Abstract: An interior automotive skin material has a thermoplastic resinous base coat/clear coat paint film bonded to the outer surface of a thermoplastically formable semi-rigid resinous backing sheet. The base coat/clear coat paint film is preferably formed by dry paint transfer techniques in which the clear coat layer and pigmented base coat layer are coated on a polyester carrier and dried, followed by transfer-laminating the base coat/clear coat paint film from the carrier to the backing sheet on which the clear coat layer forms a low gloss protective outer surface. The clear coat material preferably comprises an alloy of an acrylic resin and a fluoropolymer resin, preferably polyvinylidene fluoride. The low surface gloss of the outer clear coat is produced by a dispersed fine particulate filler such as silica combined with coating the outer clear coat layer on a matte carrier.

Abstract: An antibacterial water absorbing composition is provided which can suppress putrefaction by inhibiting the proliferation of fungus, microorganisms, etc. contained in urine, blood and body fluids, and can exhibits excellent water absorbing ability. The antibacterial water absorbing composition is prepared by mixing a water absorbing resin powder with a porous inorganic powder having absorbed therein an aqueous fluid of an antibacterial component.

Abstract: A fiber-reinforced depolymerizable and repolymerizable thermoplastic composite that is encased in a depolymerizable and repolymerizable thermoplastic resin exhibits the strength and stiffness that make the encased composite particularly suitable for a wide array of applications that require very high strength, stiffness, and exceptional impact, together with complex shape. Examples of such applications include bumper beams, pedals, car door structures, instrument panels, and seating structures for automotive use. Other applications include window profiles, skis, ski poles, mast stays, tent poles, concrete reinforcement, crash barriers, window or door lineals, cable trays, cable for optical fibers, bicycle wheels and frames, and pipe.

Abstract: House wares, including frangible wares, comprising glassware, earthenware including china, and ceramics, the glassware including dishes and vessels such as drinking glasses, are coated with a protective plastic coating, usually including an initial adhesion-promoting silane, and a coating of urethane, such as a high temperature urethane to give protection to the underlying layers, and to the article, including protection within a commercial dishwasher. The silane combines with glass, and couples strongly with urethane. The urethane is highly receptive to decoration, which may be transferred or printed onto the urethane surface. If sublimation is applied to the decoration, then subsequent application of a sealing outer coat of urethane may prove unnecessary.

Abstract: A multilayer synthetic packaging film includes an at least partially transparent carrier layer having opposite first and second faces and a light-absorbing absorption layer applied to the first face of the carrier layer and having a maximum thickness of 10 micron.

Abstract: A method of finishing an edge of a sheet glass is disclosed. The method includes a first grinding step for grinding an edge of a sheet glass so as to provide the edge with an outwardly convex curved shape, and a finishing step for finishing a bordering portion which has been formed by the first grinding step between the curved edge and each flat side face of the sheet glass, so as to provide this bordering portion with a greater smoothness than smoothness provided by the first grinding step. A heat-tempered sheet glass using the method and a fire-resistant construction material using this heat-tempered sheet glass are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention concerns an aqueous coagulating agent for a liquid crystal solution with a base of cellulose substances, characterized by the following: it contains water and at least one additive; when it is contacted with said solution, the diffusion kinetics (diffusion front D) of the coagulating agent and that of the precipitation (precipitation front P) of the cellulose substances by the action of said agent, measured under the microscope for the so-called “coagulation test” for an additive proportion of 20 wt. %, comply with the following relationship: 0.55 is <Kp/Kd≦1, Kp and Kd being respectively the factors of diffusion and precipitation (respective “Fick” straight line gradients), expressed in &mgr;ms½.

Abstract: A waterless planographic printing plate precursor on which laser writing is possible, which has excellent scratch resistance and solvent resistance, and which also has excellent image reproducibility. The waterless planographic printing plate precursor includes a substrate on which are superposed in the following order a light-to-heat conversion layer containing a compound for converting laser light to heat, and a silicone rubber layer, wherein the light-to-heat conversion layer contains a reaction product of a metallic chelate compound such as titanium diisopropoxide bis (2,4-pentadionate) and/or a self-condensation product of a metallic chelate compound.

Abstract: An insulated appliance which provides a simple, low cost product and method for containing fiber insulation for application to appliances. A combination of an appliance, fiber insulation layer applied to the exterior surface of a wall of the appliance and a multilayer metal foil adhesively bonded to the outside of the fiber layer. This combination is conveniently formed by adhesively bonding the fiber layer to the multilayer metal foil, then applying the fiber layer to the exterior surface of the wall of the appliance. In the appliance final assembly, the fiber layer is contained between the surface of the wall of the appliance and the multilayer metal foil. Optionally, the fiber is contained between two or more layers of multilayer metal foil, whereby one of the multilayer metal foil is in contact with the wall of the appliance.

