Abstract: Homogeneous mixtures are described and can be processed to give shaped biodegradable and physiologically nonhazardous articles, such as packagings for food or drink or pharmaceutical products, sausage casings and the like. The mixtures comprise dialdehyde starch with a degree of oxidation of greater than 30%, starch which does not exhibit any iodine-starch reaction, and/or modified starch, water and other plasticizers, and also, if desired, other biopolymers and additives.

Abstract: A method for preparing a cation exchange membrane, comprising the introduction of an organic polymer having sulfonic acid groups and of finely disperse electrically conductive particles of a catalyst material into a liquid phase, the resulting suspension being used to coat a foil of a cation exchange material on at least one side, wherein the organic polymer having sulfonic acid groups is soluble in an aprotic polar solvent and contains units of the formulae (Ar1X) and (Ar2Y) which are at least partially substituted by sulfonic acid groups, Ar1 and Ar2 being identical or different bivalent arylene radicals, X being oxygen or sulfur and Y being a carbonyl radical, sulfoxide radical or sulfonyl radical and said material being dissolved in a solvent, a finely disperse electrically conductive catalyst material being suspended in the solution and this suspension being used to coat a foil which contains a polymeric cation exchanger having sulfonic acid groups and the coating which still contains solvent being treat

Abstract: In order to produce a polymer electrolyte membrane from sulfonated, aromatic polyether ketone, an aromatic polyether ketone of the formula (I) in which Ar is a phenylene ring having p- and/or m-bonds, Ar′ is a phenylene, naphthylene, biphenylene, anthrylene or another divalent aromatic unit, X, N and M, independently of one another are 0 or 1, Y is 0, 1, 2 or 3, P is 1, 2, 3 or 4, is sulfonated and the sulfonic acid is isolated. At least 5% of the sulfonic groups in the sulfonic acid are converted into sulfonyl chloride groups, and these are reacted with an amine containing at least one crosslinkable substituent or a further functional group, and unreacted sulfonyl chloride groups are subsequently hydrolyzed. The resultant aromatic sulfonamide is isolated and dissolved in an organic solvent, the solution is converted into a film, and the crosslinkable substituents in the film are then crosslinked.

Abstract: A process for producing laminates which contain at least one centrally arranged, ion-conductive membrane which is, at least over a substantial part of its two mutually opposite flat faces, electrically conductively bonded to at least one catalytically active substance and to at least one two-dimensional, gas-permeable, electron-conductive contacting material, the bonding of at least two of the said components having been effected by lamination. The process comprises carrying out the bonding of the ion-conductive membrane, of the catalytically active substance and of the electron-conductive contacting material continuously. The ion-conductive membrane is brought together with at least the electron-conductive contacting material in the exact position by means of transport and feeding devices and the two components are laminated and bonded to one another by pressing them together. The range of variation in the a.c. resistances of the laminates produced by the process according to the invention is ±10%.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the chlorosulfonation of polyarylene sulfide in which the polyarylene sulfide is completely dissolved in chlorosulfonic acid at a temperature of -10 to +20 C., then agitated at reaction temperatures in the +5 to +20 C. range for a reaction time of 180 min at the most, possibly with the addition of oleum or acetic anhydride and the precipitated in an aqueous medium. The polyarylene sulfide is preferably poly-p-phenylene sulfide. The invention also relates to chlorosulfonated polyarylene sulfide produced by this process, which dissolves in a quantity of 10 to 50 wt % in N-methyl pyrrolidone and has a mean molecular weight Mw of >50,000 g/mol. Finally, the invention also relates to the use of chlorosulfonated polyarylene sulfide for the production of molding, foils, fibres or diaphragms with a proton conductivity in the 2 to 200 mS/cm range.

Abstract: A copolymer comprisinga) a segment A with a number-average molar mass Mn of from 1000 to 20,000 g/mol, which hasi) units 1, which have been derived from structures of the formula (I) ##STR1## where the radicals R.sup.1 and R.sup.2, independently of one another, are a hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine or bromine atom or a branched or unbranched alkyl or alkoxy radical having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; and/orii) units 2, which are derived from structures of the formula (II) ##STR2## and b) a segment B, derived from a polyarylene sulfide structure of the formula (IV) ##STR3## where Ar is an aromatic radical, or more than one condensed aromatic radicals, and n is a number from 2 to 100, in particular from 5 to 20, together with a process for its preparation, and also its use for compatibilizing blends made from polyarylene sulfides and aromatic polyesters.

