Abstract: A method for creating a peptide crosslinked bioactive polymeric material includes reacting a hydroxy-functionalized small molecule with a amino acid to form an amino acid functionalized monomer, reacting the amino acid functionalized monomer with a urea bond former to form a amino acid-based poly(ester urea), and reacting the amino acid-based poly(ester urea) with a peptide based crosslinker to form the peptide crosslinked bioactive polymeric material.

Abstract: An optical compensation film composition is disclosed herein having a polymer film and a substrate, wherein the polymer film has a positive birefringence greater than 0.005 throughout the wavelength range of 400 nm<?<800 nm, the film having been cast from a polymer solution comprising a solvent and a polymer having a moiety of wherein R1, R2, and R3 are each independently hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, or halogens, wherein at least one of R1, R2, and R3 is a fluorine atom, and wherein R is hydrogen or a substituent on the styrenic ring.

Abstract: A negative birefringence film prepared from a poly(aryletherimide) which is the reaction product of a dianhydride and a diamine, where the dianhydride is 4,4?-[4,4?-(p-phenyleneoxy)isopropylidene]bis(phthalic anhydride) (BisADA), bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenyl)ether dianhydride (ODPA), 4,4?-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenoxy)biphenyl dianhydride (BPEDA), 1,4-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenyloxy)phenyl dianhydride (BPQDA), 3,3?,4,4?-tetracarboxylicbiphenyl dianhydride (BPDA), or 2,2-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenyl)-1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane dianhydride (6FDA), alone or a mixture with one or more of: 3,3?,4,4?-tetracarboxylicbiphenyl dianhydride (BPDA), 2,2-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenyl)-1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane dianhydride (6FDA); and where the diamine is 1,4-bis(2-trifluoromethyl-4-aminophenoxy)-2,5-di(t-butyl)benzene (BTBDA), 3,3?-dimethyl-4,4?-diamino biphenyl (OTOL), or mixtures thereof and wherein when a mixture of dianhydrides is present, they are present in a molar amount of between 99 to 1 (99:1) and 1 to 99 (1:99), and the film has

Abstract: A class of soluble poly(aryletherimides) (PAEIs) having flexible backbones, useful in the manufacture of polymeric optical films are disclosed. The poly(aryletherimides) are dissolved in organic solvents, such as ketones and ketone solvent mixtures and coated on variety of substrates such as triacetyl cellulose (TAC), to form clear thin-layer films which display negative birefringence. The thin films can serve as compensation layers in liquid crystal displays (LCDs), and can be combined with other types of optical films, such as polarizers, brightness enhancement films, or other compensation films, to from multi-layered films that are especially useful in the manufacture of LCDs.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to chenille yarns, fabrics prepared therefrom, and items formed therewith. The chenille yarns comprise an adhesive component that is incorporated into the yarn is such a way that the yarns, and the fabrics made therefrom, exhibit excellent physical characteristics, particularly abrasion resistance.

Abstract: A class of soluble poly(aryletherimides) (PAEIs) having flexible backbones, useful in the manufacture of polymeric optical films are disclosed. The poly(aryletherimides) are dissolved in organic solvents, such as ketones and ketone solvent mixtures and coated on variety of substrates such as triacetyl cellulose (TAC), to form clear thin-layer films which display negative birefringence. The thin films can serve as compensation layers in liquid crystal displays (LCDs), and can be combined with other types of optical films, such as polarizers, brightness enhancement films, or other compensation films, to from multi-layered films that are especially useful in the manufacture of LCDs.

Abstract: The disclosed compositions and methods for producing composite materials that are suitably adapted for use in elevated temperature environments generally include the use of oxyarylbisorthodinitrile matrix resins in conjunction with aromatic amines to produce an improved phthalonitrile-based composite. Various features and specifications may be controlled, adapted or otherwise optionally modified to improve the temperature-rated performance of the disclosed composite materials. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention generally provide composite materials that offer improved strength at temperatures in excess of 600° F.

Abstract: The invention provides a drawn and/or crimped fiber comprising a biodegradable polymer, such as polylactic acid, wherein the drawn and/or crimped fiber exhibits a storage-stable tenacity that does not decrease from an initial tenacity upon manufacture by more than about 10% after storage for 120 days in ambient conditions. The polymer composition used to form the fiber may comprise a softening agent. The fiber can be a drawn and crimped bicomponent fiber that is helically self-crimped and which comprises a first biodegradable polymer component and a second biodegradable polymer component, wherein the first polymer component and the second polymer component exhibit different polymer morphology such that each polymer component will undergo a different extent of longitudinal shrinkage upon application of heat. The outer surface of the fiber may carry a water-repellant coating. The invention also provides a method of forming a drawn and/or crimped fiber exhibiting storage-stable tenacity.