Abstract: A composite staple fiber, wherein a polymer component A and a polymer component B are alternately arranged in a fiber horizontal cross-section; the fiber periphery is entirely covered with the polymer component A; both the polymer component A and the polymer component A have a substantially flat shape; the lengthwise ends of the polymer component B are located 0.05 to 1.5 &mgr;m from the fiber surface; and the weight ratio of the polymer component A to the polymer component B is from 90/10 to 10/90. The composite staple fiber of the present invention is not peeled or split by a carding and a needle punching treatments, but is divided and split in the subsequent water jet entanglement, resulting in flat ultrafine fibers having a sharp-edged structure.

Abstract: A fiber-reinforced clay panel having low water permeability is made from a mixture of clay and primary clarifier recovered fiber, a waste material produced by pulp mills. The mixture is compressed and dried to form a panel having a rigidity like plywood and a very low coefficient of hydraulic conductivity. The panels are useful for lining and covering landfill and waste disposal sites, water-proofing basements and similar applications.

Abstract: Multilayer anti-microbial materials formed to produce an interference colour, and thus an indictor of anti-microbial effect, are provided. The materials include a partly reflective base layer and a partly reflective, partly transmissive top layer balanced to produce an interference colour. The top layer is formed from an anti-microbial metal with atomic disorder. Dissolution or a change in composition of the top layer on contacting an alcohol or electrolyte causes a change in optical path length so as to produce a change in the interference colour of the material. Multilayer, laminated wound dressings are also provided. The dressing includes a first and second layer, and preferably a third layer. The first and third layers are formed of perforated, non-adherent materials and most preferably carry an anti-microbial coating as above. The second layer is sandwiched between the first and third layers and is formed of an absorbent material. At least one of the layers is formed from a plastic material.

Abstract: A molding material comprising a reinforcing fiber 1 bundle evenly sheathed by a resin layer 2 and having an oblong shape with at least two lengthwise faces that are flat faces 3; and a method involving thermal preforming of a given amount of the molding material and placing the preformed material into a mold for molding through application of heat and pressure, affording lightweight high-strength molded articles, such as safety shoe toe caps, in high yield.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a method for obtaining a wood panel, preferably an OSB panel, with significantly reduced thickness swelling properties when exposed to or contacted with moisture or water. The novel dimensionally stable panels are obtained by an alternate vacuum—steam injection method. The method is an after-fabrication, or post-treatment method, and involves one or more cycles of applying a vacuum followed by injection of hot steam in a sealed treatment chamber.

Abstract: Optical films and processes for forming the optical films are described in which materials having different properties are used and the different properties are exploited to obtain improved optical and/or mechanical properties of the optical film. The different properties of the materials may be used to select processing conditions under which the materials will react differently. The film may be processed with respect to two different directions with the amount of molecular orientation, if any, induced by the process being separately controlled for each material and each direction.

Abstract: A fiber structure includes alternate lamination including a predetermined number of a first portion having a refractive index na and a thickness da, and a second portion adjacent to the first portion and having a refractive index nb and a thickness db, wherein when the refractive index na is given by 1.3≦na, and a ratio nb/na is given by 1.01≦nb/na≦1.20, a reflection peak wavelength &lgr; is equal to 2(nada+nbdb). Such fiber structure is used in a textile.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the manufacture of reinforced composites. This method provides a process that allows for the direct mixing of discontinuous reinforcement such as wet chopped strands of glass fiber or continuous reinforcement such as glass strands, with an aqueous suspension of a solution polymerized polymer, such as polyvinyl chloride. The process results in a cost-effective means for reinforcing polymers such as PVC while simultaneously substantially improving properties such as impact strength, stiffness, and moldability without the need for a binder.

Abstract: An automotive trim product is made as follows. A single or multiple layer sheet is extruded so as to include at least one color pigmented and/or metallized layer therein. The sheet is then thermoformed into a three-dimensionally shaped preform via vacuum forming or the like. The preform is placed into a cavity of an injection molding apparatus and heated semi-molten material is injected thereinto. The semi-molten material bonds to the preform in the cavity. After cycling, the molding apparatus ejects a final automotive trim part. Optionally, some processing (e.g. trimming) may be performed following ejection.

Abstract: A deodorant material which comprises, as a carrier, granular or fibrous active carbon treated by either oxidizing treatment or acid-attaching treatment, or polystyrene sulfonic acid, and a cupric ion supported on the carrier.

Abstract: In the resin roll 5 for calendering a magnetic recording medium, a surface portion 3a of a thermosetting resin outer layer 3 has high storage elastic modulus (E′) of 5×1010 to 5×1011 dyn/cm2 at a temperature of 50° to 150° C. at a frequency of 10 hertz (Hz). At the surface portion of the thermosetting resin outer layer, the expression representing the relation between storage elastic modulus (E′) and the Poisson's ratio (&ngr;) is within the following range, under the same conditions: 2×10−12 cm2/dyn<(1−&ngr;2)/E′<2×10−11 cm2/dyn.