Abstract: Metallized cation-exchange membrane The present invention relates to a membrane/electrode composite comprising a membrane comprising a polymeric cation exchanger containing carboxylic acid, phosphonic acid or sulfonic acid groups, which cation exchanger is soluble in a solvent, where on at least one side of the membrane there are applied finely divided metals which catalyze the formation of water from H.sub.2 and O.sub.2. The part of the membrane covered with metal is porous, but contains no closed pores, and the metal can also be present in the pores.

Abstract: Homogeneous polymer alloys comprising, as the main constituents, sulfonated aromatic polyether-ketones and at least one aromatic polysulfone, wherein the materials have a good thermal and mechanical stability and are thereby distinguished in particular as cation exchanger membranes for electrochemical cells with operating temperatures above 100.degree. C.

Abstract: For optical applications, transparent amorphous thermo-plastics, such as polyaryl ether ketones, are of considerable interest. However, polyaryl ether ketones have inadequate UV stability and weathering resistance while amorphous polyaryl esters do not have these negative properties. The properties can be improved by means of polymer alloys, giving weathering-resistant materials from homogeneously mixed polymers which comprise at least one amorphous polyaryl ether ketone and at least one amorphous polyaryl ester.

Abstract: In order to produce a polymer electrolyte membrane from sulfonated, aromatic polyether ketone, an aromatic polyether ketone of the formula (I) ##STR1## in which Ar is a phenylene ring having p- and/or m-bonds,Ar' is a phenylene, naphthylene, biphenylene, anthrylene or another divalent aromatic unit,X, N and M, independently of one another are 0 or 1,Y is 0, 1, 2 or 3,P is 1, 2, 3 or 4,is sulfonated and the sulfonic acid is isolated. At least 5% of the sulfonic groups in the sulfonic acid are converted into sulfonyl chloride groups, and these are reacted with an amine containing at least one crosslinkable substituent or a further functional group, and unreacted sulfonyl chloride groups are subsequently hydrolyzed. The resultant aromatic sulfonamide is isolated and dissolved in an organic solvent, the solution is converted into a film, and the crosslinkable substituents in the film are then crosslinked.In specific cases, the crosslinkable substituents can be omitted.

Abstract: In order to produce a polymer electrolyte membrane from sulfonated, aromatic polyether ketone, an aromatic polyether ketone of the formula (I) ##STR1## in which Ar is a phenylene ring having p- and/or m-bonds,Ar' is a phenylene, naphthylene, biphenylene, anthrylene or another divalent aromatic unit,X, N and M, independently of one another are 0 or 1,Y is 0, 1, 2 or 3,P is 1, 2, 3 or 4,is sulfonated and the sulfonic acid is isolated. At least 5% of the sulfonic groups in the sulfonic acid are converted into sulfonyl chloride groups, and these are reacted with an amine containing at least one crosslinkable substituent or a further functional group, and unreacted sulfonyl chloride groups are subsequently hydrolyzed. The resultant aromatic sulfonamide is isolated and dissolved in an organic solvent, the solution is converted into a film, and the crosslinkable substituents in the film are then crosslinked.In specific cases, the crosslinkable substituents can be omitted.

Abstract: Thermoplastically processable aromatic polyether amideThermoplastically processable aromatic polyether amide of the formula (I) ##STR1## in which the symbols Ar, Ar', Ar.sub.1, Ar.sub.2, R, R', Y, x, y and z have the following meanings:Ar is a divalent, substituted or unsubstituted, aromatic or heteroaromatic radical or a group--Ar*--Q--Ar*--in whichQ is a bond or an --O--, --C(CH.sub.3).sub.2, --CO--, --S--, --SO-- or --SO.sub.2 -- bridge and Ar* is an aromatic radical. The carbonyl groups of the Ar radical are on non-adjacent ring carbon atoms.A is up to three different radicals.Ar' has the meaning given for Ar or is an Ar--Z--Ar group.In this case, Z is a --C(CH.sub.3).sub.2 -- or --O--Ar*--O--bridge.Y is a --C(CH.sub.3).sub.2 --, --SO.sub.2 --, --S-- or a --C(CF.sub.3).sub.2 --bridge and has up to two different meanings in the same polymer.Ar.sub.1 and Ar.sub.2 are identical or different from one another and are each a substituted or unsubstituted para- or meta-arylene radical.

Abstract: In order to produce a polymer electrolyte membrane from sulfonated, aromatic polyether ketone, an aromatic polyether ketone of the formula (I) ##STR1## in which Ar is a phenylene ring having p- and/or m-bonds,Ar' is a phenylene, naphthylene, biphenylene, anthrylene or another divalent aromatic unit,X, N and M, independently of one another are 0 or 1,Y is 0, 1, 2 or 3,P is 1, 2, 3 or 4,is sulfonated and the sulfonic acid is isolated. At least 5% of the sulfonic groups in the sulfonic acid are converted into sulfonyl chloride groups, and these are reacted with an amine containing at least one crosslinkable substituent or a further functional group, and unreacted sulfonyl chloride groups are subsequently hydrolyzed. The resultant aromatic sulfonamide is isolated and dissolved in an organic solvent, the solution is converted into a film, and the crosslinkable substituents in the film are then crosslinked.In specific cases, the crosslinkable substituents can be omitted.

Abstract: Polymer alloys which comprise (A) at least one cycloolefin polymer and (B) at least one polyaryl ether ketone, the amounts of (A) being 1 to 99% by weight and those of (B) being 99 to 1% by weight and relatively making up 100% by weight, with respect to the total alloy, are described. Such polymer alloys can be used as a matrix material for composite materials or for the production of shaped articles.

Abstract: Use of fluorinated aromatic polyamides as orientation layer for liquid crystal switching and display devicesUse of substituted aromatic polyamides as orientation layer in liquid crystal switching and display elements is described, in which the polyamides contain structural units of the formula (I) ##STR1## in which in formula I the symbols have the following meaning: ##STR2## in which R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are identical or different and are perfluorinated alkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are identical or different and are H or CF.sub.3, and in which --W-- is, for example, --O--, --C(CH.sub.3).sub.2 --, --C(CF.sub.3).sub.2 --.Orientation layers made of these polyamides can be cured at low temperatures, have good adhesion and high transmittance and allow for a high surface tilt angle.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of 1,4-bis(4-hydroxybenzoyl)benzene of the formula (I) ##STR1## by rearranging diphenyl terephthalate of the formula (II) ##STR2## in about 3 to about 50 parts, relative to the diphenyl terephthalate, of an anhydrous organic solvent which is inert to the reactants, in the presence of about 30 to about 500 mol-% of a haloalkanesulfonic acid (catalyst) of the general formula (III) or (IV)Y(C.sub.n X.sub.2n)SO.sub.3 H (III)Y(C.sub.n F.sub.2n)SO.sub.3 H (IV)in which Y is a fluorine or hydrogen atom, and X is a fluorine and/or chlorine atom, with the proviso that at least one X is a fluorine atom, and n is an integer from 1 to 10, at temperatures of about 10.degree. to about 200.degree. C.

Abstract: Preparation of specially substituted aromatic polyamides containing structural units of the formula I mentioned and copolyamides containing at least 10 mol % of structural units of the formula I and structural units of the formula II mentioned and their use as orientation layer in liquid crystal display elements and/or liquid crystal switching elements.

Abstract: Process for the preparation of an aromatic polyether in the presence of finely divided condensation auxiliaries.The process for the preparation of an aromatic polyether by condensation of the reactants in the presence of carbonates of metals of Group I of the Periodic Table, as condensation auxiliaries, employs the metal carbonates sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate or mixtures thereof in the form of very finely ground salts.The fine particle size distribution of the carbonate allows a significant shortening of the reaction times and permits polyethers having a defined degree of condensation to be reproducibly prepared.

Abstract: Composites based on PEEKK and reinforcing fibers give moldings which have a high modulus of elasticity. The moldings have a higher rigidity and heat resistance in comparison with moldings produced from prior-art polyetherketones. The proportion of reinforcing fibers is 1 to 70% by weight. Composites of this type can be processed in standard injection molding machines.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of an aromatic polyether by condensation of dihydric phenols with activated aromatic dihalo compounds or by self-condensation of polynuclear activated halophenols employs a mixture of sodium carbonate and sodium hydrogen carbonate as a condensation auxiliary.By this means, the relatively low reactivity of the sodium carbonate is enhanced and the reaction rate is significantly increased.