Abstract: Waveplate, planar lightwave circuit incorporating the waveplate, and method of making an optical device. The waveplate is formed of a mesogen-containing polymer film having a backbone and sidechains containing mesogen groups. The waveplate may be formed by producing a mesogen-containing polymer film having a nonzero birefringence of suitable dimensions for insertion into a planar lightwave circuit. The waveplate may be so inserted into an optical circuit of a planar lightwave circuit so that an optical signal traversing the waveplate is changed, for instance, to have two polarization states.

Abstract: A coin slide which accepts a plurality of smaller denomination coins or single larger denomination coin preferably equal in value to total value of the plurality of smaller denomination coins, in lieu of the plurality of small denomination coins. The coin slide includes a body, a slide, a bridge and a lever checking mechanism.

Abstract: A coin slide which accepts a plurality of smaller denomination coins or single larger denomination coin preferably equal in value to total value of the plurality of smaller denomination coins, in lieu of the plurality of small denomination coins. The coin slide includes a body, a slide, a bridge and a lever checking mechanism.

Abstract: A new class of pyrylium salts and process for the manufacture, as well as the use of the new pyrylium salts as polycondensation components for a new class of polypyridinium salts and a new class of conducting polypyridinium salts manufactured by doping the polypyridinium salts with a conducting dopant is described. The new polypyridinium salts and their conducting doped analogs according to this invention are stable positively charged polymers resistant to base attack and are distinguished by water insolubility making them ideally suited as a metal anti-corrosion coating, stable in basic media making them ideally suited for separation membranes for anions, and as excellent, thermally and chemically stable conducting polymers when doped ideally suited for making electrically conducting materials and as redox catalysts.

Abstract: A new class of pyrylium salts and process for the manufacture, as well as the use of the new pyrylium salts as polycondensation components for a new class of polypyridinium salts and a new class of conducting polypyridinium salts manufactured by doping the polypyridinium salts with a conducting dopant is described. The new polypyridinium salts and their conducting doped analogs according to this invention are stable positively charged polymers resistant to base attack and are distinguished by water insolubility making them ideally suited as a metal anti-corrosion coating, stable in basic media making them ideally suited for separation membranes for anions, and as excellent, thermally and chemically stable conducting polymers when doped ideally suited for making electrically conducting materials and as redox catalysts.

Abstract: Copolyimide compositions and methods for their preparation which are melt-processible at relative low pressures, i.e. less than 1000 psi, and are suited for laminating and molding, are described. The invention additionally encompasses copolyimide precursors, reinforced polyimide composites and laminates made from said polyimides where the composite is reinforced by fibrous materials. This is achieved by reacting at least one aromatic dianhydride where each anhydride group is located on an aromatic ring with the carbonyl units in an ortho orientation relative to one another, with at least one diamine which is capable of a transmidization reaction upon incorporation into the polyimide backbone, and with at least one other diamine which is not capable of undergoing such reaction, the diamine which is capable of undergoing the transimidization reaction being present in an amount of from about 1-50 mole percent in relation to the diamine that is not susceptable to transimidization.

Abstract: A bar has at least one compartment, a plurality of removeable magazines mounted in the compartment, fiber optics associated with the bar compartment and each magazine for assisting to detect the removal of a magazine from the bar compartment and the removal and/or movement of the contents of the magazine. The fiber optics comprise:(a) optical fibers secured to each magazine and lenses secured to the optical fibers on each magazine; and(b) lenses on the bar associated with the compartment. Some of the lenses on each magazine are spaced from, and aligned with, some of the lenses on the same magazine for the transmission of light therebetween, and some of the lenses on each magazine are spaced from, and aligned with, some of the lenses on the bar associated with the compartment for the transmission of light therebetween.

Abstract: Condensing zinc vapor by contacting hot gases containing zinc vapor with a spray of molten lead droplets within a multi-stage condenser with recirculation of the molten lead, wherein the temperature of the lead in an intermediate stage of the multi-stage condenser is controlled to be within the range of from 475.degree. to 515.degree. C, preferably by feeding hot lead from the first stage of the condenser into the intermediate stage via a duct leading through a baffle wall separating the first and intermediate stages.

Abstract: Producing a briquetted oxidic feed for a blast furnace by pelletizing very fine zinc oxide or zinc oxide and lead oxide powder into pellets having an average diameter of from 2 to 10 millimeters prior to briquetting the oxide pellets at a temperature of from 500.degree. to 800.degree.C and a pressure of from 1 to 20 tons/square inch.