherein the coating has dry erase properties. The coated substrate can be used as prepared or applied to yet other substrates.

Abstract: Molded articles or substrates having an in-mold coating thereon are disclosed. The in-mold coated substrates are produced by a method wherein the flow of the in-mold composition onto the substrate can be selectively controlled. The molded articles can be preferentially coated in desired or predetermined areas with in-mold coating compositions by controlling the thickness or depth of various sections of the substrate. A molded article or substrate is provided with a removable in-mold coating containment flange which extends completely around the perimeter of a surface to be coated in order to substantially contain the in-mold coating within the mold cavity and on the desired area of a part before the coating has been cured.

Abstract: Molded articles or substrates having an in-mold coating thereon are disclosed. The in-mold coated substrates are produced by a method wherein the flow of the in-mold composition onto the substrate can be selectively controlled. The molded articles can be preferentially coated in desired or predetermined areas with in-mold coating compositions by controlling the thickness or depth of various sections of the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate having a barrier comprising a raised rim to prevent an in-mold coating from flowing into a gate pin assembly or substrate injection inlet area wherein a substrate is injected into the mold cavity. The barrier prevents cross contamination between a substrate resin orifice and the in-mold coating. A method for isolating an injection inlet area or gate pin assembly from in-mold coatings is also described.

Abstract: Molded articles or substrates having an in-mold coating thereon are disclosed. The in-mold coated substrates are produced by a method wherein the flow of the in-mold composition onto the substrate can be selectively controlled. The molded articles can be preferentially coated in desired or predetermined areas with in-mold coating compositions by controlling the thickness or depth of various sections of the substrate. The present invention provides a molded article with an area of increased relative thickness at the location of in-mold coating injection to encourage or promote in-mold coating flow.

Abstract: Monofunctional polyfluorooxetane oligomers and polymers are prepared by the cationic polymerization of fluorooxetane monomers with a monoalcohol. The fluorooxetane oligomers or polymers can be copolymerized with generally cyclic ethers. Alternatively, the polyfluorooxetane oligomer or polymer having a single hydroxyl end group can be functionalized with a variety of compounds so as to yield a functional end group such as an acrylate, a methacrylate, an allylic, an amine, etc., with the functionalized oligomer or polymer being suitable for use in radiation curable or thermal curable coating compositions. These functionalized polymers can be copolymerized and cured to provide improvements in wetting and surface properties that have previously been provided by migratory chemicals such as waxes and oils.

Abstract: A roof membrane welding apparatus capable of applying a weld to a first membrane and an overlapping second membrane. The apparatus includes a movably supported chassis, a welder attached to the chassis for heating the top membrane to at least the vicant softening point to weld the overlapping second membrane and the first membrane, and at least one weld wheel rotatably attached to the chassis and located rearward of the nozzle relative to the direction of movement of the apparatus, the weld wheel including a marker having an indicia thereon that is transferred to a top surface of the second membrane only where the first membrane and the second membrane have undergone a phase change during heating.

Abstract: A process for producing a polymerized silicone fluid comprises the steps of charging to a reaction vessel a hydroxy-terminated silicone fluid, an ethoxy-or methoxy-terminated functional silane, a basic catalyst, and a surfactant package having a cloud point of between 2 to 20° C. below the reaction temperature needed to react the functional silane with the hydroxy-terminated silicone fluid; heating the contents of the reaction vessel to a temperature that is about 2 to about 20° C. above the cloud point of the surfactant package to copolymerize the silicone fluid and functional silane; terminating the copolymerization reaction; and diluting the product with water to form an emulsion.

Abstract: A cement composition comprising a polymeric latex prepared by aqueous emulsion polymerization of a monomeric mixture comprising styrene and butadiene in the presence of a seed polymer prepared by aqueous emulsion polymerization of styrene and a salt of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid.