Abstract: The invention relates to a syntactic polyolefin composition for pipe coating, wherein the composition comprises a ?-nucleated propylene polymer and microspheres. The invention also relates to a method for the preparation of the composition for pipe coating and to an off-shore pipe coated with the syntactic polyolefin composition.

Abstract: Provided are a tetrafluoroethylene copolymer excellent in paste extrudability, which comprises a unit based on tetrafluoroethylene and a unit based on a monomer represented by a formula of CF2?CF—O—(CF2)nCF?CF2 (wherein n is an integer of from 1 to 6), wherein a content of the unit based on the monomer represented by the formula is from 0.1 to 0.5% by mass, wherein a particle size of a primary particle is from 0.1 to 0.5 ?m, wherein a standard specific gravity is from 2.14 to 2.25, wherein a paste extrusion pressure is from 24.5 to 73.5 MPa and wherein the copolymer remains not undergoing melt molding; a fine powder of a tetrafluoroethylene copolymer; and a production method and a paste extruded product thereof. The TFE copolymer is excellent in paste extrudability and the molded product thereof is excellent in heat resistance and transparency.

Abstract: A method is provided for obtaining crosslinked polymers having pendent sulfonic acid groups by crosslinking through the sulfonic acid groups or their precursors with aromatic crosslinkers or aromatic pendent crosslinking groups to form aromatic sulfones. Such crosslinked polymers may be used to make polymer electrolyte membranes (PEM's) that may be used in electrolytic cells such as fuel cells.

Abstract: This invention relates to a tire which is comprised of a generally toroidal-shaped carcass with an outer circumferential tread, two spaced beads, at least one ply extending from bead to bead and sidewalls extending radially from and connecting said tread to said beads; wherein said tread is adapted to be ground-contacting; wherein the tread is comprised of: (1) an amino group containing rubbery polymer, wherein said amino group containing rubbery polymer contains from about 0.1 weight percent to about 20 weight percent monomer units containing an amino group, (2) from 0.1 to about 25 phr of an organophilic 2:1 layered silicate clay selected from the group consisting of montmorillonite clays, bentonite clays, hectorite clays, saponite clays, nontronite clays, beidellite clays, fluorohectorite clays, stevensite clays, volkonskoite clays, sauconite clays, and laponite clays, and (3) a silica coupling agent.

Abstract: The invention provides a polyvinyl acetal having a degree of acetalization of from 45 to 80 mol %, which is obtained through acetalization of a polyvinyl alcohol having a degree of polymerization of from 30 to 1000 and a degree of hydrolysis of from 80.0 to 99.99 mol % and having a specific amount of an ionic group bonded to the terminal thereof via a sulfido bond. The polyvinyl acetal of the invention is useful for binders for ceramic forming and for binders for ink or paint.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for producing a saponified ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer in which visible imperfections (particularly fish eyes) of the saponified copolymer is inhibited. In this invention, a mixture solution is prepared by adding water to a methanol solution after saponifying an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, and insoluble materials are removed from this mixture solution. Various types of filter or centrifugal separator are used to remove insoluble materials. It is preferable that the weight ratio of methanol to water is from 5:5 to 9:1, the concentration of the saponified copolymer is from 30 to 60 wt %, and the temperature is from 55 to 80° C. This method is particularly suitable for producing a saponified ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer having an ethylene content of 20 to 70 mol % and a saponification degree of at least 95 mol %.

Abstract: A method for reducing oxygen and carbon components in high-purity fluoride such as calcium fluoride and barium fluoride (a high-purity fluoride that is not limited to calcium fluoride and barium fluoride), or in rare-earth fluorides such as ytterbium fluoride and cerium fluoride used for an optical fiber, a coating material, and so on. The oxygen and carbon components contained in the high-purity fluoride are reduced by a fluorine gas treatment.

Abstract: There are provided a rubber-reinforcing glass fiber treatment agent capable of improving properties, in particular the oil resistance, of a rubber product, a rubber-reinforcing cord using the fiber treatment agent, and a rubber product having high oil resistance. The rubber-reinforcing glass fiber treatment agent consists essentially of a resorcin-formaldehyde water-soluble condensate and a butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymer latex; the butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymer latex has an acrylonitrile content of 31 to 55 wt % in terms of the weight of solids in the latex.

Abstract: To provide a fluoropolymer suitable for use as a base polymer for resist materials for excimer lasers having a wavelength of 250 nm or shorter. A fluoropolymer having a monomer unit formed by cyclopolymerization of a fluorinated diene compound represented by the following formula (3), CF2?CFCF2—C(CF3)(R5)—CH2CH?CH2??(3) wherein R5 is either a hydroxyl group blocked by —CHR7—O—R8 or an organic group having the hydroxyl group, and R8 is a cyclic saturated hydrocarbon such as a cycloalkyl group which may have a substituent, or an organic group having the cyclic saturated hydrocarbon.

Abstract: To provide a fluoropolymer which has a high concentration of functional groups to provide adequate characteristics of the functional groups and which brings about no decrease of Tg. A fluoropolymer having monomer units formed by cyclopolymerization of a functional group-containing fluorinated diene represented by the formula (1): CFR1?CR2—Q—CR3?CHR4 ??(1) wherein each of R1 to R4 which are independent of one another, represents a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, an alkyl group having at most 8 carbon atoms, or an alicyclic hydrocarbon group, and at least one of them is an alicyclic hydrocarbon group, provided that hydrogen atoms in the alkyl group or the alicyclic hydrocarbon group may be substituted by a fluorine atom, an alkyl group or a fluoroalkyl group; and Q represents a bivalent organic group having a blocked acidic group capable of developing an acidic group by an acid or a group capable of being converted into such a blocked acidic group.

Abstract: Provided is a tetrafluoroethylene copolymer consisting of a unit based on tetrafluoroethylene and a unit based on a monomer represented by CF2?CFORf1Rf2 (where Rf1 is a polyfluoroalkylene group which may contain an etheric oxygen atom and Rf2 is a polyfluorocycloalkyl group which may contain an etheric oxygen atom), wherein a content of the latter is from 0.005 to 0.5% by mass. The tetrafluoroethylene copolymer is excellent both in paste extrudability and in heat resistance, has characteristics such as excellent transparency of a molded product, and is suitably applicable to paste extrusion and compression molding.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for enhancing the fraction of ?-crystal modification in polypropylene by compounding nanocrystalline substances. A ?-fraction of 50–100% is achieved with said method. The compounds are characterized by improved mechanical properties. The nanocrystalline powders can be directly compounded and compatibilized with surface-active substances in the PP matrix for better dispersion.